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No vin.Firewall cut off at floor.All that is left is rear door jambs back.Has been cut at middle of t tops.the rear hatch and spoiler are still there.It was a Formula car.Any idea about when Formula’s were built in 98?Honestly though the sail panel looks perfect.No signs of bubbles at all.Quarter panels still there but the car is sitting on the ground and they look like they ar bent.
Everybody knows of the bubbling sail panel issue and the only fix is panel replacement. Finding and removing the panel,cleaning, sanding,priming,painting,color sanding and buffing takes a lot of time and hard work. This is what you end up with!
Very nice job indeed. Did you pull one off a donor car? I did and unfortunately, it broke in to two pieces. Not that it can't be repaired, it is fiberglass after all, but will entail me spending more for that when the time comes to paint the car.
Both are from donor cars. I have removed so many sail panels without ever damaging a single one! The three tools I use, a grinder, heat gun and a putty knife.
Both are from donor cars. I have removed so many sail panels without ever damaging a single one! The three tools I use, a grinder, heat gun and a putty knife.
Could you post a short walk thru on your method of removal.I’ve read several methods on removal but yours is a little different.Most involves using a windshield removal wire.When I attempt mine I wanna use the best and easiest method.
Could you post a short walk thru on your method of removal.I’ve read several methods on removal but yours is a little different.Most involves using a windshield removal wire.When I attempt mine I wanna use the best and easiest method.
I use a angle grinder with a thin 7'' cut off wheel and back cut all the metal framework piece by piece using the heat gun to heat the metal to release the glue.
Long time since I have visited this thread, but the experiment with the Dick Harrell car did not work as expected back in 16. The bubbling effect was still there after a primer burial in hot weather, but much subdued. Here's some thoughts tonight as expressed to a fellow enthusiast who asked today about my thoughts on the problem and how to deal with it........
Jim, This thread is very long, but here's a link to where I chimed in while doing Vince's car.
My thoughts were that I had HOPED the reaction of the glue leaching through was over with age for the most part based on observations of my own car. In other words, give it enough time and it is done bubbling. But I don't think that is correct anymore. I still DO believe that if the top is subjected to enough heat for a prolonged period, you can get the reaction to slow down tremendously. Work it out of its system sort to say. My car has been outside a couple years in the sun to get it out and that's what I based my theory on. And I do believe at a certain point the leaching stops. So my new theory is that if prolonged heat is thrown at the top for an extended period of time, you can get it to work its way out and stop at some point. What point that is will vary greatly as to the storage degree of most cars and how it has been shielded from the elements for the most part. Good for the car, but not for these tops. To get to the point...best way is to replace for what....3 gran to have it done right? Or less than HALF that if you want to just paint it again. But if painting again, you need prolonged exposure to heat or sun FIRST to get the reaction to work it's way out. Hope this makes some sort of sense.
Last edited by xBergerRefinisher; 09-09-2019 at 07:45 PM.
Reason: clairify
Thank you for this, I'm still trying to decide if I should first try a repaint, or just go for a complete R&R. Am I understanding you right that an R&R could cost 3000 in some areas of the country? I know some people who did the R&R themselves for about 500-800. A guy who does a lot of remediation jobs on these cars feels so confident there's some kind of super sealer he can use after grinding out the bubbles and that will work. I asked him to read in this thread, I'm not so sure! I find your suggestion intriguing that the contamination could work itself out of the panel at some point. As you said the question would be if that's true, what point would that be! Am I understanding you're suggesting heating the panel to get the bubbles to all come out, or are you saying just naturally over time in the sun? Or maybe both?
Your panel will never stop bubbling enough for you to be happy with the paint vs just replacing it. Replacing it is so easy. Go to a pick and pull and yank one off with a wire saw from Home Depot. Don't have a pick and pull? Wait until someone in your area is parting out a 93-mid98 car on craigslist / facebook marketplace and go ****** it up. Remove the old glue from the bottom of the new panel, get it repainted the color of your choice and then stick it on yourself. It's probably the easiest thing I've ever done on these cars. I'd rather replace the roof than change spark plugs on these things. Just get the proper adhesive, lay it down in the same locations as factory, plop the top on, take a few minutes to walk around and adjust all the gaps / height, then tape it in place overnight and you're golden. Don't be scared of this process people, it's pretty easy.
Wow! Yours was even bubbling on the sides! Not good. Problem is with some of my health issues and lack of free time issues sadly I don't think I would be able to do the job myself, but I would love to if I could. I think I'm going to keep looking for someone I can trust to replace it for a fair price...
Huh, and I always thought the previous owner had it repainted... shittily repainted. Could we also use the sail panels from a Camaro if we find a junker?
Huh, and I always thought the previous owner had it repainted... shittily repainted. Could we also use the sail panels from a Camaro if we find a junker?
@Richard_Strahl I don't recall if there were shipping charges, I would assume there was, but I saw some for as low as $108. And I talked to a well known Firebird yard who said $350 shipped I believe. I would say for a good pull not painted and prepped yet no more than $400. Not sure if that price would be removed from the metal parts or just cut off the car with the metal and separate the sail panel at your own risk. Obviously removed from the metal would be much better cause you would know it wasn't cracked and less shipping!
I'd definitely pay 100 bucks if they'd let me pull it myself, but for 400 I may as well just spend the extra for a 6LE... and that's far too much for a few bubbles, lol. Thanks, man, I appreciate it!
I found one on Craigslist.Someone was parting out a car and he cut the whole top off for $100 dollars.Still got to separate it though.I had one yard quote me $600.I just laughed and hung up on him.Just called around to local yards and see if they have any.Some yards even have part locator service where they may be able find one for you.
05-10-2016, 02:15 PM
