Repairing glass t-tops
 

My driver side t-top has been rattling, turns out to be the glass loose from the inner frame on one corner. Sure would hate to see it peal off going down the road. My seals were also toast, got a new set from another forum member. I did some searching and didn't find too much, so I decided to just dive in and see if I can rebuild/repair myself.
The glass itself is ok, just some scratches on the outside that I may try to buff out. Main issue is the inner aluminum frame attachment to the glass.

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j2...s/IMG_9219.jpg
Before

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j2...s/IMG_9221.jpg
All hardware loose, 4 studs supposed to be bonded to the glass are not.

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j2...s/IMG_9222.jpg
Frame seperated from glass. Was glued around perimeter with something like butyl tape.

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j2...s/IMG_9224.jpg
The 4 studs were no longer attached to the glass.

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j2...s/IMG_9228.jpg
Got it all scraped and cleaned off. The blacked out area outside the frame appears to be a film rather than paint. Scraping it off left adhesive like removing window tint. The trim around the perimeter was dry rotted and will have to be replaced as well.

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j2...s/IMG_9231.jpg
Bead blasted and repainted the aluminum frame.

More to follow soon...

Carl

How did you remove the frame from the glass?
:thumbs:

Think he said it was being held on by something like "butyl tape" ?? PO must have been related to Bubba ?
He's lucky he didnt loose the glass on a cruise....I would like to see how he attaches the bolts back to the glass, and is he gonna do the other glass so that they match ?

E X C E L L E N T WORK so far !

I am guessing it was butyl tape, it was the same consistency as the goo attaching windshields in older cars - but in straight segments like tape rather than 'caulk gun' application. It all appears to be original, I don't think anyone had attempted a bubba repair. The 4 studs will be reattached with rear view mirror glue.
If this turns out ok, I will definitely do the other side.

Carl

That's why I asked. I'm looking at one now and there is no evidence of butyl tape. AIM shows the frames were cemented to the glass but is not clear exactly what type of cement was used.

I've been hoping to find a solvent for the factory cement.

:thumbs:

I really couldn't see the cement until I had the frame seperated from the glass. I used a razor knife to cut thru the cement while pulling the frame away from the glass with my fingers (No prybars or screw drivers). Scraped with a razor blade and cleaned residue with laquer thinner.

Carl

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j2...s/IMG_9237.jpg

Glued the studs on.

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j2...s/IMG_9243.jpg

Masked off and ready to attach frame.

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j2...s/IMG_9259.jpg

Glued down with Urethane and held in place by the studs.
I let it cure overnight at this point.

Carl

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j2...IMG_9264-1.jpg

Trimmed around the frame with a razor blade, then peeled up the tape.

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j2...s/IMG_9268.jpg

Cleaned glass, masked off where seal will glue and painted with flat black Krylon.

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j2...s/IMG_9272.jpg

Ready to start attaching new seal.

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j2...IMG_9282-1.jpg
http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j2...IMG_9283-1.jpg

Seal is on.

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j2...IMG_9286-1.jpg

Here is where anyone else who trys this can learn from my mistake. :ack: Do Not put much tension on the studs! They are actually attached to the mirrior coating, not to the glass. Glass is not broken in this picture, just pulled a plug of the mirror coating loose. At this point, with the frame and seal glued on, I am going to live with it as is.
Perhaps in the future I will have them rebuilt with lexan to reduce weight.

Anyway, driver side is done and fit to the car. The new seal sure makes it harder to install the top, hopefully the seal will compress some with time and fit easier.

Now the passenger side...

Carl

:iagree:
Yes, it will fit easier. When the rubbers are changed, it takes a few weeks for the new ones to "form fit" in their correct place. Make sure they go on correctly (rubber doesn't flip,warp,etc) then let them stay on the car for a few weeks. All the ones I've done I let stay on the car for a couple of months, then they went back easier. great job by the way! Looks good .....

I know this is an old post about the tops. But if anyone is out there, any idea where I can buy just the glass or lexan? I have a chance to buy some frames bu have no idea where to find the glass.

These folks still advertise rebuilt tops using Acyrlic, you can send the frames to them and they will build them up.

http://astrotops.com/gmtops.html

This is awhile ago but, can you tell what type of urethane you used for the frame to the panel?

Thanks,
Dave

Dave

Ranger did some nice work here taking on a resto of the glass t-top frame assembly. I am replacing the WX strip on 78 glass tops and had to cut that butyl with an Exacto. Ranger's guide is instructive here.

:lurk:

hmm... I have no issue with the guide in fact, I think it's an excellent write up of the repair and, wish others would do their repair write ups on the net, in a similar fashion.

What I'm looking for is the type of urethane adhesive he used.

Cheers,
Dave

Any windshield adhesive will work fine. In fact, it looks like he used 3M's urethane.

Dave

did you come to a conclusion on the type of adhesive used. I looked it up...3M urethane?

PS: Caught the photo at photobucket (that I hate with all its buffering and preloading of ad crap) of the 3M Urethane adhesive.