Rob P

iTrader: (1)

I have been looking at other car makers convt tops, i.e. Mercedes, Nissan, BMW and they have a rain gutter sewn into the edge of the convertible top, around the windows. I think with a curved sewing needle, this would be pretty easy if you could find the right stiffness of material. No matter what adjustments I make on my ragtops, I get leaks in heavy rain.
On my 89 I find the water drains off the windshield, runs about 1 below the top of the door windows and drains down the non-existant B-piller. I have also thought about coming up with some kind of deflector to go between the A-pillar and the weather stripping to change this flow. I'm talking a very thin black piece of plastic to change the airflow/waterflow. Any thoughts on this?

helirc

Yes I know what you mean, the tops scertainly aren't as well thought out as some of the euro cars like Volkswagon for example. The rain gutter thing is a great idea! I'll have to take a look at mine and see what comes to mind.

91zconvt

I don't know, I still have the original top on my '91 Z28 (from what the prev. owner says anyway) and I can't find a single leak, not even when I spray it with a hose set to the highest pressure I can get out of it. Maybe I'm just not looking hard enough?

'89 IROC Vert

My original top '89 doesn't leak when I wash it, and I don't drive it in the rain.

helirc

Well mine leaks. As a matter of fact sitting in the drivers seat I can see daylight over the window of the passenger side. Needless to say my car needs lots of work.

Jza

Mine leaks on sunny days.. lol

Rob P

iTrader: (1)

My 89 Top frame and weatherstripping (minus the rear top to tonneau cover seal) has about 210,000 miles on it. So that could be a lot of the problem. However, my 92 Z28 with 43,000 leaks, mostly at highway speed in heavy rain. Comes in around the A-pillar to window weatherstrip meeting area. I also get a dribble down the windows once in awhile while just washing the car.

On the 89 I can see lots of daylight, especially the bottom part of the window, where it meets the top B-pillar.

I just think a small, almost unnoticable, tasteful rain driprail type deal on the A-pillar would go a long way to deflecting water away from the convt top weak points.