Leak leak leak.....do they leak even with new seals? I would just sell it and buy a hard top, but I have alot of stuff done to it. Maybe swap everything into a hard top? lots of work though.

 

Its alot easier to spend a few hours to fix the leaks then to find another car. I just did this last week.

Take off the weatherstripping to the doors, take off the T-Bar, and it helps if you remove the headliner. You'll be able to fix the rusty spots and see the path of the water flowing easier. It also won't get ruined when you pour some water in there to see whats leaking from where.

My leaks were in a few different spots in the rear, but all the water came in from one spot. This spot was right where there seems to be metal overlapping metal just under the backside of T-bar. I siliconed these seams really good and a bit around them too. Just to play it safe. That solved the problem. No leaks now.

I have very little automotive repair experience and i found it pretty easy. You do have to kinda pull the corners of the weatherstripping when gluing so the corners get tucked up under the T-Bar a bit, otherwise you'll have a big gap. Just use some more glue there and hold for 5-10 minutes. I learned the hard way and had to re-do this..

Your channels where the weatherstripping sits are probably all nasty too so grind all of that out if its there.

You'll have alot of fun..

 

Mine leaks where the window contacts the top of the t-top. I have a chipped passenger window from our famous window felt screw sticking out (common issue). I also replaced the outer hard plastic weather stripping part of the actual t-top and it doesn't leak as much if i get caught in the rain (once or twice per summer, no biggy).

New weatherstripping and sealing it all up with some good heavy duty sealant should do the trick, GM did it right when these cars were new so we should be able to fix it now!

 

they leaked when they rolled off the assembly line.

t-tops SUCK! i hate mine with a passion. If i didnt have a really nice paint job on my 86 i would have the top converted to a hartop in a heartbeat. But since i dont drive the car in the rain that often, its only an issue when i wash the car

 

I'm going to play the devil's advocate here and state that I absolutely love my T-Tops.

Now - for the leaks...

1) Are you sure it's the T-Tops leaking? I ask because I also see alot of 3rd and 4th gen cars that leak around the hatch. If the hatch weatherstrippinmg isn't glued to the body along the entire length, water will seep between the weatherstripping and the body - especially in the curve transistion between the vertical part of the hatch and the horizontal part - my 4th gen collects water in that area very badly and it leaks there.

2) Do you know that the tops themselves are adjustable? Well, not really the tops, but the connectors on the car side - take out the A-pillar and B-pillar screws at the tops where the T-tops latch in - gently push them aside a tad and you'll see the two bolts that adjust the latches on the car side - maybe you can 'pull' them downwards slightly to get a better seal.

3) As mentioned, alot of cars get moisture between the T-bar and the roof, and they get rusted therew allowing a leak.

4) Window angles are adjustable, but you must remove the door panel and do alot of fine tuning to the tracks and the upper felts to get them to rolol up/down as you need. Be careful here, make sure the window is not going to hit anything BEFORE you go slamming the door shut, or you might end up needing a new glass.

Good Luck!

 

I have the C&C t-top and had to reseal the actual panals where the glass met the locking portion with a little RTV.

 

Hey firchicken are you from nythirdgen.com or what ever it is.

 

i've repaired, replaced, resealed, resealed again, again again, again, looked and looked and looked. They still leak and i dont care anymore. Water gets into and drips from the interior plastic molding on the bottom of the tops, (black, where the latch handles are), so when i accelerate, it drips ont he back seat and interior panels, when i brake, it drips on my leg. No idea how its getting in.

 

I'm going on a limb here but have you tryed vaseline? I used it on top and around the t top seals on my 85 trans am after they started to leak, as long as they where lubed up I never had a leak, I had to reapply frequently but it was a cheap n easy fix till my new seals arived... never had an issue again, till my sis tottaled it.

 

I did the same method carpoholic Said. I pulled the seals off gunked it up on the front and back by where the tttop bar is, And ran a big bead of black 3m rubber stuff right there along the weatherstripping. It came out great. This is on aftermarket ttop strips too. I had to modify alot to get them in, but a few hours, some patience and a buddy to spray the car down while you sit in it helps alot.

Oh and its much easier if you remove the headliner also, to see exactly where your leak is coming from

 

That is exactly what mine were doing. It's the seal between the glass and the metal panel that is leaking. Reseal around that area with black RTV and that should fix it.