I’m in the process of a comprehensive concourse style restoration of the original T tops including body trim around the T top openings. This is not a one afternoon job. Stripping the old rubber and years of sealants and glue, rusted blind nuts and lose rivets and of course what would any project be if Bubba wasn’t there first!
I found by experience that adding an 18” square of heat blocking sound deader to the center dish-out of a panel does what it’s designed to do. I did this step to my other ‘vette and without doing anything else I did notice it was quieter and after it sat in the sun for an hour, the underside panel was still cool to the touch while at the same time the yet to be done passenger side was warm in the exact same spot.
Bubba had done some black and some white painting to the underside of the tops and some supplemental sealants were added. So some aircraft paint remover and some spray Goof Off adhesive remover and I have a good stating point.
Bolts soaked in rust remover, and screws replaced with new. Anything stainless or nickel plated will be buffed to a high shine. Trim will be cleaned, bumped flat and straight as needed. The T top underside will be painted as it was from the factory. All will be reassembled before the new weather stripping is installed. The exterior side of the top to be buffed/polished and sealer finish applied. Then the SS trim installed last. (I don’t like buffing the painted tops with the SS trim’s edges exposed, it can add wear to a good pad). Also, I’d rather get to the edge of the top when buffing and applying sealant - no playing trying to clean to the trim’s edge either if it’s not removed.
All The stainless on the car top’s opening will be removed and polished on an 8” stiff stitched cotton wheel that is dedicated to only the charcoal grey polishing compounds for removal of any scratches. I will change wheels and use a slightly softer cotton buffer and use a less aggressive white compound to end at a mirror like finish. Reassemble with new screws. I will do the same with all windshield and “A” pillar trim. Estimated time : 9 hrs done over 2.5 days.
I found by experience that adding an 18” square of heat blocking sound deader to the center dish-out of a panel does what it’s designed to do. I did this step to my other ‘vette and without doing anything else I did notice it was quieter and after it sat in the sun for an hour, the underside panel was still cool to the touch while at the same time the yet to be done passenger side was warm in the exact same spot.
Bubba had done some black and some white painting to the underside of the tops and some supplemental sealants were added. So some aircraft paint remover and some spray Goof Off adhesive remover and I have a good stating point.
Bolts soaked in rust remover, and screws replaced with new. Anything stainless or nickel plated will be buffed to a high shine. Trim will be cleaned, bumped flat and straight as needed. The T top underside will be painted as it was from the factory. All will be reassembled before the new weather stripping is installed. The exterior side of the top to be buffed/polished and sealer finish applied. Then the SS trim installed last. (I don’t like buffing the painted tops with the SS trim’s edges exposed, it can add wear to a good pad). Also, I’d rather get to the edge of the top when buffing and applying sealant - no playing trying to clean to the trim’s edge either if it’s not removed.
All The stainless on the car top’s opening will be removed and polished on an 8” stiff stitched cotton wheel that is dedicated to only the charcoal grey polishing compounds for removal of any scratches. I will change wheels and use a slightly softer cotton buffer and use a less aggressive white compound to end at a mirror like finish. Reassemble with new screws. I will do the same with all windshield and “A” pillar trim. Estimated time : 9 hrs done over 2.5 days.
Last edited: