Started the daunting task of installing new T Top weatherstripping today. Its quite a job getting all the old stuff off.

Ew:



After some work:





And some more work:





Is this the stress crack everybody talks about that SFCs help to prevent?



I plan on putting primer or maybe POR-15 over the bare metal. What do you think? Am I on the right track? Will my black silicone stick to either of these products?

Does anybody know what I am supposed to do with the removeable "tracks" that are on the rear and front of each window glass? In the third pic you can see what I am talking about. They are "stuck" to the body and also have screws. Do I just use some adhesive to put them back on? How should I go about cleaning them out?

 

Yes, this is a bear of a job. I just did it back in July.

I'm not sure that sanding down to bare metal like that was the best idea. You have to protect it somehow now, so use POR 15 or Master Series (I prefer that one) and the weatherstrip sealant will probably be just fine as far as sticking to those products. Use the Permatex black silicone adhesive sealant, not the 3M weatherstrip stuff.

As for those side pieces, I cleaned mine the same way that I cleaned all the other areas where there had been glue/sealant: Goo-Gone, gasoline, thinner, Q-tips, cotton *****, rags, toothbrush. Just put some of the Permatex on the back side (just a thin bead, don't go crazy) and screw them back into place.

Good luck.

 

I agree with you about it not being the best idea, I was thinking about protecting it the whole time I did it. I originally started doing it chemically, but found that with all the scrubbing and whatnot I was taking the paint off anyway. So being 1/4 of the way done and most the paint gone from the area I had already done, I just stuck a wire brush on a drill and buzzed through the rest of it in less time that it took me to do the first 1/4th. Very soon the whole car will be primer anyway.

It is what it is

 

I also found that the solvents I was using were softening and removing the paint in some areas. I think I got down to primer in a couple spots, but not bare metal.

Using the wire brush would have been nice, though! I probably spent a solid four hours of just cleaning out the channels. Sucked.

You're in Cali anyway, so rust probably isn't even a concern.

 

I'm getting worried about something. To protect from rusting I painted over my areas of bare metal with some flat black "General Purpose Paint". Guy at the store said it would be just fine for what I am doing. It has hardened pretty good and seems like it will be a good surface to glue on. Should I sand it all off and use something else?

 

What is making you worry about it? If it has bonded well to the surface, and isn't going to peel right off, I'd say leave it.