Down South Vettes Leather Sun Visor Installation
Difficulty: 3 out of 5.
Time: Plan on about 30 minutes.
The tools used are:
A medium blade screw driver
A small flashlight may help get a better look at the work location as you start.
Let's get a look at the project. If you have a coupe, you may want to remove the roof. If
you have a convertible you may want to lower the top. This will both make maneuvering
the visor assembly easier but it will also provide you with better lighting in the cockpit for
your task.
Here are a few side by side comparison photos of the new Down South Vettes visor and how
it compares to the OEM unit you will be replacing.
The DSV unit starts with an OEM core and removes the fabric treatment and replaces it with
the same high quality leather used in each of the other interior parts
The leather treatment to the sun visor will add a little bit of thickness to the unit.
Start the installation by tipping the sun visor down towards the windshield as if you were
trying to block out the sun while driving.
Next, unhook the sun visor from the latch up on the windshield frame. Once you have done
this it may be a good time to grab your flashlight and take a look at the steps that you will
be doing next. In the picture below you will see the screwdriver placed near the slot that
you will use to release the sun visor from the pillar.
To describe the task, you need to place your screw driver up in to this slot as shown here
Now, while pressing your screwdriver up in to this slot you need to press firmly with your
left hand and using your right hand, rotate the entire sun visor assembly counter-clockwise
(counter-clockwise for the driver side, clockwise for the passenger side) back towards you
as if you were moving the lowered sun visor from the windshield to the side window. It
should only take about a quarter of a revolution of the bezel as pictured above. This
quarter turn will translate to about 45 degrees of the sun visor relative to the windshie ld. If
the windshield is 0 degrees and the side window is 90 you should end up about halfway in
between. You will feel it when it unlocks. You will see that the bezel is no longer seated
against the roof. It will look like this:
Once the bezel and the assembly are unlocked from the car you will need to pull down on
the sun visor arm to remove it from the hole. You may need to work it back a forth slightly
to free it from the car. Don't pull down too hard. Firm is fine but be prepared for it to come
loose. Now that it is loose from the car you still have the connector assembly to contend
with. You may need to reach up inside the opening to free the connector. The connector
looks like this:
To disconnect the connector you will need your screwdriver again to free the clip from the
detent on the mating connector. You can see the slot for the detent pictured below. Insert
the screwdriver in the top righthand corner and gently pry forward until the clip is above the
height of the small tab. This will allow you to pull on the connector and free the visor.
Once you have the connector disconnected it should still have the bezel attached and look
like this:
Now you need to remove the bezel from the visor assembly. If you look down at the
connector end and bezel you will notice three locking tabs on the bezel that hold it on the
visor assembly.
Using one hand to hold the visor assembly near the arm, with your other hand you need to
pull out on the three tabs to free them from the locked position on the visor assembly.
Once the bezel is unlocked it will float freely on the visor arm.
To remove, align the triangle on the bezel with the triangle on the visor arm and you can
slide the bezel up and off the visor assembly. Now just free the connector from the bezel.
Pick up the new Down South Vettes visor and take note of the shape of the locking
mechanism at the connector end. You will notice three distinct shapes to the corners of the
connector triangle.
Each corner has a different radius and will match up with a radius on the bezel as pictured
here:
Match the shape on the bezel with the same size shape on the visor assembly and slide the
bezel over the connector and down onto the visor assembly. When you first slide it on it will
look like this:
While looking from the top down as pictured above, rotate the bezel clockwise and you will
feel it lock in to place on the visor assembly. Once locked it will look like this:
With one tab of the bezel now aligned with each tab of the visor assembly. You should also
notice that the base of the bezel as viewed from the side is now flush with base of the visor
connector mount. You are now ready to put your new visor back in the car.
Grab your screw driver as you will need to reverse the steps you took to get the visor out of
the car. Place the visor up on end in your lap and re-connect the visor electrical plug:
You now need to tuck the connector back up into the frame. Tuck it up in towards the
rearview mirror side.
It's time to push the visor assembly and bezel back up in to the frame. There is only one
way for it to go back up into the car. You may need to work it a little bit to find the location
but try to remember the angle at which the visor was at when you removed it. Once you
find the slot for the latch to go into, slide it up and press it firmly in place. You will need to
hold it in place and reach for your screw driver. It should look about like this:
All that's left to do is latch the assembly back in to place. You will need to use your
screwdriver and place it back in the slot like you did to remove it. This time, place the
screw driver to the right side of the visor arm (This is for the driver's side. In either case,
place it into the slot and have the shaft of the screwdriver on the rearview mirror side of the
visor arm.) While pressing up firmly on the screwdriver rotate the visor and bezel assembly
from the arm pressing against the screwdriver blade and this will cause the bezel to rotate
and latch into place on the car. Congratulations, you've just installed your new visors.
How to Remove the C6 Corvette Shift Knob and Install the Southern Car Parts Shift Knob
The C6 Corvette Shift knob is kinda tricky to remove. Unlike most Shift Knobs, they simply unscrew. The Corvette C6 Shift knob comes off a little different, but once you know how to do it, it is really simple. See below for a quick and easy way to replace your shifter knob.
Tools Needed
T20 torx driver needed (2005-2007 and 2009)
Phillips Screwdriver (2008)
3mm hex key
Loctite (optional)
See Below IF YOUR SHIFTER BOOT HAS A CHROME RING
AT THE TOP (GENERLY 2008 AND UP)
Remove the OEM as shown below (if your boot has a chrome ring see below)
Install your new shift knob, give it a few hard twists while putting downward
pressure to seat the knob. This knob has a precision fit, it's critical to be sure
the knob hole is in alignment with the screw hole in the shifter or you may strip
the threads. The OEM screw has a starter stud in the front to help align the
screw. If you meet resistance installing the screw check alignment and try again.
Reinstall the OEM screw using loctite if you have it. Tighten firmly using a ¼
ratchet if you have an adapter or as tight as you can if using a universal driver
handle. Slip the boot over the retainer ring working one side up and then the
other, you may have to twist the boot over the ring or use some Windex as a
lube.
2008 and up shift knob removal and installation
Remove the OEM knob by grasping the chrome ring and rotate it COUNTER CLOCK WISE until the ring drops down and exposes the screw
on the driver's side. Depending on the yr, you will either have a phillips or torx head screw. People have had problems removing the phillips
screw and most likely that is why GM switched to torx which is much less likely to have problems. To successfully remove the phillips, I
suggest the following. Use the best #2 phillips screw driver you have (do not use a power driver). Remove the screw when the car is hot
(after a good drive). Have someone hold the OEM knob and apply force from the passenger side as you apply pressure on the driver and
remove the screw.
Once you are happy with the ring fit, install the new bolt into the knob (loctite optional) making sure you are aligned with
the hole. Do not force the bolt in or you might strip the shifter. Using a 3mm hex key, make the bolt tight. the fit between the bolt and the ring
is very close and you must have the chrome ring positioned so the little tabs are facing front and back at the 12 and 6 positions. This will
give you the most clearance to install the bolt. Reinstall the chrome ring when you are done.
Corvette C6 DSVette Leather Sunvisor Installation
Down South Vettes Leather Sun Visor Installation
Instructions.
Adding a Down South Vette's Leather Sunvisor is a great way to upgrade the interior of your Corvette C6.
Difficulty: 3 out of 5.
Time: Plan on about 30 minutes.
The tools used are:
A medium blade screw driver
A small flashlight may help get a better look at the work location as you start.
Let's get a look at the project. If you have a coupe, you may want to remove the roof. If
you have a convertible you may want to lower the top. This will both make maneuvering
the visor assembly easier but it will also provide you with better lighting in the cockpit for
your task.
Here are a few side by side comparison photos of the new Down South Vettes visor and how
it compares to the OEM unit you will be replacing.
The DSV unit starts with an OEM core and removes the fabric treatment and replaces it with
the same
The Down South Vette unit starts with an OEM core and removes the fabric treatment and replaces it with
the same high quality leather used in each of the other interior parts
The leather treatment to the sun visor will add a little bit of thickness to the unit.
Start the installation by tipping the sun visor down towards the windshield as if you were
trying to block out the sun while driving.
Next, unhook the sun visor from the latch up on the windshield frame. Once you have done
this it may be a good time to grab your flashlight and take a look at the steps that you will
be doing next. In the picture below you will see the screwdriver placed near the slot that
you will use to release the sun visor from the pillar.
To describe the task, you need to place your screw driver up in to this slot as shown here
Now, while pressing your screwdriver up in to this slot you need to press firmly with your
left hand and using your right hand, rotate the entire sun visor assembly counter-clockwise
(counter-clockwise for the driver side, clockwise for the passenger side) back towards you
as if you were moving the lowered sun visor from the windshield to the side window. It
should only take about a quarter of a revolution of the bezel as pictured above. This
quarter turn will translate to about 45 degrees of the sun visor relative to the windshie ld. If
the windshield is 0 degrees and the side window is 90 you should end up about halfway in
between. You will feel it when it unlocks. You will see that the bezel is no longer seated
against the roof. It will look like this:
Once the bezel and the assembly are unlocked from the car you will need to pull down on
the sun visor arm to remove it from the hole. You may need to work it back a forth slightly
to free it from the car. Don't pull down too hard. Firm is fine but be prepared for it to come
loose. Now that it is loose from the car you still have the connector assembly to contend
with. You may need to reach up inside the opening to free the connector. The connector
looks like this:
To disconnect the connector you will need your screwdriver again to free the clip from the
detent on the mating connector. You can see the slot for the detent pictured below. Insert
the screwdriver in the top righthand corner and gently pry forward until the clip is above the
height of the small tab. This will allow you to pull on the connector and free the visor.
Once you have the connector disconnected it should still have the bezel attached and look
like this:
Now you need to remove the bezel from the visor assembly. If you look down at the
connector end and bezel you will notice three locking tabs on the bezel that hold it on the
visor assembly.
Using one hand to hold the visor assembly near the arm, with your other hand you need to
pull out on the three tabs to free them from the locked position on the visor assembly.
Once the bezel is unlocked it will float freely on the visor arm.
To remove, align the triangle on the bezel with the triangle on the visor arm and you can
slide the bezel up and off the visor assembly. Now just free the connector from the bezel.
Pick up the new Down South Vettes visor and take note of the shape of the locking
mechanism at the connector end. You will notice three distinct shapes to the corners of the
connector triangle.
Each corner has a different radius and will match up with a radius on the bezel as pictured
here:
Match the shape on the bezel with the same size shape on the visor assembly and slide the
bezel over the connector and down onto the visor assembly. When you first slide it on it will
look like this:
While looking from the top down as pictured above, rotate the bezel clockwise and you will
feel it lock in to place on the visor assembly. Once locked it will look like this:
With one tab of the bezel now aligned with each tab of the visor assembly. You should also
notice that the base of the bezel as viewed from the side is now flush with base of the visor
connector mount. You are now ready to put your new visor back in the car.
Grab your screw driver as you will need to reverse the steps you took to get the visor out of
the car. Place the visor up on end in your lap and re-connect the visor electrical plug:
You now need to tuck the connector back up into the frame. Tuck it up in towards the
rearview mirror side.
It's time to push the visor assembly and bezel back up in to the frame. There is only one
way for it to go back up into the car. You may need to work it a little bit to find the location
but try to remember the angle at which the visor was at when you removed it. Once you
find the slot for the latch to go into, slide it up and press it firmly in place. You will need to
hold it in place and reach for your screw driver. It should look about like this:
All that's left to do is latch the assembly back in to place. You will need to use your
screwdriver and place it back in the slot like you did to remove it. This time, place the
screw driver to the right side of the visor arm (This is for the drivers side. In either case,
place it into the slot and have the shaft of the screwdriver on the rearview mirror side of the
visor arm.) While pressing up firmly on the screwdriver rotate the visor and bezel assembly
from the arm pressing against the screwdriver blade and this will cause the bezel to rotate
and latch into place on the car. Congratulations, you've just installed your new visors.
Corvette C6 Leather Console Cover Replacement
Another Modification for your C6 Corvette that takes 15 minutes and really makes the interior look like an exotic sports car.
You can find leather Corvette console covers all over the internet, but we are partial to the Down South Vette's leather console cover.
The quality is impeccable and the extra cushioning they put in it really makes a difference.
Difficulty: 1 out of 5.
Time: Plan on about 5 minutes.
The tools used are:
A T15 Torx driver to take off the console cover screws.
A flashlight may help get a better look at the screw location as you start.
We are ready to install a Down South Vettes leather console cover.
The OEM cover to replace:
Open the cover to reveal the four T15 Torx screws that hold the cover in place
Remove the four Torx screws and then remove the console cover. Take caution as
you remove the last screw. The console cover can fall off and you don't want to
damage your cover or interior at this point. Remove the last screw with your left
hand while holding the top center of the cover with your right hand.
Here are the two covers side by side:
And a close up to get a look at the added padding in the DSVettes cover:
You simply need to reverse the process now to install the new DSVettes cover in
place of the old OEM cover.
Seated in the driver's seat, hold the cover in place with your right hand and with one
of the screws in your left hand. Find the threaded hole and start the first screw.
Once the threads start, take out your driver with the Torx T15 insert and tighten the
screw most of the way. While still holding the cover, start one of the remaining four
screws with your left hand. When both of these are in tight, you can release your grip
on the console cover. Insert and tighten the remaining two screws and sit back and
enjoy your new console cover.
Once complete it will look like this:
Corvette C6 Leather Shift Boot Installation
The interior of the Corvette C6 is pretty top quality BUT you can make a few upgrades that will really set it apart from the crowd. A favorite is replacing the fake leather components used on the console lid, shift knob, shift boot, etc....with real leather pieces. This in the installation of the Down South Vette Leather Shift boot on a Corvette C6. Maybe a 30 min project, BUT it reaps beautiful results!
Difficulty: 2 out of 5.
Time: Plan on about 30 minutes.
The tools used are:
A small blade screw driver to open the tabs that hold the ring into the console.
A T25 Torx driver to take off the shift knob
A flashlight to get a better look at where the tabs are located
Flat tweezers to reseat the new boot around the base of the shift knob
Common desktop stapler to reattach the new boot to the trim ring.
The original OEM shift boot to replace.
The shift knob comes off with a T25 torx screw. Just pull down the top of the old boot to expose
it.
Using your screw driver you will need to pry back the five tabs that hold the trim ring into the
console. These are located at roughly 12 o'clock, 2 o'clock, 5 o'clock, 7 o'clock and 10 o'clock.
Here is what the assembly looks like out of the car.
A side view.
The console location where the shift boot just came from.
Use your small blade screwdriver to pry up the staples. It is best to put the staple under the
boot and pry each side up and off the trim ring. Do this all the way around until all of the
staples are free.
Orient the new boot so that the notches in the leather line up with the tabs on the trim ring.
You want to make sure that your seams are in the center at 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock. Once you
are happy with your placement, start using your stapler to attach the new leather boot to the
trim ring. Start at 12 o'clock and work around the ring keeping an eye on your seams. Don't
worry, if you miss a staple or aren't happy with the placement, you can simply pry it out and
try again. You'll need to press firmly and slowly with the stapler to make sure the staple goes
in straight and reaches the trim ring through the leather. When you are done it should look
something like this.
The new boot mounted and ready to be installed.
Now comes the hardest part. Putting the trim ring and the new boot back into the console. It
is best to start with the bottom of the trim ring and get it seated in the console location. You
will literally need to work your way around clockwise, deforming the ring towards the shift lever
and pressing down to seat it into the console. Keep an eye the leather to make sure that it is
not bunching up around the outside at any one location. Keeping working around and pressing
down until you can fully seat the ring and feel the five tabs return to their original positions
flush with the console locations. Gently pull up on the leather to make sure it looks even
around the console edge.
Once you have the trim ring back in place in the console you will need to replace the shift knob.
To do this you will need to compress the leather boot quite a bit more than you did with the
OEM part as the new boot is a bit thicker. Place the knob on top of the shifter. Compress the
boot with your right hand and try to insert the torx screw back into the hole with your left hand.
The next step is to get the boot seated around the base of shift knob. Using your tweezers in
between the boot and the lip at the base of the knob, slide the boot up the tweezers and get it
over the lip on the base of the knob, now rotate the boot counterclockwise and leave the
tweezers in between use this as a slide to get the boot around the base. Once you are about
halfway around you can take out the tweezers and just keep working the boot up and rotating
counterclockwise. This twisting motion will allow the boot to seat on the lip. Once the boot is
seated, twist to align the seams to center
The finished product back in the car and ready to go.
Corvette C5 Vararam Installation
If you have ever tried to install a Vararam Intake on the Corvette C5 with the factory instructions, you are in for a real treat (instructions are terrible). Cajundude from the Corvette forum compiled much better directions to completing this daunting installation.
Tools you will need:
- Jack, jack stands
- Sockets: 7 mm, 8mm, 10mm
- Small flathead screwdriver, long flat head screwdriver
- T30 Torx head
- Needle nose pliers
Step 1:
Jack up the front of your car or just drive it up onto ramps. Open your hood and disconnect the negative battery cable.
Step 2:
Removal of the factory air box assembly. Release the latches on the air box and remove the hose connected to the driver's side.
There is a goofy clip on the hose and the easiest way to remove that clip is to take a small flat head screwdriver and pry it in gently sliding the teeth of the clamp parallel.
Loosen the clamp around the throttle body where the stock accordion hose hooks up and unplug the MAF. You can now remove the air bridge and filter.
Pull the lid of the stock airbox off of its supporting studs. Pull out the two T30 Torx head studs and save in case you want to go back to stock in the future.
Step 3:
Remove the four 10mm bolts holding down the factory radiator cross support, remove it and set it aside. Unclip the MAF wire harness from the shroud.
Step 3:
Remove the four 10mm bolts (two on each side) holding down the factory radiator cross support, remove the support and set it aside. Unclip the MAF wire harness from the shroud.
Step 4:
Remove the air dam from underneath the front of the vehicle and place to the side by removing the two 10 mm bolts. Now remove the access panels to the fog light area. There is one on each side and each one has five 7mm bolts.
Step 5:
Remove the fan/radiator/condenser shroud. There are seven 7mm bolts holding this in. There are 5 across the front bottom of the car and one on each side.
You will also have to disconnect two plugs and a mounting spot for another.
After you disconnect the plugs you will find that there are two more clips, one on each side of the cover around the lower middle area that are white in color. To get these off, use a long flathead screwdriver and pry between the middle of the shroud and there mounting spot. They will pop out of there places and you will remove them from the shroud later. Remove the shroud from the vehicle. I found it easy just to pull it up from the top.
Step 6:
Unclip the wiring harness from the bottom of the bezels. These clips will come out without breaking. Just squeeze the back side of the clips and push through.
Pull the brake cooling ducts away from the front of the car and push the front end of them towards the outside of the car. This will free up some more clearance and is pretty much necessary in order to get to one of the bolts on the bezels you remove in a minute. There is one 10mm bolt for each fog light. Let them hang off to the side out of your way. Remove two 10mm bolts from the fog light bezels and remove the bezels. You will find that after you remove the brake cooling duct you can get a socket through that opening from the front to access one of the bolts easier on the bezel (see pic).
(Brake cooling duct below)
(10mm bolt for fog light below)
Step 7:
Install one of the air scoops. I used the OEM bezel bolts here without any spacers. On my car everything lined up perfectly. Install the air scoop for the other side.
Step 8:
Reinstall your fog lights. If you think they are misaligned you can do a search for the proper way to align them. Mine seemed to go in perfectly so I am not going to discuss alignment procedures. The only difference it that the VaraRam does cover up a portion of the top of the fog light, not much, but some.
Step 9:
Take the white clips out of the front shroud with the intention of reusing them. I took a small flat head and pryed the retainer away a little and worked it off with a pair of needle nose pliers. Push the white pins back into their original location on the AC condenser. You can get it mostly in and use a long flat head to push the rest of it in the hole. Reinstall the shroud and connect all of the plugs in their original locations and replace the retaining clips on the white pins.
Step 10:
Install the VaraRam filter and push it in all the way until it looks even. This filter goes in with the screen side facing the throttle body.
Step 11:
Pull the elbow out of the stock air box along with the grommet and install it onto the VaraRam box. Put the grommet in first. This is a compression fitting so it is difficult to get both in at the same time. Replace the hose clip you took off earlier. This simply clicks together now you don't have to run the teeth parallel to put it back on. Put on the VaraRam box.
Step 12:
Replace the radiator cross support. Replace the air bridge, plug the MAF back in and replace the battery cable and you are good to go!
VaraRam suggests around a 45 minute drive at speeds above 55mph to get the PCM to program itself for the extra air. Alternatively, about three passes at the strip. This intake yields EXCELLENT RESULTS!
Courtesy of Cajundude from the Corvette Forum
Down South Vette Corvette C6 Emergency Brake Handle Installation
Difficulty: 3 out of 5.
Time: Plan on about 20 minutes.
The tools used are:
A small blade screw driver or flat tweezers to reseat the new boot around
the base of the e-brake handle.
T15 Torx driver to take off the console cover.
Phillips head screwdriver to remove the e-brake handle.
flashlight may help get a better look at the screw location as you start.
The original OEM boot and handle to replace.
The first step will be to remove the center console cover so you have access to
the screw that holds on the e-brake handle. Open the center console to expose 4
T15 Torx screws. Now, remove the center console cover.
Once the center console cover is off, pull down the e-brake boot to reveal a
Phillips head screw which holds the e-brake handle in place.
Once you remove the Phillips head screw, the only thing holding the handle in
place at this point is the brake release button at the top. The button is held in
place with a friction fit and a detent in a notch. To remove (easiest from the
passenger side), grip the OEM handle firmly and pull (slide) the handle off which
will "pop" the brake release button off the top of the handle. You can now slide
the handle off with ease.
Now that the handle is off you need to remove the OEM brake boot. Take a
minute to examine the new Down South Vettes boot. This will give you a better
understanding of the four attachment points on the OEM boot.
The boot is held in place by two press to fit clips on the driver's side and two
angled clamps on the passenger side. Start at the front and lift up and towards
the windshield and the front two clamps will come out. The rear clamps are a
little harder to get. Next pull up near the rear press fit on the driver's side. Last,
pull the boot up over the handle to get the metal frame underneath back to level
and work to pull up and forward to unseat the last clamp. Once this is complete
the boot will lift off of the brake handle.
Take the new Down South Vettes brake boot and place it over the top of the
handle set at a convenient angle. Through a combination of movements the
object is to get the frame and leather boot over the handle and back to level so
that you can press it into the four retaining points on the console. Snap
everything firmly into place.
Now we need to get the handle back on. Your new shift boot is considerably
thicker than the OEM boot and as such it is difficult to screw the handle back into
place. Move back to the drivers side of the car and get the handle, the Phillips
head screw and your screw driver ready in the open console.
Using your right hand, compress the boot as far down as you can and see if you
can get a clear view of the hole on the side where the screw needs to go. You
may need to twist and maneuver the boot a bit to get it compressed enough to
allow the screw to be reinserted. This will take some effort but it will go. Once
you are comfortable that you can compress the boot, hold the boot down and
place the handle back on the arm. Now use the handle to hold the boot down in
place with your right hand and try to start the screw with your left. Once you
get it started, use the screw driver and tighten screw to a stop. Be careful not to
drop the screw into the boot as you will need to remove the boot to retrieve it
and start over again. Once the handle is screwed back in place press fit the
silver brake button over the black cap and down into the hole on the emergency
brake handle. Press it down well and it will snap back into place.
Now it is time to get the boot reseated on the base of the handle. Using both
hands work the boot around the base starting in the back (or top) as pictured
below. Once the boot is started you can twist counter clockwise while pressing
the boot up into place. This will allow the boot to seat the rest of the way
around the base of the handle.
Now all that's left is to put the console cover back on using the four T15 Torx
screws, sit back and enjoy the look of your new leather.
DSVette Corvette Leather Interior Installation
Down South Vettes Custom leather interior
Would you like to really spruce up the interior of your Corvette C6? The Down South Vette leather interior is one of those Corvette Parts that you cannot resist!! This article will show you how to completely tear down the center stack and install the Down South Vette Console Lid, DSVette Shift Boot, DSVette Brake Handle, Ebrake boot, Down South Vette radio bezel, and the DSVette Center console base. The installation is on an Automatic transmission.
Before picture. Completely stock Corvette C6 interior.
After picture.
All of the parts going on in this batch. Center console base, console lid, center dash, shift knob, shift boot, brake knob, and brake boot.
I cut this piece of foam drawer liner to line the center console with.
In this picture you can see the shift knob is removed. To remove put the car in neutral, set parking brake, and turn off car. Then you twist the plastic ring shown in the picture (ring at top of the leather boot). Twist it clockwise from about 12 to 2 position. Now pull up on the shift knob and at the same time pull down on the ring. I'd same more pulling up on the knob than anything. It should pop off and you are left with the above picture.
Remove console cover. 4 Torx screws.
Remove brake knob. Phillips screw show here. Just slide the boot down and out of the way.
Now that the screw is removed just pull off the knob. To remove the brake boot just pull it off. There are 2 pressure pins and 2 notched pins.
Brake knob and boot removed.
Remove these two hex head screws.
The center dash peice is all pressure fit. It will pull back easily, start at the bottom and work your way to the top. Don't pull too far, there are a lot of cables attached. There are a ton of things to unplug so I'll attempt to point them out. This is drivers side heated seat. I'm going to show all of the wire plugs, it might help to see them when you are feeling around behind the bezel to unplug them.
This is passenger side heated seat. Just squeeze the bottom middle and it pops out.
Ash try cigarette lighter.
Emergency flasher button.
Center console cigarette lighter plug.
Traction control button.
Here is a picture with everything out.
The boot needs the shift ring taken out by cutting the zip tie. The plastic ring around the shift position indicator is glued in so it needs the leather pulled away.
The leather boot is cut for the position indicator, but I think it really needs glued in.
Here is the boot with the plastic position indicator glued in. I glued it back in similar to how the factory boot was glued into it. I used some leather/fabric glue. You apply to the leather and plastic, wait a few minutes, and then both are tacky.
The center ring just slips right into the new boot. It's a pressure fit.
The position indicator ring snaps back in, the boot slips over the entire shifter base, the center ring slips back on, with light pressure push the shift knob back on, turn the center ring from 2 counter clockwise back to 12. You can see the shift position indicator is just sitting on; with some light pressure it will go back into place.
I hate to say put everything back together in reverse, but that is what you do. Put the console base on first (if you took it off to install a new one). Then snap the radio bezel back in place starting at the top. You'll probably have some trouble on the passenger side. It's all a tight fit because the new leather is a thicker product than the factory stuff. The brake boot goes on next, then the brake handle, and finally console cover.
Refinish the Corvette C5 Coupe Targa Top
How to refinish your Corvette C5 Targa Top....
I bought a used clear targa top and wanted to restore it to new condition for use on my Corvette C5 Coupe. This is what it looked like when I got it.....
All you need to refurbish the top is:
1000 grit wetsand paper
1500 grit wetsand paper
2000 grit wetsand paper
Rubber sanding block
Squirt bottle
Dish soap
Shammy
Terry towels
Porter Cable Polisher
Maguire's medium cut, Fine cut, and swirl remover
First thing I did was to remove all of the old clear coat and the oxidized plastic from the top. I just used 1000 grit and wet sanded it down. This took about 3 hours to accomplish. It was easy to tell if I was finished because you can look at a light through it and see where it was fully sanded or not. A tip for wet sanding. I used an old shammy to continually clean the surface I was sanding. This makes it easy to remove all of the material from sanding and it the surface will quickly dry so you can tell what areas need more attention.
There are two ways to finish the top from here. At this point it is ready for paint or clear coat. I sprayed a thick layer of PPG clear coat that I had laying around on it. This gives the acrylic UV protection and gives more material to polish out. It is recommended that the surface be sanded down with 600 grit, but I just kept it at 1000 because I was scared of using that course of paper on the top. The coat has stuck fine so far.
(EDIT: I got some requests for the type of PPG Clear that I used. It is Deltron High Velocity Clearcoat. DC3000)
I am not the best with a paint gun so the finish had an orange peel effect to it. I wet sanded the top again, this time with 2000 grit paper in preparation for polishing it. Looking back I should have started with 1500 grit and then worked my way up to 2000, but again, I like to start with a finer paper and just do extra work so I take off as little material as possible. When sanding for polish, always sand in one direction, then when you step up to the next grit, sand 90degrees to the previous grit. Keep sanding till you can't see the marks from the previous grit. The following picture is where I started sanding the top after paint and you can easily see the orange peel.
When you get the whole thing sanded out, you are ready for polish. I used a PC 7424 to polish it out, but any polisher will do. I started with the medium cut cleaner and worked it till all of the sanding marks were removed from the finish.
The medium cut cleaner does a good job of removing the sanding marks, but does leave the finish on the top hazy. I stepped up to a fine cut cleaner and polished out all of the haze.
Then for good measure I stepped up to the swirl remove and got a great finish on the top.
The other way to finish the top is to skip the clear coat step if you don't have access to paint gun or booth and just polish the acrylic. Step up from the 1000 grit finish to 1500, then 2000, alternating directions each time. Then polish as mentioned above.
You might also be able to find a local shop that can spray the clear for you for a good price. That way you won't have to mess with buying the clear and getting a booth and a charcoal mask to protect yourself from the fumes.
Hope this helps someone.
Halltech C5 Honeycomb MAF Straightener Installation
Instructions for the Halltech HC.125 Laminar Airflow Straightener Screen
History: In 2002, GM removed the laminar flow screen on the Z06 in an attempt to increase horsepower
from the 2001 Z06, which had the screened MAF. All LS1 motors came with the screened MAF sensor.
GM did not make any power claims for this mod, and since there were no changes at all in the MAF
tables, there is little doubt the difference was negligible.
The problems all began with aftermarket intakes, which had a predisposition to more turbulence at the
MAF wire pickup, and without this screen, some popped lean codes daily, even the Halltech STinger had
issues here.
This problem has become one of the reasons many C5 owners have stayed clear of aftermarket intakes
since this subject came up weekly on the Corvetteforum.com
Those days are over. Halltech has invented an new Honeycomb Flow Straightener, with little to no
airflow restriction, and has 50% less restriction than the C6 MAF, which makes 436 HP from the factory.
Our 1/8" (.125") honeycomb cell will not restrict flow, and you will find big time changes in your
performance, from throttle response, to mileage, less surging from turbulence, to more importantly, NO
MORE LEAN CODES.
We have sold only 8 of these to date and here are 5 testimonials hot off the press:
Installed mine today. Perfect fit. One suggestion; be very careful with the edges, as there're small
particles like flashings that can easily break off, and wind up ingested by your motor. Metal down the
cylinder is never a great idea. It would no doubt increase the unit price to make the outer circumference
encased somehow, but since I believe that this is a very effective product, the market would pay a little
more for peace of mind. All things considered, it does seem to work as advertised, and even helped
throttle response, at least on my application. Kudos.
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Here's an update on my experience to date ('03 Z06 - stock other than Corsa extreme and x-pipe)
Installed a Halltech tunnel plate, C5 venom and the flow straightener about a week ago. Clocked the
MAF to match the TB plates. Have driven the car about 300 miles. Throttle-response is better, idle is
slightly smoother, and the car sounds really angry at WOT! Seat-o-pants meter says maybe more power.
Not a single code to date. Great job on this little tweak, Jim!
6/1: Update. After driving the car on a nice 100 mile jaunt over the weekend, my throttle response on
the freeway has markedly improved. The Venom is doing its job, along with the Halltech tunnel plate for
fresh air. Still no codes after about 500 miles!
Doug
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I have installed the screen and have driven the car about 300 miles so far.
No more lean codes and no surging. I had it down to 20 mph in 4th gear
and no surge. Will keep you posted. Larry
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I have an 03 Z with a Vararam, CF power duct with silicone couplers, predator tune and Borla cat back. In
warm weather I got CELs for lean left and/or right banks almost every day. Always at very low throttle
angles, like when coming to a light, or inching along in traffic. I pulled the system apart at least four
times working to eliminate any possible air leaks.
I put the honeycomb screen in my MAF, put the system back together, once again being super critical of
possible air leaks.
I instantly, like in 50 feet, knew something was different on the first drive. The car sounded different and
the lean feeling, not quite a stumble I've always had when the engine is cold was much less. The car
drove better, throttle response and smoothness, from the time it warmed up.
I have about 6 trips to work (35 miles, mix of fast back roads and some traffic) and no CEL. The car
continues to feel and sound different as the LTFT are adjusting. Throttle response, and general
smoothness remain improved. I have noticed soot on the back of the car and tail pipes, which I've nver
seen before, possibly from when the car had not adjusted to the new readings. I'll know more after I
wash the car. and it either comes back or doesn't.
When I saw the product I told Jim that this looked like a simple fix that would work, and it does. I can't
beleive I spent so much time trying to adjust my way out of the CELs with the predator tuner, and fixing
leaks that were probably never there, with a $30 almost drop in part. I am back to the canned predator
tune, the car runs better than it has in as long as I can remember. It's like you just did a tune up,
everything is just a little bit better than it was before.
One question, how long does it take the LTFT to adjust and settle in? Is my car settled with 175 miles or
so on it? If yes, I'm perfectly happy the way it is.
I was not a Beta tester, though I asked to be. I asked to pay the original asking price and get free
shipping, and didn't get it. I paid full price, and am getting nothing in return for this review. Like the title
of the thread says, at least in my case, this simple part has ended my lean codes. Quite a simple product
that does what it's sold to do.
Mike
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I'm not a "tester", but just happened to buy one after reading this thread. I'm still reviewing the screen
(that's some work for a water jet). I disconnected the battery, and also went thru the idle relearn steps.
I've only been thru 2 cold cycles so far and can already tell some difference with reduced surging. I didn't
have any prior lean code issues, just low speed light throttle surges. Mine also sounds different, but I
also installed a Jantzer ported throttle body at the same time. I'm glad they made it so pretty so I
could just cover it all up... The first drive was wild with the idle hanging at 1200 until fully stopped, and
went thru swings down to 500 rpm, but all that mostly cleared up during the second drive. So far there's
an improvement. I didn't want to report my findings until after a couple more drives just to make sure.
Be back in a couple days.
BTW, the packaging method was great!
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Here's an update. I had been running a dual cone intake on my 02 Z06. Lean code would pop up, and live
data revealed that long term fuel trims were above 25 percent. I verified that there were no post MAF
air leaks. After reinstalling the stock air box, the LTFT's were way down. I recently installed the Halltech
screen, and reinstalled the dual cone intake. I let it idle, and drove it about 150 miles here and there
under various conditions. No lean code ever showed up, and live data shows LTFT values as 10 - 12
percent at idle, never higher. Fourth gear acceleration seems to be much more responsive, under very
similar conditions. All in all, a very good product at a very good price. I would highly recommend it!
