Vinyl Roof Woes

Discussion in 'Color is everything!' started by Steve Craig, Aug 22, 2009.

  1. CJB72Skylark

    CJB72Skylark Moderator

    The rendering came out pretty nice, I haven't been able to find my stylus pad since the move so I was working out of Photoshop with a mouse which is something I never due. If they would have been real photos not stuff pulled from the net they would have turned out nicer (areas around the door lines, door handles, and spoiler removal were all problem areas to work with since the resolution was so low) but the finished product came out nice.

    I like it without the stripes, but I'm a little bias :TU:
     
  2. Steve Craig

    Steve Craig Gold Level Contributor

    Todd,
    I was mistaken. You need the body side mouldings. I was referring to the vinyl trim pieces.
    The mouldings on my car are not original. They were on it when I bought it I think. Silver/chrome with a brown edge in the middle. Mine are on with 2-way tape, 6 years now & no issues.

    Cullen,
    Think what I'll do is paint it all 1 colour & add a GS hood should I be able to get a nice one.
    Like Jim W. said, one step at a time.
    The 455 can go in anytime. Think I'll look for another TH400 & cross member, do it as another step. Will do the rearend swap too as a step.
    2-3 years from now I "should" have a really nice looking GS455 clone.
    Still unsure about the stripes. Azeem's pics are not at all hard to look at!
     
  3. tlivingd

    tlivingd BIG BLOCK, THE ANTI PRIUS

    Do you mean transmission crossmember? Arn't they the same crossmember as a 350 car? I know my convertible one allowed the TH400 to lay right on it. I just needed to move it to the furthest back holes The engine frame pads on the engine crossmember are diffrent but the holes are there for the pads.

    Nate.
     
  4. Steve Craig

    Steve Craig Gold Level Contributor

    Slight differences between them. One item is a slot in the TH400 crossmember for the emerg. brake cables to pass through, rather than pass under.
     
  5. gstewart

    gstewart Well-Known Member

    didn't the original bodyside moldings have black inserts? i have the original full set from from my brother's car and the insert is black; the car was originally gold. i was not about to drill holes in the body of my gs just to mount them.
     
  6. Steve Craig

    Steve Craig Gold Level Contributor

    Available from factory many different colours. My originals were gone by the time I bought the car. Forget how they were mounted but we used a very good two way tape. Adhered to back of moulding & trimmed with a razor before install.
     
  7. Steve Craig

    Steve Craig Gold Level Contributor

    Progress to this afternoon. New rear valance in, spray on putty/filler dried & sanded down. Ready for primer in the AM. Both front & rear window channels extensively reworked/repaired.
    Pulled the hood today, need to pull fenders off this weekend. Repaint entire car next week or week after.
    Much consideration led me back to stock Skylark appearance with a new vinyl roof.
    Found a supplier in Alabama with access to NOS fabrics including the brown I need.
     
  8. NSBound

    NSBound Well-Known Member

    Looks good, Steve! This is a great step to be at, it just feels good to see it ready for paint, doesn't it? And you know you'll change your mind 3 or 4 more times to and from GS-ing it! I like the GS good look- - - - - - :laugh:
     
  9. copperheadgs1

    copperheadgs1 copperheadgs1

    Keep pictures coming Steve. Looks like good work.
     
  10. gstewart

    gstewart Well-Known Member

    steve; was the metal ok along the windshield channel & the valance below the channel?
     
  11. Steve Craig

    Steve Craig Gold Level Contributor

    Valance was shot, as well as a good portion of window channel. Most of the damage was at the rear. Replaced the valance panel as a unit. Reproduction piece from Mark Reeves. Every bit as good as an original GM piece.
    We made & installed an "L" shaped strip to replace the rest of the rear window channel.
    Replaced about half of the front upper channel.
    Lots more than I had anticipated but glad it's done. I don't want to start another thread with the same name in the near future.
     
  12. Jeff Corey

    Jeff Corey Registered User

    I just got home from installing 3 vinyl tops today for a Mopar resto shop, a '70 RoadRunner, and 2 Charger R/T's. The Chargers were a tricky one with that tunnel back fastback rear window treatment but with my son Adam helping me out we got 'em done. Started @ 9am this morning and took until close to 5pm. The RR was still hooked up to the rotisserie so it was a bit high up in the air to work on but the Chargers were on the tires so it was a little better that way. They'll put the divider trim back on and such but it's still a big job to do with masking trimming and fitting , plus the glue fumes kinda make you a bit wonky! LOL!

    The best part was the $$$$$ from the Mopar guys who just secretly funded some more go fast, look nice new parts for my GS! Then I can make some more money when I go to the track and race against them, a Buick guy's gotta do what he's gotta do!
     
  13. Steve Craig

    Steve Craig Gold Level Contributor

    Jeff,
    What are you using for an adhesive?
    Interested in doing mine?
    Body shop used to do many back in the day. He's a little Skeptical about this one, nervous about messing up the paint.
    He's thinking about getting the top painted & cleared first. Apply the roof & then paint the lower body.
    Roof will have 5 layers before the roof. Primer, primer putty, primer again, base & then clear.
     
  14. Jeff Corey

    Jeff Corey Registered User

    Steve,
    I use a trim adhesive called Helmaprene, it's similar to contact cement but you get a bit of a chance to work with it as it doesn't stick tight and fast as contact cement if you have to make slight adjustments or tweak around drip rail mldgs. and such.

    The RR had BC/CC paint on it, and one of the Chargers too, but the other Charger had 15 year old (@ least maybe more) yellow paint on it, probably single stage Centari and when I first sprayed the glue down on it a couple of spots wanted to react a bit to the glue but we just let it flash of and dry a bit longer before we stretched the top down and it stuck just as nice as the bc/cc painted cars.

    I would really make sure your paint and clear coat has dried and gassed off really well before laying a top down, if the paint is still releasing solvents and trying to escape under the top you could get adhesion problems or even air/solvent bubbles or lifting.

    I'd be interested in doing your top install (it's kinda a dying art nowadays and guys who used to do alot of them have retired or died off........to many glue fumes) and I'm pretty confident about my skills and it's nice to be able to have my son Adam work with me and learn the skills as how many 20 year old kids are helping do vinyl tops, carpet installs, etc? Not many, and it's great to pass that along to him to be able to keep old car resto work being done for years down the road.

    You would probably want the car done down there in west SJ which is no problem to travel to as I went to Moncton today for the Mopars, and I've got to do another RR for drag racer Richard Boyd's son out in Belleisle sometime soon. I know that it can be a hassle to transport a car in the works to my shop so "have glue gun will travel" is alright with me, and I would have to check with Adam on his schedule to see if he's free for a few hours. Saturdays would work best for us, it's nuts lately @ the shop on the autoglass thru the week so it would be hard to get down there on a weekday or evening.

    Make sure when your new top arrives that you take it out of the box for a week or so and lay it out so the packing creases and such have a time to relax and smooth out, it does a much nicer job ( I recommend this for carpets too, Lord knows how long they've been bunched up in boxes packed tight for shipment to your door from the manufacturer or vendor.)

    Give me a heads up when it arrives and we'll try to set up a time that would work out good for everyone involved, it's kinda a crazy time of the year right now with the holidays fast approaching and such but if I can be of any help I'd be glad to give it my best!

    Jeff
     
  15. Steve Craig

    Steve Craig Gold Level Contributor

    Jeff,
    Sounds like a good plan. Won't have the vinyl for two weeks. I'll talk to MIke & see when he can paint the whole car, as one. Let it cure for a couple weeks??
    I can put it back together in the mean time...interior, bumpers, trim etc..
    No rush on my end, first snow tonight. It will stay at Mike's for the Winter.
    So really, anytime after the holidays & before first of May 2010.

    You prefer we leave the glass out or put it back in?
    I'll be in touch.
     
  16. gstewart

    gstewart Well-Known Member

    steve;
    when my car was painted this past may, the whole car was painted with 3 coats of waterbased colour and 3 coats of clear. i waited 3 weeks before having the vinly roof installed. this gave the paint & clearcoat time to vent out and cure.
     
  17. Steve Craig

    Steve Craig Gold Level Contributor

    2 coats of primer, 2 of colour & 2 of clear on the roof.
    We let it cure for an extended period which brought the rest of it to a halt.
    It sat untouched for 6 weeks.
    Mike decided to try the vinyl install himself & did a beautiful job. He did many of them on a daily basis, many years ago at the dealer.
    Car shell finally painted over the weekend. We'll get the fenders, doors, hood & trunk lid this week.
    He's using a different type/style/mix for the clear. WOW really stands out!
    I can start re-installing interior this weekend & gradually get it all back together.
     
  18. copperheadgs1

    copperheadgs1 copperheadgs1

    Steve, Thanks for the vinyl sample by the way. Show us when it is done.
     
  19. Jeff Corey

    Jeff Corey Registered User

    Glad to hear the top install went well, I can't wait to see your car with the fresh paint and all the trimmings. If I can help out down the road on something else for you just let me know, congrats to you and mike on a job well done!:TU:
     
  20. Steve Craig

    Steve Craig Gold Level Contributor

    Progress, getting closer!
    Interior went back in late afternoon & into the evening Friday.
    Sunday's plan is to hang the door & fenders.
    Trunk & hood get paint Monday/Tuesday.
    Couple other projects at the shop. The coupe I saw getting rebuilt over the last two years. Real basket case when it showed up at a shop owned by another friend.Back half of the frame & suspension sagged back to the ground first time it was jacked up. It's now a solid as new. Original owner still owns it.
    The convertible also had some serious frame issues. Frame replaced & car is good to go.
    Both should be painted in the next week or two.
     

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