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Bubbling Sail Panel Issue for Dummies
#1862
Also the easiest way to remove 1 is get a long fish filet knife and a small propane torch heat the knife till it's cherry red and it will slide thru like butter. I went and cut 1 off with metal and all from junkyard and took it home and had it off with the HOT KNIFE in 20 min.
#1864
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Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: orlando, fl
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I find it frustrating that there is nothing you can do to fix the old one. Has anyone tried coating it with something the glue cant eat thru? I mean jesus if the glue can eat thru anything u put on top im not sure how replacing its gonna make it better either. Has anyone tried pulling the old one off and coating the underside and then redoing the top?
Is the only option a 1500$ replacement?
Is the only option a 1500$ replacement?
#1866
TECH Fanatic
iTrader: (5)
I find it frustrating that there is nothing you can do to fix the old one. Has anyone tried coating it with something the glue cant eat thru? I mean jesus if the glue can eat thru anything u put on top im not sure how replacing its gonna make it better either. Has anyone tried pulling the old one off and coating the underside and then redoing the top?
Is the only option a 1500$ replacement?
Is the only option a 1500$ replacement?
#1867
LS1Tech Administrator
iTrader: (3)
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Schiller Park, IL Member: #317
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In regards to these roof panels and the glue, if you coat the underside of the new panel with epoxy primer, as instructed in the TSB, then the glue won't touch the new panel to begin with, and thus it will never be compromised. Anything that you put on top of a panel that is already compromised isn't going to change the fact that under the surface, that panel is being attacked. You need the proper barrier between the glue and the panel.
#1868
TECH Senior Member
iTrader: (11)
Think of it like a rusted body panel; once rust has eaten all the way through the panel, the only proper fix is panel replacement - and the new panel will rust again if it's not properly painted to prevent exposure to the elements.
In regards to these roof panels and the glue, if you coat the underside of the new panel with epoxy primer, as instructed in the TSB, then the glue won't touch the new panel to begin with, and thus it will never be compromised. Anything that you put on top of a panel that is already compromised isn't going to change the fact that under the surface, that panel is being attacked. You need the proper barrier between the glue and the panel.
In regards to these roof panels and the glue, if you coat the underside of the new panel with epoxy primer, as instructed in the TSB, then the glue won't touch the new panel to begin with, and thus it will never be compromised. Anything that you put on top of a panel that is already compromised isn't going to change the fact that under the surface, that panel is being attacked. You need the proper barrier between the glue and the panel.
Plus you're using a different glue to attach the replacement panel anyway.
#1869
Banned
iTrader: (56)
I find it frustrating that there is nothing you can do to fix the old one. Has anyone tried coating it with something the glue cant eat thru? I mean jesus if the glue can eat thru anything u put on top im not sure how replacing its gonna make it better either. Has anyone tried pulling the old one off and coating the underside and then redoing the top?
Is the only option a 1500$ replacement?
Is the only option a 1500$ replacement?
New replacement or getting one off an earlier car is your only options.
Very good idea and if you're buying the roofs new it would probably even be cheaper since the t-top roof is cheaper and everything else you need for the conversion can usually be bought used for around $300.
#1870
TECH Senior Member
iTrader: (11)
While I understand the desire to save some money I don't understand why some people insist that there has to be a way to save the original roof somehow. Everything has been tried, multiple times (vinyl, epoxy seal, repaint, etc etc) and all have failed. Yet some people insist there has to be a way.
I know that it isn't cheap to get a new one if you can't get a hold of a pre-98 roof, but it is what it is. Doing anything but replacing that roof panel is just going to be a waste of your time and money. Do it once, do it right, and replace the roof.
I've got a new 6LE roof panel just sitting here still in bubble wrap waiting until I can afford to install it (along with everything else body-wise I need/want to do to it). Odds are it will sit a few more years since I'm buying a house this year and it will be needing several things that honestly are more important than my Camaro's appearance.
I know that it isn't cheap to get a new one if you can't get a hold of a pre-98 roof, but it is what it is. Doing anything but replacing that roof panel is just going to be a waste of your time and money. Do it once, do it right, and replace the roof.
I've got a new 6LE roof panel just sitting here still in bubble wrap waiting until I can afford to install it (along with everything else body-wise I need/want to do to it). Odds are it will sit a few more years since I'm buying a house this year and it will be needing several things that honestly are more important than my Camaro's appearance.
#1875
Just now founding out about the bubbling sail panel, unfortunately mine has it and once it started it progressively got worse. Not sure if this is a dumb question, but if I find a used sail panel that's unaffected by the bubbles can it be repainted? Or do I need to find one the same color as my car?
#1876
TECH Fanatic
iTrader: (5)
Yes, you can put a 1993-early 1998 panel on your car and you'll be fine. If you can find one that is the same color than it could mean little to no paintwork, but most of the ones that you find in salvage yards have some clear coat damage and need to be repainted anyways.
#1879
TECH Fanatic
iTrader: (20)
I just replaced my panel, but had a bit of an issue. As mentioned, the adhesive is incredibly difficult to get out of a caulk gun! I got a full tube down, but it took me so long that we speculate that it started drying and didn't adhere to the panel. The sail panel started coming off two days later when I was driving.
So we took it off (because it really didn't adhere to the panel, it was pretty easy). We tried again with two more tubes, but this time we used a Ryobi battery powered gun. All of the gun of both tubes was on in under 5 minutes! We set the panel and that sucker isn't coming off now! So to anyone out there looking for tips, get the $40 battery powered caulk gun, it's worth it and more!
So we took it off (because it really didn't adhere to the panel, it was pretty easy). We tried again with two more tubes, but this time we used a Ryobi battery powered gun. All of the gun of both tubes was on in under 5 minutes! We set the panel and that sucker isn't coming off now! So to anyone out there looking for tips, get the $40 battery powered caulk gun, it's worth it and more!
#1880
12 Second Club
iTrader: (28)
I just got my 6LE carbon fiber hardtop which the underside I think is bare marine grade resin. I will be removing the old glue as much as possible (I have lots of time as the car is garaged) and using 3M Urethane 08690. Is this epoxy primer coat necessary to prevent future bubbling or was it only an issue with the original adhesive used in late 98 through 2002?