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Bubbling Sail Panel Issue for Dummies
That is a great idea! And thanks for the congrat's. Now if gas will go down I might be able to drive them now and then. Mabe the next thing i'll do is get a couple of F-Body clubs together and have them all cruise down to the dealer and ask for estimates on some sail panel warranty work. While there we could all test drive the new Corvette. Make a day of it.
Wouldn't that frost 'um? Hahahaha!! GM stopped making "Bubble Top" Chevy's back in 1962. I am not promoting my 2002 Camaro Z-28 as a BUBBLE TOP! I'd trade for a '61 Bubble Top 409 in a heart beat!
You are correct sir. In fact the Corvettes have this problem where bad glue causes the hardtops on some Corvettes to delaminate and fly off the car at high speeds. They have no problem getting this problem fixed, although it is a bit more of a safety hazard. If only our roofs were flying off at high speed......

Like the lady from GM told me. If enough people call in and complain they will issue a recall. Everyone on here needs to call GM and gripe. The number to Pontiac's Corporate office is 1-800-762-2737. For Chevrolet I have no idea what the number is. Sorry.
GM Customer "service" center.......hahaha........1 800-222-1020 this is where you start.
They take your info and then you have to set up an appointment with the GM body shop of your choice. The body shop looks at it, takes pics, gets your VIN#, asks you if you bought it there and if you have service records at the dealer........the LOYALTY thing.
Then they tell you they will get back with you after they talk to the manager and GM. They may or may not call you back. I had to call and get the bad news from them and listen to the bullsh@t. Later that day a gal from GM called me and told me the same crap that has been noted on this website since 2005. They know that 99.9% of us will take their NO answer and drop it. The other tenth of a % win the case against GM.
They take your info and then you have to set up an appointment with the GM body shop of your choice. The body shop looks at it, takes pics, gets your VIN#, asks you if you bought it there and if you have service records at the dealer........the LOYALTY thing.
Then they tell you they will get back with you after they talk to the manager and GM. They may or may not call you back. I had to call and get the bad news from them and listen to the bullsh@t. Later that day a gal from GM called me and told me the same crap that has been noted on this website since 2005. They know that 99.9% of us will take their NO answer and drop it. The other tenth of a % win the case against GM.
ok we all know that it cannot be only painted. but take it to the dealer to be painted then later it will start to bubble again. the way i see it, is when they look at it then bring up the service bullentin then dealer will have to fix it completely.mine got fixed from an accident from the dealer reusing the old panel, the new glue started showing up a year later, i showed my insurance company the tsb and they were pissed
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,501
Likes: 7
From: Ft. Irwin, California (But Virginia is home)
Guess I'm the minority, but I actually had my roof replaced under the Service Bulliten with little to no complaining or effort. Here's what I did and where I went:
Enterprise Chevrolet in Enterprise, Alabama. Spoke with the Service Manager Allen and told him about the SB for the bubbling. He said that he was familiar with it. Stated that my car was a 2002 with only 29K miles on it. Told him I had a copy of the SB from LS1 Tech and that it seemed the regional service managers were the ones to say "yes" or "no". Allen called the regional service manager and got back to me w/in an hour. GM regional stated that they usually do not like to fix cars over 5 years old, but (take note military peeps) since I was deployed to Iraq in 2006-2007 they understood that I couldn't bring the car in for sevice and that Yes, THEY WOULD FIX IT THEN.
BTW, my car's a HARDTOP, so the entire roof needed to be replaced. I ended out spending $100 total. The body shop had the job completed in 3 days and the car looks brand new.
Nothing but good things to say about them 
Anyhow, guess it's all in the delivery......and deal with a decent dealership, not the corporate GM a$$hats.
Enterprise Chevrolet in Enterprise, Alabama. Spoke with the Service Manager Allen and told him about the SB for the bubbling. He said that he was familiar with it. Stated that my car was a 2002 with only 29K miles on it. Told him I had a copy of the SB from LS1 Tech and that it seemed the regional service managers were the ones to say "yes" or "no". Allen called the regional service manager and got back to me w/in an hour. GM regional stated that they usually do not like to fix cars over 5 years old, but (take note military peeps) since I was deployed to Iraq in 2006-2007 they understood that I couldn't bring the car in for sevice and that Yes, THEY WOULD FIX IT THEN.
BTW, my car's a HARDTOP, so the entire roof needed to be replaced. I ended out spending $100 total. The body shop had the job completed in 3 days and the car looks brand new.
Nothing but good things to say about them 
Anyhow, guess it's all in the delivery......and deal with a decent dealership, not the corporate GM a$$hats.
I just bought a pristine black 2001 Formula with only 28,000 miles on it from its original owner, who kept it in a garage ever since he bought it, and it has about 10 bubbles on the roof and a big one on the side panel going from the roof down. It is absolutely killing me and since this is now my DD it will be sitting in the sun more than it ever had before, which means the bubbles will start appearing more and more.
I do wonder how many people it would take to get a lawyer interested in this issue?
Can we build one thread where people would just reply with their e-mail address, make and model, year, mileage, and a picture of the bubbles, if available??
I do wonder how many people it would take to get a lawyer interested in this issue?
Can we build one thread where people would just reply with their e-mail address, make and model, year, mileage, and a picture of the bubbles, if available??
I'm taking mine in tomorrow to get the top replaced, it is a 2002 Z/28 bought on Oct. 31 2001 and has 103,155 miles on it. flymybird, have you taken it in to see if they will fix it?
I just bought a pristine black 2001 Formula with only 28,000 miles on it from its original owner, who kept it in a garage ever since he bought it, and it has about 10 bubbles on the roof and a big one on the side panel going from the roof down. It is absolutely killing me and since this is now my DD it will be sitting in the sun more than it ever had before, which means the bubbles will start appearing more and more.
I do wonder how many people it would take to get a lawyer interested in this issue?
Can we build one thread where people would just reply with their e-mail address, make and model, year, mileage, and a picture of the bubbles, if available??
I do wonder how many people it would take to get a lawyer interested in this issue?
Can we build one thread where people would just reply with their e-mail address, make and model, year, mileage, and a picture of the bubbles, if available??
I took it to only one dealership thus far and they flat out refused. There is 3 more Pontiacs in the 20 mile radius and a few chevy dealers - but I have a bad feeling about this based on everything I've read here.
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 34,609
Likes: 2,516
From: Schiller Park, ILL Member: #317
Judging by your SLP build number, your ’98 car was built in either May or June of ’98. But please confirm when you get the chance.
If this is the case, then the pattern continues. The only ’98 cars effected are ones built in or after May of ’98. Whatever GM changed (glue, roof supplier, epoxy primer, etc.), they did it some time in May of 1998.
So far, I’ve found only ONE car built in May of ’98 that did NOT have the issue. It must’ve been built very early in the month.
If this is the case, then the pattern continues. The only ’98 cars effected are ones built in or after May of ’98. Whatever GM changed (glue, roof supplier, epoxy primer, etc.), they did it some time in May of 1998.
So far, I’ve found only ONE car built in May of ’98 that did NOT have the issue. It must’ve been built very early in the month.
Did you happen to check this out?
https://ls1tech.com/forums/paint-body-work/930369-sailpanal-replacement-do-yourself.html
You can find the panel on Ebay...sometimes...or buy one from GMpartsdirect.com.
Part#
*10254708
$388.61 Panel Cost
$85.49 Shipping
$474.10
https://ls1tech.com/forums/paint-body-work/930369-sailpanal-replacement-do-yourself.html
You can find the panel on Ebay...sometimes...or buy one from GMpartsdirect.com.
Part#
*10254708
$388.61 Panel Cost
$85.49 Shipping
$474.10
Did you happen to check this out?
https://ls1tech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=930369
You can find the panel on Ebay...sometimes...or buy one from GMpartsdirect.com.
Part#
*10254708
$388.61 Panel Cost
$85.49 Shipping
$474.10
https://ls1tech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=930369
You can find the panel on Ebay...sometimes...or buy one from GMpartsdirect.com.
Part#
*10254708
$388.61 Panel Cost
$85.49 Shipping
$474.10
Did you happen to check this out?
https://ls1tech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=930369
You can find the panel on Ebay...sometimes...or buy one from GMpartsdirect.com.
Part#
*10254708
$388.61 Panel Cost
$85.49 Shipping
$474.10
https://ls1tech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=930369
You can find the panel on Ebay...sometimes...or buy one from GMpartsdirect.com.
Part#
*10254708
$388.61 Panel Cost
$85.49 Shipping
$474.10








I wonder how much it would be to have it replaced the right way (without any warranty work)....