Ok guys I'm trying to fix a bad leak in my 88 t-top car and I have a non running 91 rs with decent weatherstripping. The tops on the 91 won't fit the 88 but I'm wondering if I can just change out the weatherstripping? I havn't looked at them close honestly the idea just hit me. I figured someone here might have some insight on this.

 

How does, "It all depends" sound? Starting in 1990, cars with a 350 could not be ordered with ttops. To get around this, dealers would get the ttops installed aftermarket by a company called C&C. You can tell the difference by the trim on the edge of the metal where the roof was cut as a starter.

If the ttops on both cars are factory, then the difference is probably just how the tops latch. GM changed the latch design a couple times from 1982-1992. The problem you have is the weatherstripping was installed with an adhesive. While trying to remove the weatherstripping, it will rip and shred. You wil not be able to remove it from one car to put on the other. If you could get it off without damaging it, the weatherstripping would work just fine on both cars.

 

Yeah I was thinking about it ripping. Weatherstripping's just ridiculously expensive. Gotta do what you gotta do tho I guess.

 

I beg to differ !! heres my story ..I'll make it short ! My 91 Bad t-top rust area .. me dumb @ss was in a hurry taking off the weatherstripping and I tore it in half !! I was SO MAD AT MY SELF .. new stripping is over 200 bucks! I found a nice 87 parts car for around what weatherstipping runs.. NOW heres where I did my surgical workings !! I got my heatgun .. you could prbably get one at harbor freight for Cheap. I started at one of the corners and applied the heat with the gun and slowly was pulling on it and it was coming off like butter! I cleaned it up and re-used that stripping on my 91 and it fit Perfectly !! plus now I put the Glass t-tops that came from my parts car and used them on my 91 to replace the Cheap cracked Lexan glass ! Oh Also I was able to carefully take out the t-top headliner so I can use that shell in my car for I broke mine taking it off .. All I can say is "TAKE YOUR TIME" it can be done !!

hope this helps you
robert.

 

I might have to give it a try..can't hurt. All I have is a hair dryer tho. lol

 

Boogie, are the tops different shapes, or just different latching mechanisms? Scott brought up a good point; if you've got the aftermarket tops, the weatherstripping is completely different and not interchangeable.

 

O well I think they're different shapes. I tried to put them on a while back so I can't really remember what the problem is.

I do know that in late 91 something was changed with the tops. I read this years ago. The tops on the 91 are plexi, the tops on the 88 are glass.

I'll look more into tomorrow probably. I've been focused on the bigger problems the past few days lol. The car I'm working on was completely gutted and used for a drag car and I'm now working on making it a dd. When I got the car the guy before had put glue all over the top of the car and it looked horrible. I should have just left it alone but I didn't know the leak was so bad.

 

Somehow, I don't see the difficulty you are having getting the 91 tops to work on your 88. Adjust the strikers on the body for the newer-style pins. My car is a year older than yours and my replacement tops (glass, nonetheless) came from a 91. I swapped the locks and the weatherstripping (no other choice as the factory glued on strip ripped in half being removed), adjusted the latches, and they still work. Although I have to keep them locked as I had my driver's side top try to fly off on me about a month after I replaced the tops...

BTW, look here: http://www.fierottop.com/waterleak/