convertibles...

[James C]

I've not had one (yet) and winter being best time to buy a drop top just wondering about accumulating some info ahead of 'the discussion'!

Howmanyleft suggest 25 on road and 138 SORN. Of GTE version.

I know for a fact that there were more models of mk2 Conv.

Just wondering if any one has a defintive list of versions/trims?

I think that there were 1.6 and 2.0 models most 1.6 we sv but perhaps a very limited number of late reg K plate 1.6i. Of the 2.0 all were NE.

I'd assume all the hard top considerations apply but are there others applying to rag top, is there a more common point of water ingress to worry about?

thanks in advance

James

[DarrenH]

worth searching exclusive and bertone in howmanyleft searches. models were 1.6 convertible and gte convertible, then the exclusive specials of course. (nice aqua paint, colour coded interior and champion wheels)

the brochures always make me chuckle, under specifications it lists being "convertible" as one of unique benefits only fitted to convertibles.

agree with you, 1.6 engine changed to single point injection as soon as euro 1 was enforced july 92.

soft tops were manufactured in italy and carry a unique B identifier in the chassis number.

in the hatchbacks there is a third skin down the B pillar into the sill cavity, with a short extension towards the A pillar. its spot welded to the outter sill and pretty important structural junction. but, it vanishes due to rust in just about every hatchback model as we know. The same 3rd skin on the bertone models runs the entire length of the sill to replace the rigidity of the missing roof. so that would be my major concern with rust.

[doo child]

You mean this bit?



Yeah, it can get nasty in there.

Up to 1992 you basically have the choice of a 1.6 or a 2.0 GTe. The only other options are things like power roof/windows/locks/mirrors.

As Darren mentioned there was an exclusive model in 1991 and then sportive and elegance in 1992 and that was about it. I have a sportive. Some of these later models have a 16v shell with the raised tunnel and a mk3 rear beam.

[DarrenH]

You mean this bit?

yeah thats it! great picture

[Ian T]

I agree, great picture of just how scary it can get given this bit is inside the sill void.

Just goes to show, though, how easy* it is to repair once the outer sill is removed and I remember repairing (replacing) those bits on my 16V shell many years ago that were approaching that condition internally (as Darren says, only a foot long though).

In all honesty, I'm not sure how you'd satisfy yourself of its condition when buying one without removing lots of trim and inserting an endoscope. Suppose the two bungs (if present on the cabby) in the rear arches would give access, but (realistically) is any seller going to say yes to an internal cavities search?

Can you get access to a 'whole vehicle' x-ray imager?

Ian.

* Easy: I'll define it as 'possible' without referring too much to the other accompanying words, such as 'time consuming', 'messy', etc.

[DarrenH]

agree! i guess the advice is buy with your eyes wide open, if theres a hint of previous outter sill repairs, or rust beginning on the present ones, just factor in the repair work above !

the cars were notorious for skuttle shake even from teh factory, heaven knows why they drive like with the sill strengthening like doo child picture. hatchbacks can probably get away with it as the stress defers through the roof.

if it were me laying on the drive thinking wtf do i do now, i'd tempted to run a full length of CDS or 50x25 box tube through the sill cavity with ribs/spars at intervals like a plane wing construction

[James C]

Buying a mk2 without expecting to have to do things like this is silly anyway. The only problem for Mr is 'when' the issue would be revealed to me.

doo child, would the chassis have bowed on a 2 poster when that failure occurred? And or did MOT pick it up?

[doo child]

Any issue with this inner sill can only be seen with the outer sill removed. I fitted aftermarket side skirts to this cabby in 2001, in 2003 it failed an MoT on a small hole in the sill so I patched it best I could without removing the skirt. In 2006, as an act of winter boredom, I decided to rebuild that side of the car. This is what I found.


I didn't realise what lay beneath at this point but the warning signs were there (the big hole)! I don't know what the consequences would be if that inner section collapsed completely. I have NEVER seen a cabby snap in the middle and I've seen (and owned) some rotten ones. I was happy with the repair in the end



but its a big job to see whats under there. it wouldn't put me off buying a cabby and I wouldn't ever be concerned about raising it on a 2 post hoist either.

As a side note, I resprayed this car just after all this work. It never saw the road again!!!

[DarrenH]

open drivers door, stick a jack under 1 front wishbone, take the car up in the air on that one corner, then see if the door shuts ! and then how far the door strikers are away from the pins

my silver gte currently fails that test, with a roof !