C3 1970 t-top weather-stripping

[Jim T.]

I am replacing my original t-top weather-stripping and have read my service manual. Removal of the weather-stripping has been completed.
One of the mobile nuts mounted in a t-top that is used to secure the metal weather-stripping retainer has moved out of position. Is this area accessable if the headliner is removed?

[Chuck S.]

Re: C3 1970 t-top weather-stripping

Jim, I don't think so. It wouldn't take long to remove the headliner to find out.

I think there are also some 3/16" aluminum pop rivets somewhere in that area, but I am not sure what they attach (maybe the edge molding?); when you drill them out, the bottom half falls into the fiberglass top. It was almost impossible for me to get them all out. To my knowledge, there is NO access to the inside of the T-top.

When you were a kid, did you ever use a knife to rob your piggy bank...if I am right, that will be easy compared to fishing for that nut.

[Jim T.]

Re: C3 1970 t-top weather-stripping

Chuck after reading the service manual and doing the removal of the weather-stripping I see no reason to even mess with removing the four screws that retain the weather-stripping retainer to the t-top if you only replacing the weather-stripping. As I see it the only reason to remove the weather-stripping retainer is to replace the sealing material used to seal the metal retainer to the t-top. The material used is quite like 3-M strip chalk and although old and harder than fresh chalk it was sealing the retainer to the t-top.
I have been reluctant to remove the headliner panel due to breaking the plastic retainers so see what is accessable when removed.

[Chuck S.]

Re: C3 1970 t-top weather-stripping

Jim, I found the sealing material to be as you describe. If it is still soft and pliable, it will probably continue to seal for a long time.

On my T-tops, it appears that the "cages" for the retainer screw nuts are riveted to the inside surface of the fiberglass. The rivet heads, which are small diameter heads (not large-head body rivets), are visible when the edge molding is removed. Before you can figure out how to proceed with a fix, I think you will need determine why this cage failed to do its function. That should give you an idea of how difficult it will be to get the nut back in its proper position.

If you are sure the nut has become "uncaged" and is floating around inside the T-top, about the only option I see, short of just leaving the screw out, is to consider using large twist drill (3/8"-7/16"?) to "make" an access hole in the fiberglass. I would make this hole near enough to the affected screw hole to be used to extract the nut, and then used to re-position the nut in its former position using stiff small diameter wire, small screw drivers, small magnets, etc.

This access hole would be sealed by the sealant material and invisible since it would be covered by the edge molding and the weatherstrip retainer. You would need to be extremely careful drilling there near the edge of the T-top...you can drill a hole all the way through before you know it.