gotabekidding

I have a 91 bird with t-tops.
I removed the weatherstripping, on the driver's side there seems to be a rust issue.
I would like to remove and replace the entire channel.
Has anyone done this before?
Does anyone know where i could get a replacement channel?

Any help would be appreciated.

82tarecaro

iTrader: (4)

You could get the t top bar new from Hawks for about 300 bucks. It is made of stainless steel. Or you could search the forums and Ebay for a nice used one.

gotabekidding

My t-bar is fine.
it is the car itself:

this is the driver side rear


this is the front


a closer picture.

This is my problem.

82tarecaro

iTrader: (4)

I had the same issue. My body guy had to weld in new metal. There is no patch panel for that. They have to be made.

LeeH

iTrader: (2)

Same problem with mine. They sandblasted the channel, painted it and are reinstalling the seals with some heavy adhesive. They say it will hold...

Faded

Here are some videos on YouTube of a guy making new channels from scratch.


There's about a dozen videos of the entire process from start to finish.

82tarecaro

iTrader: (4)

That guy is a member here. ZZ3Astro - I think is his screen name

ZZ3Astro

Here is a thread I made showing the basics of the repair I did. https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/body...-top-seal.html Hope it helps!

ringo234

My T-bar and a 3" section of the channel was rusted. I was lucky to find a t-bar in near perfect condition at a junkyard. I had Maaco repair the rust and replace the T-bar for around $300. I couldn't afford to get it painted but at least I stopped the rust from becoming any worse until I could get it painted.

gotabekidding

I had an 84 t/a that had some rust when i freshened it up.
Similar to what some of you had mentioned.
Eight or nine years later, a little rust popped up outside the seal.
Underneath the seal had been very busy.
The amount of repair to the affected areas of rust to the structure of the frame
made my ride uneconomical to repair. I disassembled and parted it out.
I DO NOT want to do that again. That was 'my' ride.

Right now, the channel is the only thing affected.
Just lookin for a more permanent repair.

gotabekidding

Regardless of what route I decide to take, the rusty channel must go!

So, I drilled out the spot welds (enough to remove the channel) and the removed the driver's side front and rear channel.
I DID NOT expect to find what lied underneath!

here is a pic of the front driver's side.
you can see the track being bent up in the middle



There was literally NO PRIMER or PAINT underneath that channel !!!
WHAT WAS GM THINKING !!!

even though the passenger side looks good, it is now getting removed.
I will try to be a bit more careful than the driver's side.
It could be used as a repair section for someone else, maybe.

As for me, I have found an entire roof section - rust free - in California.
This is now plan B

Plan A is to make my own, preferably out of stainless - and bolt/screw them in.

nosajwols

iTrader: (1)

I got some off of a donor car. Drilled out the spot welds on the old ones and welded in the donor ones.