newest top out by gm (6/27/12) and retrofit for early models

[pacecarguy]

I agree this info is very helpful. I'm not sure where the source of the install instructions came from, but is it possible to have a copy scanned to a PDF that we could get to store in our documentation files? That way we would also have the photos.

[bulllett]

Originally Posted by bulllett

I'll give it a shot today when I bring her in. My dealer and his distict manager are actually VERY anxious to get this done. Almost like they think this is the real fix.

No expectations due to multiple false hopes, but I certainly hope this is THE fix.

Ok, so I got her in three days ago......and my computer craps out, lol.

So they called me yesterday to say that I should be done this morning. Nothing so far but when I get done with this post, I'm going to call (but I wanted to get this post out there).

I got a look at the top and a couple of pics. First off here are the pics;





Its not much because he didn't really want to take it out of the box. It also had a package of hardware, but he didn't want to open it up for fear of losing any parts.

The material definitely seems different. It seems to be a little less of the fabric feel and a little more of the "vinyl" feel. Not a lot, just using that as a descriptor.

I did not see any built in brackets (but we never took the whole top out), but the head mechanic who was showing me the stuff said that he read through the instructions and thought there were "an awful lot" of cables etc. (he is not doing the job. There are two GM "engineers" coming to do it. They are supposedly the same engineers that did Nutbutt's car, so there is hope. The head mechanic and dealer representative have given me the feeling that they want nothing to do with replacing the top).

If you look at the pic of the label you will see the part number on the left hand side (I tried to darken it up a bit). It reads 22972088. So that dovetails with what we have been told about the "latest and greatest" so far.

Well, that's all I have so far. Obviously, I'll give more when I know more.

[pacecarguy]

Just got a call my new design top install is complete and I can pick up car this evening. But... They mentioned some alignment pin/dowel or something that was apparently never installed at the factory on the header and they have to order and I will need to bring back for a quick install. Fingers crossed.

[themoneypit]

Originally Posted by pacecarguy

Just got a call my new design top install is complete and I can pick up car this evening. But... They mentioned some alignment pin/dowel or something that was apparently never installed at the factory on the header and they have to order and I will need to bring back for a quick install. Fingers crossed.

pics of the new top please when you get home, or it didnt happen

im excited to see how the new top looks, and fits. hope it all went well!! keep us updated pretty please with sugar on top

[themoneypit]

Originally Posted by bulllett

Ok, so I got her in three days ago......and my computer craps out, lol.

So they called me yesterday to say that I should be done this morning. Nothing so far but when I get done with this post, I'm going to call (but I wanted to get this post out there).

I got a look at the top and a couple of pics. First off here are the pics;





Its not much because he didn't really want to take it out of the box. It also had a package of hardware, but he didn't want to open it up for fear of losing any parts.

The material definitely seems different. It seems to be a little less of the fabric feel and a little more of the "vinyl" feel. Not a lot, just using that as a descriptor.

I did not see any built in brackets (but we never took the whole top out), but the head mechanic who was showing me the stuff said that he read through the instructions and thought there were "an awful lot" of cables etc. (he is not doing the job. There are two GM "engineers" coming to do it. They are supposedly the same engineers that did Nutbutt's car, so there is hope. The head mechanic and dealer representative have given me the feeling that they want nothing to do with replacing the top).

If you look at the pic of the label you will see the part number on the left hand side (I tried to darken it up a bit). It reads 22972088. So that dovetails with what we have been told about the "latest and greatest" so far.

Well, that's all I have so far. Obviously, I'll give more when I know more.

thx for the pics, keep us updated... cant wait to see pics of these new tops installed! im so on the fence to bring mine in, or wait. i really hope this is the "fix" we've all been waiting for!

[bulllett]

Its home and I took some pics. Couple areas of concern with wires but it looks pretty good. The 2nd bow got new hardware/rails on the ends. Four "engineers" and the shop lead mechanic worked on it. He said they took lots of pics while they were doing it.

Gotta run with wife for friday night entertainment so I'll post up the pics a little later.

[SSTOKED]

Originally Posted by bulllett

Its home and I took some pics. Couple areas of concern with wires but it looks pretty good. The 2nd bow got new hardware/rails on the ends. Four "engineers" and the shop lead mechanic worked on it. He said they took lots of pics while they were doing it.

Gotta run with wife for friday night entertainment so I'll post up the pics a little later.

Mark,

Could you do me a favor and take some shots at different angles around where the top comes out of the body just behind the quarter glass? My old top has big waves and a huge gap there. It also got worse after they changed the water bag. Now my district manager after promising me a new top is being hesitant because he thinks there is a risk of the new top not solving that fit problem. Pictures of this kit would be extremely helpful to me. Thanks in advance!

Andy

[pnyklr]

Originally Posted by sycraft

The following diagnosis might be helpful if the vehicle exhibits the symptom(s) described in this PI.
Condition/Concern:

A wave can be seen in the convertible top cloth between the #1 and #2 bows on either side of the vehicle when the top is closed. This is caused by an elastic cord pulling on the underside of the cover. This elastic cord is in place to ensure the top fabric folds properly as the top is opened.

These waves are characteristic of the design and considered normal.

THAT IS COMPLETE BULL ****ING SHIT GM!

Do any of these damn idiots even inspect the tops for waves? 50% of the cars on a local dealer lot have some waves the OTHER 50% DO NOT HAVE ANY WAVES AT ALL.

-Funk

[OrangeVert]

[QUOTE=cactuseater;5316182]Try to correct one design flaw, and wind up with another. "Do not attempt to repair this condition. It is characteristic of design and all vehicles will exhibit this wave." Chevrolet is calling this "normal". If mine has it, it will be returned.

Convertible tops are historically supposed to be nice and tight across the top, waves are not "normal" and are a serious flaw in the design and/or installation. Period. Again, hoping for the best here. What Chevrolet think's we are supposed to accept as their definition of "normal" and what IS normal are two very different conditions.
... [QUOTE]

+1. Still I love the car, and Chevrolet for designing/manufacturing it. Hard to reconcile these issues in my head.

[Wantconvertible]

[bulllett]

Originally Posted by SSTOKED

Mark,

Could you do me a favor and take some shots at different angles around where the top comes out of the body just behind the quarter glass? My old top has big waves and a huge gap there. It also got worse after they changed the water bag. Now my district manager after promising me a new top is being hesitant because he thinks there is a risk of the new top not solving that fit problem. Pictures of this kit would be extremely helpful to me. Thanks in advance!

Andy

Will do tomorrow.

Here are some pics I took of the areas of concern. These wrinkles they say will go away as it stretches;



Ok, we will see.

Here are a couple of areas that I can't see NOT becoming a problem. These bumps are cables/cords that are run over the bows;





I can feel these strongly against the top. I'm not sure why they designed these to go above the bows and I'd be real curious to see if any of the 2013's have that cable.

With the 4 "engineers" that they sent down and all the pictures they were taking, it makes me wonder how many of these have been done so far.

Fingers crossed (and I'll see how quick I can get full top pics and the pics you asked for sstoked)

Also, fwiw, the GM reps were saying that the 5th bow breaks were because of the poor installations of water bags. At least that's their quoted position.

[SSTOKED]

Great picss. Thanks. I can see that the fit where the top comes out of the body right behind the quarterglass is way better than my old top.

[bulllett]

More pics. First for sstoked (let me know if you need more);





and now after only 42 miles of just driving around (hasn't even been put down yet) you start to see wear marks where they routed cables OVER the bows;





Why would you route the cables over the bows like that? Just goddamn amateur design. I gotta believe that the installers (yeah like they really are "engineers") must of read something wrong. I'm hoping that others who have the newest design post up with the cables not there.

And here's a pic of the overall fit;

[SSTOKED]

Thanks! Looks pretty good. My district manager just gave the order to my dealer service manager to order my kit. Hoping to get this done soon!