GM Fan

Curious if anyone knows of a defect w/ the FRCs or Z06s with a small line of bubbles forming on the roof?

I believe it is similar to the bubbling on the rear hatch that there is a TSB on for the normal coupes. Something about adhesive leeching gases or something and it damaging the paint from underneath after time? Fbodies had a similar problem on the roofs.

My 02 has a line, about a centimeter wide, about 6 inches in from the back edge of the roof that runs maybe 50% of the way across the roof from side to side where the paint is off just slightly. It's not easy to notice but I feel like it may be slowly but surely getting worse. Looks like the paint is rippling or maybe has tiny tiny pinholes in it. Not sure I could capture it in a picture.

I think any repaint would probably just have the same thing happen again from whatever is causing it beneath... Fix for the coupes is to replace the whole hatch panel, as you can't stop the process that is causing it apparently.

Anyone seen anything like this on other hardtops?

onspeed

Yeah, seen that on mine. Doesn't bother me though.

gparker

I've noticed the same thing. Thanks for the explanation of what's causing it. I've been worried about but I guess all we can do is hope it doesn't get worse.

C5Longhorn

Do you have any pics that will show this?

FourG63 97GST

mine has it too, it was also repainted about 5yrs ago, an im seeing it again

mph1972

I don't have anything as of yet. on wood!

BillY2KFRC

I have the same thing, thought it was something I did or some paint contaminant that fell on the car. Glad to know it's something normal, even though it still sorta sucks. Thanks for the post!

Moto One

I have what look like cracks in the paint, trunk, and just above gas filler. You do really have to look for them, and after ten years I'm not to worried.

"What? Me worry"

Mark

fisher auto

Just picked another 01' "Z" up and it has it, not really that noticeable but there.

zr1fred

Very common on the 98-02 f-bodies, almost all of them have it to some degree. If you look closely you can see all of the bonding areas just by tracing the bubbles.There is a GM service note on it on it, but I can't find it now. It is adhesive leeching, and the only cure is panel replacement, repainting only masks the problem for a little while. It can eventually get VERY bad. I haven't noticed it on the vettes, but I'm sure I will.

kp1

I know I'm resurrecting this from the dead, but this has popped upon my 04 Z06 roof in a line in front of the rear window. It happened after the car sat out in the sun for a few weeks. I'm guessing it is some sort of caulk/adhesive leaching through the skin because of the heat. There must be some sort of fix short of replacing the roof.

Worst case scerario, couldn't you sand it, seal it with some penetrating epoxy and have a carbon fiber wrap or a wrap very near to the oem color installed?

The problem has to have become more prevalent 4 years after the last post in this thread and certainly, people have established a fix or two.

DVUSz06

I had the same thing on my 02 Z06, had my paint guy work on it and repaint roof last summer. He also confirmed it to be a factory defect in bonding agents. He started removing the effected areas and was pretty deep till he hit what was solid material, then filled with a compound made for smc (i think thats what he called the material the roof is made from) type panels. No more pitting but it's only been a year now.

RIKKI Z-06

04 Z16 here, and I just noticed this on mine too about a month ago, very faint, but still there.

kp1

SMC = Sheet Molded Compound.

I've found conflicting info around the internet regarding proper methods. I do have the shop manuals and there is a section on plastic panel repair. The recommendation for repairing SMC is Fusor 100EZ Plastic body repair, sand, and then Sikkens Polystop LP or Lord Corporation Fusosr 114 plastic finishing Adhesive to provide a uniform surface for sanding. For prime an d refinish, you are to refer to the GM Approved Refinish Materials Book GM Part # GM4901M-D. I don't have that book.

There are also instructions for the procedure:
1. Clean the repair area with a soap impregnated scouring pad to remove dirt and release agent.
2. Clean the area with a naptha solvent. Use only enough to dampen a cloth. If you use too much may migrate out at a later time, affecting the paint.
3. If you detect cracks, drill a 1/8 inch hole at the terminus of each crack to prevent firther cracking.
4. Remove the surface finish from the area.
5. Before applying filler, clean the area with a 50/50 mixture of water and isopropyl alcohol.

druz06

I have a faint circle started but I had corrected my paint and put down some sealant. It's there but unless I get a paintjob it's in excellent driver quality.

kp1

I see that the Fusor 100EZ is not really so easy because it comes in one of those tandem caulking type containers and you need a special dispensor gun. Looks like the gun, a 10.1 oz quantity of adhesive, and a mixing tip will set you back about $130 or so.

yarberrymt

I have a small bubbling area on my 03 z06 trunklid

streamliner

View looking inboard toward driver side. This is where the bubbling started first noticed about 2014.

View looking inboard toward driver side. This is where the bubbling started first noticed about 2014.

View looking down at roof at an angle from driver side toward passenger side.





I noticed the same condition on my 04Z06 on the roof, it started a few years ago (2014 I think)on the passenger side about 3" forward of the rear window and about 2.5" inboard of the top edge of the passenger window frame, it was approximately 4" in length extending toward the driver side and 3/4" wide. They're like tiny "pimples" under the paint, it's like the C5 sprits are sending a braille message saying "your paint is fu%$ed". The condition has since extended to about 12" toward the driver side and is now noticeable in another area closer to the driver side and a little further aft of the older problem area. It doesn't sound like, from what I've seen so far, that it's worth attempting to repaint unless the underlying cause is addressed. If anyone has detailed repair instructions I would be interested in possibly addressing this problem. I had my car in a local car show yesterday (it's not a show car) and no one noticed the anomaly unless I pointed it out. I think the machine silver paint does a great job of making it barely visible but I know it's there. Fortunately it doesn't noticeably affect performance just some nearly imperceptible nano-turbulence over the roof.

oh1vette

I've got them on the hood...heard of the rear hatch before but not other locations...

Vetteman Jack

I had the paint bubbling problem on my '03, but no where near that bad. I have not heard of it affecting other body panels on any of the models other than the coupe's hatch. I just lived with it, although I did check on possible fixes other than buying a new hatch - got a wide variety of answers, none of which made me feel confident that the repair would look good.