Hard top: essential seals or full restore?

[rwmastel]

Hi Group!  I want a weather tight hard top for some longer trips next year.  I wasn't planning to pull out the original glass to replace those seals, because at that point you basically are committing to a full hard top restoration.   With my original glass seals not having a history of leaking, I figured I could just replace the seals "where the rubber meets the road", so to speak.  The seals where to top meeds the body and door glass.  Is that wise?  If I'm doing those seals, should I just commit to a full resto?  I'm aware of the difficulty and hours involved in a full restore, which is why I want to avoid it, but I don't want the work I do to be wasted and redone in a full resto.  Thanks

[Bonnyboy]

Have you driven your car to see how bad it is with the existing seals in inclement weather?   

A little daylight between the body and hardtop may not make much difference to your overall comfort. 

Mind you, I occasionally ride a motorcycle or drive my boat in the sleet and snow so my expectations may be a bit different than yours.

[Benz Dr.]

Don't remove the 1/4 windows unless absolutely needed. Those things are a bear to re-install.

[rwmastel]

Don't remove the 1/4 windows unless absolutely needed. Those things are a bear to re-install.

Hi Dan.  I want to avoid removing windows.  Is it sensible to just do all the perimeter seals?

[Cees Klumper]

I just replaced those 'perimeter seals' and have been happy with the result, so I would say 'yes'.

[mdsalemi]

...If I'm doing those seals, should I just commit to a full resto?  I'm aware of the difficulty and hours involved in a full restore, which is why I want to avoid it, but I don't want the work I do to be wasted and redone in a full resto.  Thanks

Rodd, it was a gap of 20 years between when my car was restored and the hard top restored; 1999-2000 versus 2019-2021. It is a LOT of work. But unless you are doing a full restoration on your car (which you are not, I think) then you do NOT do a full restoration on the hard top. Check the seals; if they are intact, lube them up with the dressings for rubber. If they are not intact then replace them. Don't mess with the glass or paint beyond what you are doing for the rest of your car. If the headliner is shot, well that may need to be replaced but that's a few hundred dollars versus the many thousands for a full restoration.

Just make sure the level of work on the hard top matches the level of work on the car.

[rwmastel]

Good perspective.  I was hoping to avoid work regarding wood, glass, paint, and chrome/aluminum trim.   Just replace rubber.  I'm undecided on the headliner.  The foam underneath is dust, but otherwise I don't think it looks bad.  I've read posts by members who painted their headliner, but I'm not sure I feel comfortable doing that.  Maybe it's simpler than I think.

[mdsalemi]

Good perspective…undecided on the headliner.  The foam underneath is dust…painted their headliner…

If the foam is dust, it will continue to rain dust until there is no more dust to rain. Painting a vinyl headliner is a bandaid at best, IMO. Food for thought.

[lreppond]

Like Cees, I only replaced the perimeter seals on my hardtop.  I had the windows adjusted since they were out of alignment with the new seals.  They now seal perfectly.  I’ve also replaced all the rubber on the doors.  Together wind noise has been significantly reduced. Additionally I see no evidence of water intrusion after washing. 

[rwmastel]

Hi Len,

Yes, I understand that the procedure is:
- refresh the hard top and a-pillar rubber
- adjust the door windows to fit the top
- adjust the soft top to fit the door windows

I'm also interested in door seals.  I want to be able to drive in the rain.  I have a firewall rubber grommet set to install.