Roof Rails: Found something I hate to do more than replace a heater core

by 77mali Sat Apr 28, 2012 5:04 pm

Ever try to clean up/restore the roof rails & stainless trim around the doors & A pillar?

It's bad enough to clean up the old adhesive around the door itself but i found it even worse on the trim pieces. I tried everything short of setting them ablaze in the brush pile...chemicals, sand blasting, scraping....the only thing that got the goop off was "slicing" the left over weatherstrip & adhesive residues with a very sharp small chisel, followed by wire brushing & finally a solvent wipe. What a pain, it's like the booger that never flicks off your finger.

by 1973 454 MONTE Sat Apr 28, 2012 6:10 pm

I have not done that 25 years. Can't remember what I used.

by Limey SE Sun Apr 29, 2012 1:03 am

GOO GONE worked for me on first try LOL

by 77mali Sun Apr 29, 2012 7:25 am

Limey SE wrote:GOO GONE worked for me on first try LOL

I'll try it on the other side (tried Goof-Off or whatever) that did nothing...

Thanks!

by ant7377 Sun Apr 29, 2012 12:09 pm

Paul,heater core is worse, c'mon ! LOL !!!!

by 77mali Sun Apr 29, 2012 12:32 pm

Just dry-fitted these this morning not hard but with the vinyl top you have to account for that being tucked in under all the openings (add to the total thickness) At this point I'm looking for a 3M product to use that is 1/8" thick that will replace the factory seals (under the rails) to the body problem is, I have found 1/8" thick material but only 7/8" wide & the factory used 1" wide. I don't suppose it will matter much but I'd like to match it so the heights are correct along the body lines so they are uniform.

by pila Sun Apr 29, 2012 11:54 pm

Hey buddy !! The stuff I used is 1/16" thick, and 1" wide. And I bought a whole (big!) roll of it. If ya want to try it, I'll send you what you need, just for the shipping. I don't have a vinyl top to deal with, and the tape worked just right.

And I had to remove all the same stuff you did,, It took a while.....
Send me a PM if ya want some of the tape.......and how long ....
BILL

by 77mali Mon Apr 30, 2012 6:22 am

I'll take you up on that. Will measure & send you a message, I'll need double the footage though because mine was 1/8" if you're still ok w/ that. Thanks.
Paul

by jrb75 Mon Apr 30, 2012 9:52 am

ant7377 wrote:Paul,heater core is worse, c'mon ! LOL !!!!

WORD!!!

by pila Mon Apr 30, 2012 9:18 pm

A heater core replacement on our cars can't be as bad as an '80 Sunbird that one of my sons had. It was an odd-ball car anyway, last one with rear wheel drive. I had to remove the entire dash to get at the heater/AC box etc to get the core out.
I replaced the core on my first Elco, a '73, which wasn't all that bad. On my current '75 Elco project, I put in a new core because it was apart.

And I do believe that getting all the gook off of the roof drip rails etc was a worse job, like 77mali said. I worked on those each evening until I had them all stripped. Give Me Beer

77mail; send me your address etc, and I'll just ship you the roll, since I'll have no use for it now. It will fit in a priority mail box.

by 77mali Mon Apr 30, 2012 9:51 pm

pila wrote: A heater core replacement on our cars can't be as bad as an '80 Sunbird that one of my sons had. It was an odd-ball car anyway, last one with rear wheel drive. I had to remove the entire dash to get at the heater/AC box etc to get the core out.
I replaced the core on my first Elco, a '73, which wasn't all that bad. On my current '75 Elco project, I put in a new core because it was apart.

And I do believe that getting all the gook off of the roof drip rails etc was a worse job, like 77mali said. I worked on those each evening until I had them all stripped.

77mail; send me your address etc, and I'll just ship you the roll, since I'll have no use for it now. It will fit in a priority mail box.

Will do Bill...Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!
Beer

by 77mali Fri May 04, 2012 9:22 pm

Bill
Got the package- sent you a PM also. Shipping $$ on it's way to you.
Thanks again!

by pila Fri May 04, 2012 9:34 pm

OK......you could have waited to see if that tape works for you before sending $..
Here's a pic of my hood bottom. Just ready to finish priming it. Bought a gallon of stripper to strip the top side. I used the abrasive wheels from Harbor Freight to tear the surface rust & paint off.
Roof Rails: Found something I hate to do more than replace a heater core P1011044

Roof Rails: Found something I hate to do more than replace a heater core P1011044

by 77mali Fri May 04, 2012 9:39 pm

Hood looks good man! Gosh it takes so long to get it down to bare metal. That hood might just be a worse job than the rails!

by pila Fri May 04, 2012 9:47 pm

I believe I used the 3M #77 spray can glue. I use it for all kinds of jobs. Spray each surface, let it dry for 10 minutes, & stick it together.
I build tube-type guitar amps, and use the 3M for covering the cabinets with Tweed, Tolex etc. and I tried quite a few types before settling on the #77 3M.
I buy it at Walmart.

by 77mali Sun May 06, 2012 7:04 pm

Bill- The stuff you sent will work great. I discovered (or remembered) that the seal tape is used under both the stainless drips & the roof rails. There will be areas where I'll have to use multiple layers of the seal tape but I monkeyed with it today and am very happy. I am incorporating a compressible closed cell foam with the roof rail install over the drips.

I never noticed but it's really funny how the stainless drip moldings fit up against the body. This is why I am doing one side at a time.

Thanks again!

by pila Sun May 06, 2012 7:39 pm

Good to hear it's gonna work for you. Had me wondering for a while ! Very Happy

by 77mali Sun May 06, 2012 10:18 pm

pila wrote:Good to hear it's gonna work for you. Had me wondering for a while !

I have to think things through alot...lots of mock-ups before finally committing. LOL

Here's the side w/ the vinyl top mat'l still tucked in waiting for me....& the other side (w/ no seal strip- taken before I got your pkg).

Roof Rails: Found something I hate to do more than replace a heater core P1030010

Roof Rails: Found something I hate to do more than replace a heater core P1030010

Roof Rails: Found something I hate to do more than replace a heater core P1030110

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