[Pecosbill]

Going through my parts boxes and I found the two large grommets that go between the tail panel and the quarter panel extensions. How the heck did I forget to put those things in before I put the QP extensions in place? My first question (and I'm afraid I know the answer): From which direction do they go in? From inside the trunk or from the outside. For some reason I don't have any pre-dissassembly pics of this area. I'll bet it's from the outside, of course, which means dropping the bumper and removing the extensions.

Second question, and this one is more crucial: I have installed the top frame on the car, but for the life of me I cannot find the bolts that hold the top frame to the top cylinder bracket. There are several bolts that hold the bracket to the car body and there are several that hold the top frame to the car body, but there are only two (one per side) that hold the top frame to the bracket itself, those two serving as pivot points for the top mechanism. There are two more (one per side) that hold the top cylinders to the top frame, and I have those. But what do those two that go from the bracket to the top frame look like?? Are they just regular hex head bolts? Do they install from the outside of the car in or from the inside of the car out (nut on which side)? What kind of glide washers are on the bracket? Pics would be most helpful; someone telling me they have a couple of extras from their Lemans convertible parts car would be fantastic. This is actually holding up my restoration. Well, that and a lack of time.

Sure do appreciate any help you can give.
Bill

[rohrt]

http://www.camarocentral.com/1967_19..._p/cnv-601.htm

Is this the bolts your talking about?

The cylinder should have plastic bushings on both sides and the bolts go through from the out side in. The outside bolts are a bit of a PITA to get in and out.

[fng69]

#1 I would pull them in from the inside just there to keep dirt out anyway. That's the way mine are and don't think I have ever had them out. And the car was pretty original when I got her.

This the bracket you talking about. Think bolts can all be had in your PY catalog.. Les

[Pecosbill]

fng, I do believe that's the bracket, or something similar.

rohrt, I believe those are the bolts that hold the top cylinder into the bracket. I downloaded the pic of a folding top mechanism below. In the red circles are the bolts that come with the top mechanism rebuild kits you see on ebay and from the various parts houses, the ones with the shiny new brass washers. Down below I have circled in dark blue in two places. One is where the top frame bolts onto the top cylinder itself. Those are the bolts I have. The other is where the top from bolts onto the bracket itself. That's what I'm needing.

[ron cozzo]

For the quarter extension grommets, they go in from the outside. You may be able to kinda screw them into the hole from the inside. It's worth a shot, worst case is you have to take the extensions off and do it right.

[ron cozzo]

This picture shows my originals installed over the Yorktown Blue.

[Pecosbill]

Thanks, Ron. I thought that was what I remembered but I was hoping...... But it's all okay because I haven't done the final body adjustments and painting touch ups yet. Just a hassle, but I'm going to do it right. After all I've put into this car to make it right I'm not gonna get wimpy on it now!

[olde-goat]

I went through this a few years back when I restored the top frame on my 65 GTO. My top frame was in pieces and most of these bolts were missing. Unless something has changed none of the kits that were available had anything remotely close to what were required. Kits only contained SOME of the plastic bushings that were of any use. A friend loaned me some bolts to use as samples. I had a local machine shop duplicate the top hinge/pivot bolts out of stainless. Luckily in my area we still had some bone yards that had some mid sixties GM vehicles. Not sure if this helps but I sourced all my attachment bolts from a 66 Catalina as they were a drop dead match. I there fore assume these bolts were the same for the 64-66 maybe 67, A and B body cars. I have to look but may have pictures in my files, I am computer challenged and cannot post but could email if it helps you.

[Pecosbill]

OG, that would be great. The only bolts I really need to identify are the two (one per side) that hold the top cylinder bracket to the top frame. Since the top frame mechanism pivots on these bolt points it seems that they may be different than ordinary run of the mill bolts. I will PM you my email address and if you could shoot me a picture of that bolt it would be enormously helpful. I don't think it was just an ordinary hex headed bolt, as I seem to recall it being a more rounded hex head made out of stainless, much like the bolts that hold the end of the top cylinder shaft to the top frame.

[pfilean]

Bolts at pivot points would probably be shoulder bolts. Not available everywhere. Once you can determine the thread and length needed try McMaster-Carr in Chicago.

[Pecosbill]

pfilean, thanks. I looked at the McMaster-Carr website as you suggested and the stainless shoulder bolts they have look like something that should work. I just need to figure out the diameter and length and then I'll order a few. They look to be traditional hex head bolts, and from the pics that OldeGoat emailed me the bolts look to be shoulder bolts with a kind of rounded off hex head, thick at the center and thinner at the edges. I may get a couple of extras and see if I can grind them down to resemble the originals.

[John V.]

Bill, I just looked at mine. Took me awhile to understand which bolt you are after.

The bummer for me, I see where the "adjusting plate is supposed to be riveted to the rail and it is so on the LH side, but looks like it must have broken on the RH side and now has a hex bolt there. Bummer, wonder if that can be corrected.

Anyway, not what you need.

The bolt you are after installs from the inside out, the nut is outside.

This is confirmed by the illustration in the '66 Body Parts Catalog. I assume you don't have that, so I'll tell you what I can.

The bolt is Item 35, Male Hinge to Male Hinge Bolt.

The nut is Item 41, Male Hinge to Male Hinge Nut.

No washer.

Gr. 14.155 for the bolt, Gr. 14.157 for the nut.

Unfortunately I don't see a Male Hinge to Male Hinge in either group and in any event, doesn't look like there are many size descriptions in those Groups.

There is a Rear Rail to Male Hinge Bolt, Qty 2 for all '65-'66 Converts, p/n 4867563 but no description. No mention of '64, but probably same for '64 Tempest.

There is also a Rear Rail to Male Hinge Nut for '64 Tempest convertibles listed, Qty 2, p/n 9417734, reference to Gr. 8.917.

Now we're getting somewhere.

The bolt on mine looked to be chrome, since it is partially rusty.

In Gr. 8.917, I find the general listing is for Slotted Hexagon Nut.

p/n 9417734 in is the section labeled "Self-Locking Type" and the description is 7/16-16 Chrome.

That checks with what I thought the bolt plating would be.

I didn't get a close look at the nut since it is less accessible than the bolt head (you see it thru a sheetmetal access hole right?

The bolt head looks like a sorta shallow dome and it is hex head. Crudely measured I'd say 1-1/2" long.

I thought there was another similar chromed bolt on the frame but mine is folded up, I didn't see another.

Hope that helps.

[Pecosbill]

Outstanding work, John. You are a walking encyclopedia of Pontiacism. We are homing in on it. Crazy thing is, I was very meticulous, or at least I thought I was, when I disassembled this car, to bag, number, and log in every single nut and bolt and clip, etc. that I removed from it. But who knows, I may have gotten tired or something and not done this part. I've gone through every single box of parts I have left multiple times and they have just disappeared. But the four bolts that hold the top frame to the car body are also nowhere to be found and I know I remember cleaning them up on a wire wheel, so they're probably all together somewhere, only to show up when I've fretted about this for a month or so and paid up to have some made or something. I've already found replacements for the others, but I wasn't sure what I was looking for in the case of these buggers.

Here's a pic Olde-goat sent me yesterday and this lines up with what I thought was in there and with what you've posted: