T-top liner fell on the seat

MYBAD79

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Second time in a few months , that 5 min epoxy glue didn't last very long . The 79 was parked in the FL sun for a few hours and the glue just couldn't take it... Now I am considering just leaving the liners out and simply paint the inside of the tops .... Anybody done this? Is it going to look ugly or will it be ok if painted glossy charcoal or black ??? I think I'll really like the additional headroom :)
 
I have repro T-top interior panels for the 70. Look really good. They don't fit. Their curvature is not sufficient to fit the arc of the mating fiberglass T-tops. The velcro strips I've added and the stock plastic attaching clips(with the nylon stalk heads) won't hold the repro panels in. I've thought about draconian measures to glue them in. Haven't done that yet. Actually, I can get the passenger's side to hold. The driver's side falls out. The stock T-top liners had a paper/fiber mache substrate. The repro liners have a black plastic substrate. I've been told to wait for a warm day, put them upside down in the sunlight and blast them with a hot air gun (hair dryer) to soften the plastic, and then stick them in. Haven't done this yet.

My general rule:
1) If a repro part appears to be of good quality, it won't fit.
2) If a repro part fits, it'll be of poor quality
3) It is possible that a repro part will be of poor quality and won't fit.

THERE ARE EXCEPTIONS to the above. There are some repro parts that are better/equal to OEM quality and will also fit. I think that repro parts that are actually produced by specifications of Dr Rebuild will fit the exceptions. To make a short story, there are a few repro parts I have bought that do fit and are equal/better than factory. Some fittings in stainless steel, Quanta fuel tanks, DeWitte radiators, Al Knoch, Trim Line, etc and sometimes from the typical Vette vendors. .......However, the EXCEPTIONS are in the minority of repro parts offered for sale.
 
I hear 'ya....... :crap:

These are GM liners, the attachment posts broke off years ago and I glued them directly to the T-top, the epoxy glue patch is about 6x6" in the middle of the darn Ttop.... still the sun managed to soften the glue so that the liner fell on the seat.... and I thought two component epoxies were bulletproof.....

Now I think my plan is to remove the glue, grind and smoothen the inside surface with body filler and paint it charcoal..... I wish I had done this before I glued the new weatherstripping in there.... :hissyfit:
 
:hissyfit: I noted some years ago that the T-top panels are the same construction technique on that liner as was done for my hardtop to the convertible.....so up north yet, back about '95, I pulled the liner outta the hardtop, and noted that fiber backing material....I pulled off the shrunken vinyl that had pulled the shape all outta wack, there were to smaller panels that fit in the sail area on each side, so I soaked the fiber shells down with water, set weights on them and let them dry out in the sun, the basic/correct shape took a couple of attempts on the large roof section, but I got it.....

I recovered it in soft fuzzy cloth from a yard goods store.....sold the top years ago....

:clobbered:
 
I would use flexible construction adhesive. Have been using a type manufactured by the Casco Nobel company called Tec 7. This glue stays flexible, can be used under water, below frezing temperatures and can withstand high temperatures.
I once glued an aluminum part to the fibre glass in the engine bay of my boat and when I had
to remove it the fibre glass actually delaminated... the glue stayed intact on the bare aluminum.
You should have something similar over there. The problem as I see it is if the inner liner would have to be removed at some point. It would probably be destroyed or th T-top be delaminated.
 
AkzoNobel? Tec 7 is probably a MS (modified silicone) polymer, basically modern windshield/body adhesive. That was the stuff I meant. I use that for a lot of things.
 
I was thinking of removing the headliner (singular, the other one keeps falling off) and grinding down the mounting tabs, then installing some reflectix insulation and short pile carpet with 3M spray adhesive. I need the headroom.
Will the 3M not withstand the temps?
 
AkzoNobel? Tec 7 is probably a MS (modified silicone) polymer, basically modern windshield/body adhesive. That was the stuff I meant. I use that for a lot of things.

Could be Akzo as well. It is suprrior stuff to use for basically anything that needs to be permanently glued. Not extremely expensive and it does not harden inside the tube even when it is not used for a long time
 
I was thinking of removing the headliner (singular, the other one keeps falling off) and grinding down the mounting tabs, then installing some reflectix insulation and short pile carpet with 3M spray adhesive. I need the headroom.
Will the 3M not withstand the temps?

I've been thinking of something like this as well as I also could use a bit of head room. But, I want to make sure to not add any heat or noise to the interior.

My liners are in great shape but are slightly warped and won't stay attached at the rear inside corners. I've laid them out in the hot sun for hours on end while clamped to a jig to nudge them back in place but it only keeps for a week or so each time.

If I keep them, I'll see if I can use a chrome screw in that location which will match the other interior screws I've installed.

DC
 
and I thought two component epoxies were bulletproof

Most epoxies will start to soften at moderate temps. The Tg (transition to glass) for epoxies like System 3, Aeropoxy, and West Systems is around 200 degrees or so; the 5 minute stuff will start to get soft at as low as 120 degrees.

Try JB Weld.

Mike
 
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