Been searching for a GTA convertible for well over a decade now, and finally landed on a solid, clean 5.7 car. I've been trying to get it put back together. I bought it from a good friend who inherited it from his father who, unfortunately, passed away in the middle of some work on the car. Right now I have the interior gutted with lots of new parts going back in over the winter. One thing I'm really struggling with is the tonneau release system, which even if it were working properly would likely get annoying with the button on the dash. Is there any way I could put a discreet button on either the cover itself (like the 91-92 cars) or the interior side panel just below it? I used to have a '91 and liked the location of that switch a lot. I'm just not sure if it'd be as simple as running a new 12v line back to the switch and then to the solenoids, or must there be relays involved? I'm not overly concerned about the trunk interlock, I never intend to sell the car and I'm very familiar with what happens when you open the tonneau into the trunk. Originality isn't of much concern either, while I will be repainting the ground effects Flame Red like factory it's still lightly modified under the hood (Edelbrock aluminum heads and lower intake, SLP runners, Holley throttle body and longtubes)

 

Very cool!

 

Glad to see you posting it here!

 

I’m 3000 miles from my 1989 IROC Z Vert(305/LB9 TPI Auto Trans) car. IIRC there are just two wires connected to my OE Tonneau
release switch. You could properly attach two wires to the switch harness and run them to your desired second switch location. Buy a “momentary contact, normally open two pole switch” and install.

there is a good thread on thirdgen.org about repairing the tonneau release system to operate.

advise how it works out!

 

PS Nice Vert!

Funny how Pontiac offered 350’s in Verts, but Chevy did not. AFAIK

 

The Pontiac 350 convertibles were all dealer converted cars.
Pontiac didn’t release a “factory” convertible till I believe 1991 and those were all 305’s

 

Makes sense Camaro and Firebird would have the same engine constraints.

 

That is a really cool looking GTA convertible! Looks like it has some nice mods and will be great car when you get it back together.

 

It is just a momentary switch, so adding a second switch should not be impossible, or difficult for that matter. All you need to do is wire into the switch on the dash and go from there.
Keep in mind you do not want to just wire directly to the solenoids thru the switch as the switch would probably burn out, I think the better way would be to just wire into the dash and use the harness that is there but you could get another relay to power it.

 

Why add a switch on the dash, when OP wants an easier to reach switch, then the console switch?

Up high and centered, where it can be reached, while standing outside the car, ready to grab the tonneau cover and raise it up. IMO.

 

Or just get a tonneau cover from a 91-92 car with the switch cutout already there