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opening coupe rear hatch glass

9K views 62 replies 23 participants last post by  JohnWR 
#1 ·
I'm not sure how to word a search for this subject, so I don't know if it has been discussed before; but....

ever since it was new it has been a PIA to open the hatch because it just doesn't pop up enough to get a grip on the glass edge to open... has anyone come up with a method of making it 'pop up' higher?

Bill
 
#3 ·
I would think a replacement weather strip may help as it is compressed all the time, is yours getting compressed with age?

I also saw a car show on TV where they slipped some rubber inside the weather strip to provide a better seal to the door glass. A simple fix that worked. Perhaps a solution in your situation.
 
#7 ·
I had the same problem. I found that the glass was sticking to the rubber when popping open hatch. I cleaned and dressed rubber with some slippery rubber seal lubricant. Pops up perfectly now. I will do same thing each time I take Solstice out of storage. I cant remember offhand name of rubber dressing.
 
#8 ·
Everyone's friend is a can of spray silicone.

I do have to agree with Roesterman's recommendation as I too remember this being a problem when I first purchased my coupe.

I now ensure that the weather strip is lubed and that the struts move freely thru their range. The struts seem to stick a little when the window is closed for long periods. I lightly lubed the strut shafts with silicone and now it pops right up every time.

It's got to be the angle of the struts with the glass down not providing enough force and the glass sticking to the weather strip keeping the glass from popping up fully.
 
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#10 ·
Even if you keep the seal lubed, the struts still fall short in cold weather.
I just use the ignition key - putting your finger under it to prevent levering against the body and risking chipping the paint.

Doesn't seem to be an issue in the summer.
 
#12 ·
Great topic. i just got my coupe a few months ago and the trunk never pops up it just unlatches. My solution has been using my keychain. It's a super common keychain type, single color transparent rubber(well flexible) about 1.5 inches long in the shape of an oval with straight edges. It slides between the crack and then I slide it to the side of the car. This pops the trunk enough to get a finger under and since its soft and rubbery I don't worry about scratching the paint or glass. I'll have to try the above suggestions!
 
#15 ·
I like the Bubba Solution!

I work at the Post Office and we have dozens of those gas struts in all different lengths and strengths on our letter processing machines. Our struts are very clearly of a weak variety and I should think that getting ones with stronger internal springs would certainly be doable. Buuuuuut.......having experienced weak struts in all my cars that have struts on glass windows or fiberglass hatches, there must be a very good reason for not using nice strong struts. That reason is probably glass breakage.

I just took a look at the latching area and there's a nice flat ledge on either side of the rear window latch. You could glue or screw a spring or two to pop up the glass far enough to lift it the rest of the way by hand without the Bubba Stick. Lots of car hoods have something similar to pop up the hoods a little after you unlatch them. There are some passive glues, like Goop, that won't melt into the plastic and can be peeled off at a later date. Glue a spring to the ledge and a rubber pad to the glass and you've got yourself a rear window popper.

My Opel GT has had the door handles "shaved" by the PO, so I had to install a door popper kit. But some car doors don't just swing open on their own when the door is unlatched, so they sell springs for door poppers to push the door open so that you can grab it.

:)
 
#16 · (Edited)
MacGyver Hack to pop hatch open! Simple!

My girlfriend has a MacGyver hack that works well on the hatch if you are having a problem "getting it up".

1. Exit the car, but leave a door open with the window up.

2. Push the rear hatch release on the remote, hatch will stick.

3. Close the car door with moderate pressure. The hatch will :lurk: up.

Works every time!
 
#17 ·
My girlfriend has a MacGyver hack that works well on the hatch if you are having a problem "getting it up".

1. Exit the car, but leave a door open with the window up.

2. Push the rear hatch release on the remote, hatch will stick.

3. Close the car door with moderate pressure. The hatch will :lurk: up.

Works every time!
Gottcha ........ I like the Targa top stored in the garage! :lol::lol::lol: (sorry, I'm bad)
 
#19 ·
Couple of additional comments.
The GM approved weather strip lubricant is expensive but works well to keep the rubber from sticking to the glass even in freezing temps.

https://www.amazon.com/Genuine-Fluid-3634770-Weather-Lubricant/dp/B000QIFTJ8

I prefer this one, which was recommended by GM for Corvettes - GM TSB 08-08-67-013C

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/712QedzkJDL._SL1500_.jpg

GM Superlube" #12371287 - $14 instead of $50.

One thing that occurs to me but I haven't tried it is to get a small block of soft black closed cell foam rubber (maybe neoprene wet suit material, but that may just be the old diver in me speaking) and place it around the latch so that it holds the hatch ajar when unlatched (a bit more than the weatherstripping does, which is about nil) but is soft enough to compress and not put any strain on the latch when closed. If cut to fit around the latch, you probably wouldn't even need to cement it in place.

I shall patiently wait for someone else to ty that and will expect my first royalty cheque after I see it appear on the DDM site.....>:)
 
#20 ·
I shall patiently wait for someone else to ty that and will expect my first royalty cheque after I see it appear on the DDM site.....>:)
Unfortunately, Bill, the market is too small to even worry about doing this, much less to actually find a coupe nearby to play with. I knew I should have bought one of them when I went to view one for a friend on the West Coast and my local GM dealer had 5 slightly used ones on his lot. Every single one of those went more than 500 miles away, and they were gone in less than a week.

:thumbs:

.
 
#21 ·
Yup - I invented a balancing attachment that allows a special knock off steel wheel with peg drive (used on ~ 2000 cars total) and told a friend to send the royalty cheques at his convenience - that was 20 years ago and apparently it still isn't convenient (he has probably made 30-40 of the adaptors). :wink:

We isolated few that own rare cars have to learn to fend for ourselves!
 
#22 ·
Speaking of creative solutions: I have been working on a rather fun idea for providing shade when driving without the targa in place and leaving behind the soft top (if you have one). I'll post pictures when I get it finalized, but when it's finished you will have shade over the cabin that can be installed in less than 60 seconds, yet durable enough to MAYBE even drive with it in place. We'll see.
 
#23 ·
That is a great idea and I'll be following your progress. I'm a new happy owner of a coupe and am interested in something to fit the emergency rainfall issue when out and about without the Targa. My experience with my Jeep Wrangler was not good when I thought it was a good idea to put the top in the shed and head off on a off-roader. I won't let that happen to the coupe!

Do you think it might keep the rain off in an emergency, even if parked? Keep us posted with photos, etc. :wink:
 
#27 · (Edited)
OSUCherokee, I'm a bit confused on your car numbers list. Please let me explain. From your postings, you list your vehicles as to include this, and I quote;
"2009 Pontiac Solstice GXP Coupe #1152 "The Last Coupe"*

Maybe I'm missing your point, but my following of the production and numbers goes like this:
1) total coupes produced in 2009 and 2010 = 1,266
2) 2009 coupes produced = 1,252
3) 2010 coupes produced = 14
4) all the coupes had ending VIN numbers of 000000 (6 digits beginning with one (1) for each year, sequentially numbered/year)

My question,.... is your number 1,152, really meant to be 1,252? OR, is the 1,152 your VIN number?

Maybe I'm taking the word "LAST" as meaning just that, the very last unit made. ??? Which my information conflicts with that stand. Sorry. Maybe you can give me some insight of what the 1,152 means? :willy: Hope I'm making my point.

(realize this is off topic and will be more careful. this should end quickly upon Cherokee's reply.. maybe should have done PM, but others might gain from ans)
 
#28 · (Edited)
Boy, are you confused.

First up were 102 pre-production 2009 coupes, 9Y1xxxxx intermixed with the rest of Kappa production.

Then 1152 sequential coupes, 9Y000001 through 9Y001152

intermixed with all of the above there were 12 pre-production 2010 coupes, AY100001 and up (VIN numbers were intermixed with 8 Sol Convertibles, 8 Skys and 2 Opel GTs).

Clear as mud?

For What It's Worth, OSUCherokee's coupe was made on the last day of production, and probably is the last coupe made, the last coupe was aggressive red, and was followed down the line by a silver base Solstice convertible, the last vehicle ever made at the Wilmington plant, 9Y108138.

:thumbs:

.
 
#34 ·
No question about the confusion ....... I was. But not now. Thanks, Dave, only you would know the details.

Here is what I have concluded:
1) YES, OSUCherokee does have THE LAST COUPE ..... but of regular production of 2009; 9Y001152. His vehicle claim as last coupe of 2009 is correct, but we could say NOT last coupe made.
2) Pre-production of 102 coupes (with intermixed VIN numbering of 9Y1xxxxx), plus regular production of 1152 (with independent VIN numbering of 9Y000001 thru 9Y001152) equals 1254 coupes manufactured in year 2009.
3) then as you point out, the final 12 coupes were among the 2010 Kappa vehicles manufactured when the plant closed. This jives with the long published 1266 coupes existing once upon a time!

This does get down into the fine details of the production, but owning a coupe, I like to understand the events and state the details accurately. At least I have a chance now of knowing the details, if I can just master stating them in a non-confusing manner. LOL Thanks Dave for sharing your knowledge!
 
#29 ·
Yes, the Targa soft top is notoriously hard to set up. Thread here on the forum, someone cut the metal parts in half, added hinges, made it so you could leave it assembled but folded in half or thirds. The best way to buy these is to do a "saved" EBAY search with automatic email notification, wait for one to come up. You can usually find one used for about $500 if you are willing to wait.
 
#31 ·
Well, here's a first attempt! Found the material at the fabric store. It is called pet screen. I used dowel rods to fit into the rear targa top holes and screwed eye screws into the other end to link up with a 3/8x1.5in carriage bolt and wingnut to tighten up. I used floral wire to "sew" it together temporarily. Painted the rods black and that's it. The whole thing sets up and tears down in less than a minute.
 

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#43 ·
OK, this looks simple enough to do. What size dowel did you use? The sewing part looks trickiest to me. I assume this was hand stitched. Is it good enough as is, or are you going to be making a more permanent solution?
 
#32 ·
Additional images
 

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#37 ·
I think this is pretty darn cool. Would you make me one? If yes PM me with how much you want and to ship to Toronto on top. I think this would work well with the Kappabrella that DDM sells. By having the struts you have made it would stop the Kappabrella from sinking into the cockpit.
 
#33 · (Edited)
Just took the car out for a drive with my new shade in place. Rock solid up to and beyond 80mph. If anything it tames the wind a little more. I'm thrilled with the results!

Summer here we come!!!


Now, as for a rain emergency version I am considering a top that will incorporate the dowel rods in a similar fashion, but the cover will be a vinyl material like a Jeep top. It will extend over the windshield, side windows, and rear. I'll add grommets to link up with about 8-12 small suction cups to hold all the sides in place. The dowels will keep the whole thing in place in case of higher winds. Obviously not meant to be driven with, but will definitely keep you dry in a pinch.
 
#36 ·
Yup - all the so called 2010 cars were made in April and May of 2009 (the last one was noted as completed on June 1).

I agree that I don't know that there is any value attached to first and last cars, but the 2010 cars are not in the running unless you are numerologically motivated.

I've seen other marques where there was arguments about last cars - they had pictures of the car coming off the assembly line, workers signed it etc., and everyone figured it was an instant collector's item, but it later turned out not to be significantly different from the earlier cars. Jensen cars was one.

In general I avoid the 'first' cars. Other than for the numerologists, they are often the worst cars - earliest spec with none of the options and elaborations that came into production later, often rushed to issue to meet publishing deadlines, and pulled back to the dealer later to put things right. I guess I think that while they may be neat, I just wouldn't want to own one.

One example of a car where earliest means money is the XKE. The first 'flat floor' models with external bonnet latches do seem to bring significantly more dollars than later cars.

Another is also a Jaguar - the XK120 was originally intended to be a small production run, and the first 240 cars were made in alloy. When interest exploded, they adjusted the pressing dies and went to steel for all later cars, but the alloy cars are worth a lot more despite usually being in worse shape prior to restoration and cost far more to restore.
 
#42 ·
I see a small market for a clothespin painted in the various body colours and drilled for use as a key fob, doubling as a rear glass lifter!
 
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