This week’s Corvette Question comes from Anthony who owns a 1977 Corvette:
How do I adjust the T-Tops on my 1977 Corvette?
1968-1977 Corvette T-Top Latches
Answer: There are multiple adjustment points on the 1968-1977 Corvette T-Tops. All of the outer latches and center locks have adjustment points. To get your Corvette’s T-Tops to fit correctly, first loosen the latches and center locks. Next, fit the T-Tops to your Corvette, moving and sliding the T-Tops into the desired position. They should be flush from side to side and between 1/8″ to 1/4″ high at the rear roof. The glass roof panels were designed to fit from 1/8″ to 1/4″ higher than the rear roof, so do not attempt to make the panels flush at the rear. Once you have them placed correctly, sit in your Corvette and begin to tighten the adjustment points. Both the latches and center locks have vertical adjustments in them as well. Your T-Top can be pulled down tighter by turning the adjustable bolt in the outer latches. When adjusting the bolt, take notice of the clearance from the roof panel to the windshield header; there should be a minimum of 1/16″ gap. You want the rubber weatherstrip at the front of the T-Top to compress so that there are no leaks, but you do not want it to be so tight that the T-Top actually lays on top of the windshield header molding. For the last adjustment, simply add or delete shims to the center locks until the desired fit is achieved. For additional information, read our Finishing Touches & Details technical article at CorvetteMagazine.com.
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This week’s Corvette Question comes from a 2000 Corvette owner:
How do you close the automatic headlights on a C5 Corvette?
C5 Corvette Headlight
Answer: If your automatic lights are on and you would like to close them, you have to go into your options menu. To do this you must use the buttons located on the side of the instrument panel. There is a button labeled options – it is button number 4. When you push it, the screen below your gauges will ask you a set of several different questions. Examples of these questions include: do you want your Corvette Headlights to open automatically depending on the light outside? Do you want the alarm to activate automatically when you leave your Corvette? Do you want the horn to chirp when you arm and disarm? You use the reset button to select which question you want and the options button to go to the next option. Simply choose for the automatic lights to be turned off while on this screen and they should close. If you choose to close them in the menu and they are still up, then obviously the headlight switch on the turn signal lever is on.
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Today’s Corvette technical question comes from a 1970 Corvette owner:
How do you remove the wiper arms from a 1970 Corvette?
Answer: Original Corvette Wiper Arms are pressed on to a shaft, often referred to as a transmission that projects through the cowl of any 1956-1982 Corvette. The fit is very tight and over time, the wiper arms can really become “stuck” to these transmissions. Removal is not difficult, if you have the correct tool. Many Corvette owners have found themselves on the short end of a nasty paint scratch while trying to remove the arms from the transmission with a common screwdriver. The process can
Wiper Arm Removal Tool
be done, but is not worth the risk just because you want to save a few dollars by not purchasing a Corvette wiper arm removal tool. With this tool, your wiper arm removal will be quick and easy without risking damage to your Corvette. The tool simply hooks on to the bottom of the wiper arm elbow. Grab in one hand the wiper arm and tool handle, squeeze together and pull straight up. The tool creates the correct alignment of the elbow in order to bypass an inner spring clip. Once correct alignment is received, the arm pulls off with ease.
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Today’s Corvette technical question comes from Jay who owns a 1977 Corvette:
How do you adjust the “back” of the headlights on a 1977? I know where the front adjustment is, but mine rubs on the back when they are opened. I have several manuals and have looked everywhere on the car I can think of. Can you help?
Answer: There is no adjustment for the back of your Corvette’s headlights. If your headlights are rubbing the surrounding fiberglass, we would first suggest unbolting the headlights and changing their position within the opening. The bolts mounting the frame to the front and rear headlight bars on the fiberglass have some adjustment in them, loosen the bolts and reposition the headlight housing in the opening. An additional issue may be worn out or misaligned side bushings where the headlight housing mounts into the headlight frame. These bushings are plastic and once cracked and brittle, will allow the housing to move around in the frame. Verify whether the bushings are broken and if not, loosen the bolts and reposition the headlight housing within the frame. There is adjustment in those bolts as well that will allow you to control the headlight housing position.
Here are a few diagrams that may help:
 Headlight Diagram 1 |
 Headlight Diagram 2 |
 Headlight Diagram 3 |
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Today’s Zip Corvette technical question comes from Aris who owns a 1969 Corvette.
How do I remove my Corvette’s windshield wiper motor?
Answer: The wiper motor is held to the cowl by three studs coming from the windshield side. First, gain access by raising the wiper door assembly to its highest position, this can be done by removing the plug from the wiper door vacuum canister and pulling the wiper door up. Additional access can
1969-1972 Corvette Wiper Motor
be gained by removing the (8) screws holding the wiper door grill in place. Disconnect the wiper arms from the ball stud on the back of the wiper motor; two nuts with attaching washers hold the arms to the ball stud. There is also a single nut that holds the ball stud bracket to the back of the wiper motor, this may need to be removed as well. Try to reach these components without removing the wiper door, as removing wiper doors typically cause other problems including broken bolts which typically require professional repair. Once the arms are loose, simply loosen the three nuts on the front of the wiper motor and the motor can be pulled straight forward and off the cowl. When replacing the wiper motor with a new or rebuilt unit, order separately the wiper motor mount bushings as these are usually dry and cracked due to engine compartment heat.
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Today’s Zip Corvette technical question comes from a C3 Corvette owner:
How do I adjust the windshield wipers on my 1976 Corvette?
Answer: The wiper arms fit into a specific groove on the wiper arm transmissions coming through the top of the cowl, therefore no adjustment exists on the exterior of your 1968-1982 Corvette. The
Wiper Arm Adjustment
adjustments for your wiper arm locations are found on the backside of the Corvettes wiper motor where the link arms attach to the wiper motor ball stud. This can easily be found on 1973-1982 Corvettes where access is granted, but on 1968-1972 Corvettes the wiper door may need to be removed or lifted in the very highest position. Once the nuts are loosened, the wiper link arms will “slide” to allow for proper adjustment. The nuts can be tightened once the arm locations are adjusted enough to make sure the wiper blades do not hit when returning to their inside position.
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Today’s Zip Corvette technical question comes from Tom who owns a 1965 Corvette.
How do I remove the cluster from my 1965 C2 Corvette?
Answer: There is no step by step guide that I know of, but 1965 Corvette clusters are very easy to remove. You can start by disconnecting the battery. Then loosen the column and lower it. Once you have done that, you can remove the speedometer and tachometer cables. You will need to disconnect
Midyear Corvette Instrument Cluster
the oil pressure line and make sure you have a little plastic cup under it so oil does not get on your carpet. Once you have done all of this, you can unscrew the dash. To do this, unscrew all the perimeter screws around the top and the dash will come out. You will have to unplug all the electrical connectors as well. Once you have completed the following steps you should be able to remove the cluster from your Corvette.
For more information on restoring your Midyear Corvette’s cluster to its original state click here.
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Today’s Zip Corvette technical question comes from a 1977 Corvette owner.
How do I remove the body from my 1977 C3 Corvette? I have all bolts removed but cannot get the body to move.
Answer: With all the bolts removed from the body mount to frame positions (8 total for 68-82 Corvettes), as well as the steering column, shift cables, battery cables, fuel lines and ground straps disconnected, the body should be ready for removal. Often times the deterioration of metal shims and aluminum or rubber bushings (depending on year, 68-72 aluminum & 73-82 rubber) cause the body to seem “stuck” when trying to remove it from the frame. First, make sure the lifting process does not
1963-1982 Body Lift Kit
damage your Corvette’s body. We suggest using a lifting system such as our Corvette body lift kit (ZM-293). This system lifts the body from a single point and hooks onto the rocker channels pulling straight up from a solid point that will not cause any damage to your Corvette’s fiberglass panels (for body lift kit installation instructions click here). Even with a body lifting system, your Corvette’s body may still be “stuck” to the frame due to years of compression and corrosion. Next, as you apply pressure with the body lift system, gently pry with a large pry bar between the cushions and frame mount to break loose these connections. Make sure that when you remove the body you take notice of the various shims used at each mounting point. This will aid your reinstallation of the body, creating a fit just as the factory created when your Corvette body was originally installed.
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Today’s Zip Corvette technical question comes from a 1967 Corvette owner:
I own a 1967 Corvette convertible. When I turn on the radio, my dash lights go out immediately. FUSE BLOWN! I have checked most of the wiring for bare wires, but no luck to date. Would it be something in the radio itself? It is an original radio and it has never been touched. Thanks, I really miss those dash lights.
1963-1967 Corvette
Answer: With electrical issues, it can be very difficult to find the culprit. However, with the symptoms you described, I would lean towards a short in your Corvette’s radio. You have an interior light that is inside the radio on a midyear Corvette and I feel confident that you have a short in that circuit. The fact that the radio has not been rebuilt also makes me think the radio is the problem because it is 41 years old. The life span that GM put on the wiring in the car was originally 10 years, so I can’t imagine that it was much more or even less from the other components in the car. I think it would be best to have the radio restored. Then, you may want to consider replacing your Corvette’s wiring harness if that has not already been done.
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Today’s Zip Corvette technical question comes from Jim, who owns a 1990 Corvette:
I have a 1990 Corvette convertible with 350 and 6-speed that I can only drive when the weather is cool because I cannot get the cooling fan to run. The fan motor is good (works when voltage is applied) and I have replaced all of the temperature sensors and the cooling fan relay, but still no fan operation. What else could be preventing the fan from running?
Answer: Your Corvette’s main cooling fan is controlled by the PCM. The PCM sends a ground signal to the fan relay when it sees the desired temperature to run the fan has been met. You need to check the relay and make sure you are getting your battery 12V and ignition 12V when the key is on. With the key on, jump the ground wire in the relay. If the fan turns on, you have an issue in the PCM and it may be time for a rebuild. If it does not turn on, then your problem lies in the fan circuit between the relay and the fans.
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