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convertible top latches

1K views 13 replies 6 participants last post by  mgsteve 
#1 ·
I've posed this question before...One of screws holding one of my top latches fell out. I've been told that there is a nutplate inside the header, that receives the screws. when i move the remaining screw around, I think that I hear something rattling around inside. I felt around, through the screw hole in the header with a bent paperclip and feel nothing. How would one get that nut plate into position to accept the screw?
 
#2 · (Edited)
The nutplate is retained even if the screw comes out. Hardware stores sell flathead metric screws (I'm guessing they're 5mm x .8) that won't look perfect, but will replace your missing oval head.

What you hear rattling around inside the header are probably old pop rivets. The conv. top is secured to the header by pop rivets - when you replace a top you drill out the old rivets and the bottoms fall into the hollow header.
 
#3 ·
latches

thanks, jay. I'm not able to get the nutplate to line up with the missing screw hole. When i rotate the existing screw, I can't see the nutplate. I'm thinking of backing out the existing screw enough to get a little locktite on it so it will grip the plate a bit and let me rotate it.
 
#4 ·
tI'm not able to get the nutplate to line up with the missing screw hole. When i rotate the existing screw, I can't see the nutplate. I'm thinking of backing out the existing screw enough to get a little locktite on it so it will grip the plate a bit and let me rotate it.
I'm not sure I followed all that. I think you're saying:

- One screw is still in place. You don't want to remove that one for fear that the nutplate will completely fall away.

- One screw is missing, gone, disappeared. Or maybe it isn't - I'm not clear on this point.

- When you try to install a screw into the blank hole, it doesn't engage with any threads.

- You're hoping that the nut plate has rotated out of position, but by twisting the screw that is still installed, it may come back into position.

Am I on the right track here?
 
#7 ·
latches

i dripped some loctite on the screw and it tightened up the connection to the nutplate and I can rotate it back and forth and hear the nutplate banging around, but it appears to be about 90 degrees to the proper orientation...can't get it to move around.
 
#8 ·
i dripped some loctite on the screw and it tightened up the connection to the nutplate and I can rotate it back and forth and hear the nutplate banging around, but it appears to be about 90 degrees to the proper orientation...can't get it to move around.
I have never seen the inside of an Alfa conv. top header, so don't know exactly what is going on in yours. But my guess is that the screw that is Loctited is holding the plate too close to allow it to get past some obstruction.

Those plates were retained when the cars left the factory; you can generally remove both screws and the plate won't come loose. So whatever "cage" used to retain your plate has rusted/broken, and its remains are now interfering with the plate's rotation.

The "cowboy fix" would be to just use a large pop rivet to re-attach the top latch. Crude, non-original, ugly - yes. But it will hold.
 
#14 ·
Blue loctite. Just enough grip to get the the plate to to move when the screw turns. I tried backing the screw out as much as I dare. I'm afraid to lose the plate inside the headrail
 
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