I had this done over the summer with poor results. It was bad enough that I refused to pay until I'm back from school in the spring and the problem can be fixed. The new strips that were installed don't fit correctly. The body shop told me that there was no way to make it work, but the front edge above the driver's side A-pillar is somewhere between a quarter and a half inch too low. My t-tops sit so low on the new stripping, that there is a lip in the roofline. HOW? I don't understand how one piece of stripping can sit a half inch lower in the same channel as the original. Anyone gone through something similar?

 

Well. right off the bat, my first thought is that there is a good chance that the weatherstripping is not from GM. It's been discontinued. It's getting harder and harder to find. I don't know if the aftermarket quality is good or not.

I used the GM kit, did it myself, and although it was a PITA, everything went smoothly and has worked fine.

As for the top sitting low, the two holes/clips in the A and B pillar should determine how the outer edge of the top sits, not the stripping. Those hole/clips on the pillars are adjustable, but I would think that with new WS, it would be a lot thicker, and that the tops would sit high if anything, certainly not low. ...but like I said, new old or NO stripping, that ride height of the tops are determined by where they clamp into the A and B pillars, NOT the WS. I wonder if the place installing it adjusted those mounting points. Hmmmm Not sure why they would do that and STILL have the tops outta whack.

Without actually seeing your car, I'm afraid I can't help much.

 

Yeah, I've adjusted those clips myself, and I know that the shop lowered them right down, but that's not it. The the top of the stripping is at least a quarter inch lower than the top of the windshield frame. If anything, I expected it to be thicker.

 

Are you talking about this (mine is new OEM) ?...

 

Yep, that's it, and it gets lower closer to the door(or the corner to the forefront of the pic)

 

Discontinued? When did this happen. I went to GM and they got them for me in like 3 days. That was just the two big ones that wrap around the top, I did them myself. But, while i had them off I found out that wasnt why it was leaking. The top playe to the t-tops was rusted out. I used rustoleum on the top piece and then some black silicone to seal it down, the seals snapped in with no problem, and fit perfect.

 

Mine were ordered from GM as well, come to think about it. I was there when the body shop ordered them. I was planning on doing it myself until I found the rust on the t-top plate. It turned out not to be as bad as I thought, but I wouldn't have had time to do all the fixing before I left for school, so to the shop I went. I don't know why they fit so low...

 

bump

 

I don't believe it's anything to be alarmed about. My original seals fit just the same (only more worn out). Your main concern is with the inner part of the seal having good contact with the glass and where it meets the the t-top seals. As long as the glass is level to the top and all the seals are making good contact, the height part is pretty much 'normal'.

 

Deadbird- love how the car is coming along, i have a question about the pic you posted above.

Where the seal meets the body facing the front of the car(between your arrows) should the weatherstripping be sealed to the body or be able to be pulled away?

If that is too confusing i will post a pic later.

 

I can answer that...the strips slide into a groove, and can be pulled up from the interior side of the car on all sides. Where the strips meet the exterior, such as where you're talking about, they are sealed with adhesive.

 

Yes, they ARE discontinued. I'm sure that GM still has plenty, and that's why you were able to get them.

About a year ago, the price was only $150 a set. When I called YearOne, they told me it was $250 because they were discontinued, but there was still plenty of stock.

 

Depending on exactly what you need, Classic Industries has the weatherstripping from $30 to $300, and they are in stock becuase they run through model years 1986-1996.