body rattles

ascmclarn · Post by **ascmclarn** » Mon Mar 28, 2005 4:06 pm

This is more directed towards the guys who have owned there asc convertibles since they were new. It seems that all the bumps on the wonderful roads of massachusetts makes the car rattle from everywhere. The convertible frame rattles, the body rattles, the windows rattle. Did the car do this originally or is it because she is pushing 17 years old?

Sandy · Post by **Sandy** » Mon Mar 28, 2005 6:32 pm

I have two 1990s, one bought brandy new, the other at age 12, but with 7,237 miles on it, or driven just 600 miles a year. BOTH of them rattle, but differently. The blue one (bought new) squeeks from the interior top frame, driver side, just rearward of my head when driving, like 4 inches rearward of the headrest. It's sorta an "eek eek eek" type of squeek. The silver car (7,237 miles) does not have THAT squeek, but has a shifting type of knock (sounds a little bit like a door latching) from the header panel over the middle, like where the rear view mirror is. On our horrific broken up, potholed New Jersey roads I would not know, but I can imagine. I seldom use either car. My blue one has 2,337 miles in 15 years. I have never heard of one that did NOT rattle and or squeek. If it doesn't leak in the rain, be thankful. Many do that, too. I know that the noise is in the top, because when I put the top down, all is 100% hushed.
It's not as bad as a 1966 G.T.O. ragtop that I bought brand new (1st car) which was so bad, I was forced to sell it. It had 9 seperate distinctively different squeeks & rattles, from every part of the car, dash, doors, roof, and chassis. I sold it in 1 year & swore off of Pontiac ever since. I took a bath on resale and owed money on that I was paying after I sold it.

ascmclarn · Post by **ascmclarn** » Mon Mar 28, 2005 7:25 pm

Thanks...good to know that it is not just my car. And I think mine may leak less if you put the top down in the rain. It is ridiculous. I was actually just down in New Jersey picking the car up from is 5 year stent in my parents garage. It has about 120K miles and ran as strong as any new car I have been in. Well thanks for the input.

Sandy · Post by **Sandy** » Mon Mar 28, 2005 11:01 pm

The leaking can be lessened with brand new weatherstriping, but the key here is once you've got the weatherstriping in your hands....is NOT to go to a convertible top place. They rush rush rush and are not prone to going slowly and paying attentio to infinate detail. Better to pay more $$$ and take her to a restoration house/shop/garage, where more attention is given to perfection & detail. It's not an easy job so the charges are accordingly .... ah..... "lofty"

svo413 · Post by **svo413** » Tue Mar 29, 2005 8:06 pm

My 85 is pretty quiet. I have rear end clutch noises and plan to replace the diff. oil and additive. The only real squeaks I have is the top of the console rubbing the bottom of the dash. You can see how the last professional interior shop installed it crooked and it should be an easy fix. This is not bad for a 108K mile car.

I also have an original 84 SVO that is still new with 21K miles to compare it to.

A typical squeak (plastic creak) on these cars is the dash bezel. Some have clips on the bottom tabs to prevent it. I usually wrap black electrical tape around the tab and reinstall the bezel.

Sandy · Post by **Sandy** » Tue Mar 29, 2005 9:12 pm

There were 3 suppliers on these cars that I was never able to find out. The supplier of the convertible top FRAME, the convertible top itself and the floor mats. I might solved the mats this evening. I hope. I was told the convertible tops came from Hollywood Trim in Troy Michigan. I called him and he said I was the 100th person to call and he didn't have any & he hung up. I wanted to ask if it was he who originally made them, and never got the chance.