08redrocket

I'm not much for public speaking and such but I have been going nuts trying to find out what to expect for how to remove the trim on the sides of the top of a C2. I have not done this before so if you want to learn from my experience follow along'
I am in no way a professional body work person. Just an older guy that wants a challenge AND has a fall back plan in case I get in over my head. I would like criticism, instructions and mostly positive support. I can do some stuff with a computer but not much.

OFF I GO!!
Today I had a neighbor come over and help me remove the 67 h/t and place it upside down on a padded table. I soaked all the fasteners that I could find with a penetrating spray liquid. Very few are in the open, most are in the folds of the old weatherstripping. (Alright, that is too long of a word to keep typing, so, from now on weatherstripping is now w/s. Hard Top will be h/t...others to follow I'm sure.) I ran my finger into the groove of the w/s to locate any others. There were a lot of them hidden.

I have to remove the w/s and trim. The trim is in very good condition, no kinks and no dents.

Check the folded w/s to find more screws. I will count them tomorrow.

08redrocket

No kinks or dents my ***.... Looks like a bend on the top of the photo. Wow, first day and the first surprise....

08redrocket

I found this to very easy so far.... everything is held on with screws!! I found out when I removed the inner rear window trim. The center piece fell and landed on my foot. I had borrowed some tolls that release clips for the stainless trim pieces. What a relief that I will not need them.

I am not going to remove or reinstall the rear window. Everything but that!
When I ordered the parts I also ordered the entire replacement screw set for the h/t. It is a tough call, the new ones are shinny and clean while the originals are in excellent condition but worn over the 57 years but still really good. I will change them out and keep all of the old ones.

73bbc

08redrocket, this is great timing for you to be documenting this project. I’m just now finishing up my 67 hardtop restoration and have found that existing information on the fasteners used is incomplete and inconsistent.
I did not, but should have, carefully recorded which type of screw came from each location because the fastener kits do not have instructions and the AIM is not complete. Even the DowSmith AIM for the hardtop seems to be missing some info.
For example, I bought 2 HT fastener sets from different sources and one of them had 6 truss/round head screws and the other had none, but it appears from the AIMs that there should be 5 per side in the hockey stick, the corner, and the vertical trim piece for a total
of 10.
Also, the sets I got each have 8 oval head countersunk screws but my top didn’t have any
of that type.
And another difference, the oval head 6-32 x 3/4”(?) screws were black in one set and silver zinc in the other.
If you could document all of the fasteners that came out of your top and post it that would be a great help!

Good luck with your project!!

Bill

pop23235

73BBC and I are likely too late. Hope you recorded where every fastener came from. Getting the correct one in the right place is the most difficult part of this exercise.

08redrocket

I have them all still in the pieces they came out of. I will take photos of them and post it here for you.
Also, where can I get the gray pliable weather strip material that is placed all along the w/s?

elwood13

Here is a pic from the bag that came with my kit that I got from glassworks.

pop23235

It’s called “duct seal”. Most hardware stores or commercial supply houses carry it. You can also use 3M strip caulk. Not sure it comes in grey, but readily available in black at auto paint suppliers.

DZVette

Might be some useful info in the attached pdf files. Dave Hitchens (Hitch) documented his work re-doing his C2 hardtop.
The Dow-Smith doc is from the NCRS-TDB database files.
Dave Z

73bbc

DZ- thanks for the docs. The DowSmith manual is now safely copied to my hard drive.

For sealants, I'm using the 3M strip caulk (dumdum) for areas that may need to come apart again, and I'm using the 3M urethane seam sealer (pic below) for filling the hollow areas below the stainless around the front. Works very well but don't know how hard it would be to get apart after curing.

I'm still a little puzzled about the screw 4825964, the round/truss head low profile screw pictured below that is referenced in the GM AIM as item #13 but the AIM doesn't show all the places used. To me, it seems that this screw should be used in all of the recessed holes that mount the trim pieces, but there are 10 of these locations. I don't think I saw any of these screws in the Elwood's kit. Since this is a specialty screw, I'm guessing the parts guys decided to provide pan head screws instead.


Bill

73bbc

Hey @pop23235
Did you have to cut/punch/drill screw holes across the rear lower WS on your hardtop WS project? If so, what is the best way? I have no luck drilling in rubber.

Thx
Bill

elwood13

I have the hollow drill bit I used. You can borrow it if you like. Send me a pm if you are interested.

pop23235

I used a leather hole punch. Cuts a hole slightly undersize, so tight on the installed fastener.

08redrocket

I am now ready to paint the interior trim parts of the hard top. What kind of paint did the factory use and what is the correct color code for black?

73bbc

Thanks for the help on punching holes!! I ended up using the cut off handle of a flux brush as my punch/drill. The metal is thin and sharp, and was the perfect diameter…worked great.

Regarding paint, my original black trim was in very good condition, but I decided to paint them to make things perfect. I sprayed several samples to get the best gloss match and found that John Deere semi-gloss black in the rattle can was perfect.

2tired

Don't put it anywhere that you don't want it to stay. Forever.