1970 to 1975 hardtop

[Paul S.]

Anybody out there have or know where i could find a junk hardtop ( or preferably) someone who would sell me the center rear mounting bracket? This is right in the middle by the back glass , it bolts the hardtop to the deck panel. Gm didn't start using this bracket till late 1969 or early 1970 . Car i am working on is a 1972 but we have an early top.
Thanks

[Paul S.]

Re: 1970 to 1975 hardtop

Anybody have one ?

[D S.]

Re: 1970 to 1975 hardtop

I have the same issue. I am looking, too. I recently bought a C-3 vinyl hardtop and discovered that same part was missing. I was told it was not really needed but if not why was that part installed on them?

Thanks,
Scott Sims

[Joe L.]

Re: 1970 to 1975 hardtop

Anybody out there have or know where i could find a junk hardtop ( or preferably) someone who would sell me the center rear mounting bracket? This is right in the middle by the back glass , it bolts the hardtop to the deck panel. Gm didn't start using this bracket till late 1969 or early 1970 . Car i am working on is a 1972 but we have an early top.
Thanks

Paul------


The bracket, GM #3962670, was discontinued in 1981 so that's a long time for any NOS stock to dry up. On the other hand, this is not really a wear part so not many would have needed to have been replaced.

I can tell you that my original owner, late 1969 hard-top only did not have the bracket and I never noticed any problem, at all, with the top. Of course, my old, oft-repeated axiom applies here: GM did not add the bracket because things worked just as well without it. Nevertheless, based on my experience, I do not think that many folks would have added the bracket for functional reasons, especially since its use would have required a hole to be drilled in the deck lid (personally, I would NEVER have done this). However, it is possible that a SERVICE bulletin was issued instructing GM dealers to add the bracket if the customer made certain complaints.

[D S.]

[Dan D.]

Re: 1970 to 1975 hardtop

FWIW...I put a 1971 top on my '72. The '71 top did not have a "bolt" in the center...it had a "guide pin" about an inch long. I removed the pin...made a rubber gasket for the plate to rest on the deck lid...used the same "push/click pins" that are used on the convertible top frame...drilled out and installed the housings for the side bolts that came only on the cars shipped with a hard top. All worked out good. Of course my car is not a show car so I don't have to worry about "points."