Mission impossible ?.

[GRIXEN]

I am in the process of fitting a new soft top to my 1992 Griffith 400. Recovering the targa went like a dream and looks very good. However, I am having difficulty dismantling the rear hood section. Any advice on how to remove the 3 bolts securing the lower C section to the body. There is very little space to wield a spanner and also the heads are not visible from inside the car. It does seem that the 500 cars had a re design and this job was a lot easier. Any help gratefully received.

[Alan461]

I had the same problem last year on the Griff
Two of the three bolts had rusted and needed the heads drilling from outside which damaged the old soft top.
You can see the location of the bolt heads as they cause lumps in the soft top.

Edited by Alan461 on Sunday 8th January 18:34

[GRIXEN]

How did you get the nut off the free one ? Extended socket etc.

[Alan461]

Open ended spanner with the sides ground right back to make it slim, amongst other things.
Got all three moving but there was rust and (I think) adhesive on the long threads and no easy way to get a blade in there to remove the excess, plus the bolt heads had started rotating in the fibreglass

[GRIXEN]

Have just checked the soft top and cannot see or feel any lumps for the bolt heads. Can you confirm it was a 400 and not a 500 model.

[phillpot]

GRIXEN said:

Have just checked the soft top and cannot see or feel any lumps for the bolt heads.

If it's like the earlier S series cars they used coach bolts, very little head to feel and nothing to get a grip on.

[Alan461]

GRIXEN said:

Have just checked the soft top and cannot see or feel any lumps for the bolt heads. Can you confirm it was a 400 and not a 500 model.

'94 preserp 500 so it could be early enough to be the same or completely different.
There will be bolt heads buried in there though

[Colin RedGriff]

There's some notes I made when I did my S series quite a few years ago.

Might help https://www.dropbox.com/sh/5cko5jlhssxwor2/AAAH4CB...

[GRIXEN]

Thanks Colin that's a great help and looks pretty much the same as the precat. Cheers.