sailpanal replacement ( do it yourself )
Nauty99SS is the official god of the f-body forum far as im concerned, this is a major topic on all our cars and thanks to him now we can get it done right! thanks again for the pm's and answers too man....
Awesome write up! Just out of curiosity, why did you make a point to leave some of the old adhesive? Is there a possibility of the old stuff eventually wicking up through the new stuff into the panel? Also, do you have a part number or description to make sure I get the right adhesive so it won't bubble up again?
Thanks!
Edit: Also just looked up the panel on GM parts direct. The part number is 10254708 and the current price they quote is $388.61 with $85.49 S/H. I put in my 2002 Firebird. I imagine it would be the same across the board for t-top folks.
Thanks!
Edit: Also just looked up the panel on GM parts direct. The part number is 10254708 and the current price they quote is $388.61 with $85.49 S/H. I put in my 2002 Firebird. I imagine it would be the same across the board for t-top folks.
Last edited by BigE; Jun 1, 2008 at 08:55 PM.
when we removed the top, the adhesive was perfectly intact from where it was put on from the factory. we believe there is somethin in the resin on the factory sail panels that doesnt react well with the adhesive. if you notice, if your bubbling top gets bad enough, the bubbles will pop and constantly ooze a clear oily substabce, a substabce nothing at all like the black adhesive/glue that holds the top down, but it DOES follow the same pattern as the adhesive. the adhesive itself neer even comes close from going through the fiberglass panel, its something in the sail panel itself that reacts bad with this adhesive and bubbles up.
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Thread Starter
TECH Apprentice
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 377
Likes: 3
From: Greenville S.C.
yes, go down to your local windshield install shop (NOT your local chevy or pontiac dealer) and buy 2 tubes of cold adhesive . we done mine 2 plus years ago and it still looks great ! as for leaving a little on the car it acts as as base for the other to bond too.
could the old adhesive come up through the new adhesive?
Thread Starter
TECH Apprentice
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 377
Likes: 3
From: Greenville S.C.
the old adhesive , im guessing, had a reaction whith something in the old panal,the back is dry as dust , like stated before mine has been on for a couple of years now and still looks great .will it do the same ? i don't know , only time will tell. if you want to remove all the old adhesive i'm sure it will be fine too, but the old is no longer touching the panal.i hope this awnsers you question.
Thread Starter
TECH Apprentice
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 377
Likes: 3
From: Greenville S.C.
found mine on ebay , got lucky , 138.00 total . can't find them on there anymore. bitch at gm and they should give you a deal on just the panal . or find someone at a body shop to buy it for you at wholesale . gm offered me the panal for like 270.00.
I think an alternative, if some company had the resources to do so, would be to make a cap/cover that completely goes over the factory sail panel....maybe make it out of plastic or aluminum or whatever. Perhaps attaching with some kind of strong 3M tape or some other form adhesive, rather than having to go thru the hassle ripping off the old bubbled sail panel and so forth. They could even maybe make this cover already prepainted or a carbon fiber print or whatever. I bet this cover would sell well.
I just recently noticed the bubbles on my '02 T/A's panel and I just bought this car in March.
I just recently noticed the bubbles on my '02 T/A's panel and I just bought this car in March.
I believe it depends on how thick the material used. A sheet of thin gauge aluminum might work. There is plenty of clearance to hide additional thickness in the huge gaps for the hatch glass and where the sail panel forms a gap by the top of the rear quarters. I would think the only major problem area would be where the T-tops rest on the sail panel itself. Wishful thinking I guess. If I had the means I would so attempt this.
Yours came out nicely BTW.
Yours came out nicely BTW.