Hardtop Latches

I have a mystery here I'm hoping someone can help me with. I bought a hardtop from a '91 for my '94 and it fits perfectly, however...........
I needed a set of side latch striker plates to install on the car, it had never been fitted for a hardtop and I had to cut the trim panels to accept the striker plates. So far so good. Next I tried to install the plates and the screws were the wrong pitch and would not turn more than 1 revolution before jamming in the factory threaded bracket. It turned out that they were the wrong plates anyway so I ordered a set of OEM plates and screws from GoMiata.
The plates and screws came in, each in it's own factory labeled plastic bag and....the new screws also were the same wrong pitch. All of the screws I have gotten so far will fit in the front latch plates but not in the side latch brackets. It looks like the side latch brackets on the car are a coarser pitch than the screws. I went to Elliot's hardware and looked at every metric screw they had but they all matched the factory screws (and were a lot cheaper BTW). Could they be SAE? Any suggestions?
I suppose I could drill out the threads and put nuts behind the bracket if all else fails.

On another topic: I replaced the front sway bar on my car with a factory 10AE front bar. 3/4" to 7/8". You guys probably know that you have to install adjustable links to put a NB bar on a NA. Trying to stay TCB I bought 4 female hyme(sp?) joints and connected them with the threaded section cut off a grade 8 bolt. They worked great and look cool to boot. $24.00 for the joints and lock nuts from Smiley's racing in Mesquite. Good deals on SA2005 helmets too.

The side plate issue is odd. When I added side plates to the 99 I had, they came off of an NA. So I don't think there is a difference between NA & NB.

Did you try all the screws in all the different holes? Could there be gunk in the threads from cutting the plastic?

The threads are clean and look to be well cut, just a different size. I searched the web and can't find anything about this problem. Weird is what it is.

Shoot Madmerv a PM. He knows all that hardtop stuff.

It's a funny old world. I got the latches installed, the left side latch bracket was threaded correctly after all but the right side was the wrong pitch. I had to jump start the car because it had been up on jacks so long and that tripped the security system installed by the PO and I didn't know it was tripped or how to reset it. One of those days that let's you exercise the acquired interogative.::Rant::

But I am on the road again with new FCM bumpstops and boots, NB hard S sway bar and a hardtop.

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Originally Posted by creek

On another topic: I replaced the front sway bar on my car with a factory 10AE front bar. 3/4" to 7/8". You guys probably know that you have to install adjustable links to put a NB bar on a NA. Trying to stay TCB I bought 4 female hyme(sp?) joints and connected them with the threaded section cut off a grade 8 bolt. \

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If they are the female variety, wouldn't they be hymen joints??
;)

Maybe.....but they're broke in now. Unfortunately the FCM bumpstops didn't work out. They allowed the tires to rub the fender wells on the slightest ripple. Hit a big dip and the shocks bottomed internally and stuck down. I had to jack the car up to get the shocks to extend. Scratch one set of factory R pack shocks and two new tires. Oh well....back to the drawing board.

What spring you running & which length bump stops did you get?

Stock (Bilstein) shocks and springs. Bump stops were 36mm in the front as recommended by Shaik.

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Originally Posted by creek

Unfortunately the FCM bumpstops didn't work out. They allowed the tires to rub the fender wells on the slightest ripple. Hit a big dip and the shocks bottomed internally and stuck down. I had to jack the car up to get the shocks to extend. Scratch one set of factory R pack shocks and two new tires. Oh well....back to the drawing board.

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I don't understand this? :confused:
A shock sticking in compression, thats a lot of force its holding.

I ran FCM 36's and Tannabe springs on Billies for years.
No problems, other than it was way to low, and I had little travel.

I have the same bumps on the same Billies now, but with FM springs and NB tops.

Could it be those '94 Billsteins are toast?

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Originally Posted by sammm

Could it be those '94 Billsteins are toast?

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That would be my guess. I think the shorter bumpstops put the shocks into part of their range of travel they had never been before. 15 years later they didn't like it. Since the R pack Bilsteins had a different part number I am not sure the external dimensions, especially the location of the spring perch grooves are the same as the newer version. I guess I'll find out, I ordered new ones as soon as I limped home.