BOWTIEKILLER said:
all the bracing is this
I am building up my t-top coupe now and I am not worried about any of these complaints. Lets see t-top cars were made up till 1988, so how old is the weather stripping??? like 15 + years depending on what car you have. Of course its going to be deteriorated and brittle which would lead to leaking. The same happens to our hatches doors. Unless you take the time and money to fix it and replace seals it will leak so either buy a solid roof car or buy the new stripping. and its not that bad I have seen a whole kit for 199.99
I had t tops installed in my 79 Capri in 1981 when I bought it. Still have it, same gaskets.
Best thing I ever did for the car, I love them!!!!!!
Yes they leak, at the 3 way joint at the top of the windows front and rear, and a bit at the bottom rear of the window. I fixed it a long time ago with some added black rtv build up behind the glass. Just put rtv on the weatherstrip and tape a piece of wax paper on the glass, and close the door. Let it sit over night and you will have a much better seal. Do this before you put much Armorall stuff on the gasket or the rtv won't stick. Replacement gaskets are available, and I will get some someday. If I am in a major rain storm, I make sure to carefully roll the windows up to meet the weatherstrip, and it cures the leaks till you open the door. What happens is the window guide strips that center the glass on the rod in the door wear out, and the glass can get cocked a bit when you close it, leaving a bigger gap at one end or the other. Sometimes rolling the window up with the door open and closing it will get it to seal evenly.
Mine were an aftermarket install of the C and C kit, same as the oem parts, done in late 1981. They are not made anymore, but
www.sunroofdoctor.com bought the remaining parts and can provide nearly all the trim stuff.
A conversion could easily be done using a donor car, but you need all the stuff, the new door window glass, etc, trim for the rearview mirrors, top reinforcing panel, etc. I think it all installs with 1/4 pop rivets, so you need the big rivet gun. Some judicious siliconing will seal the rear roof panel to the trim.
Mine has 265000 miles and about a hundred launches on it, with subframes, and has no ill effects.
Still the best feature of the car and my wife and I still use it often, for "t-top Sundays."