The wife's vette is a 75.....I knew it had at least two leaks; one from the astro vent drain tubes which I just replaced and one yet to be diagnosed in the right front.


Gonna have to get the missus to create a rainstorm over the car while I lay upside down under the dash with a flashlight. I do know most all the sealer in the wiper area looks pretty decent. Behind the passenger vent door is really clear of debris too.


I havent tried to see how much I can visually check on the sill part of the birdcage, but Ive had all of the windshield trim inside and out removed.....no rust thru, a little scale. Ive already cleaned it up and applied rust encapsulator to hold it until the day comes I restore the car. We should thank the previous owner for garaging it all the time.


Even better.....I havent done a complete check, but it now seems like the t-top seals dont leak at all!!!!


Been too lucky.....surely something is going to have to be bad with the body mounts, sill plates, or the bottom corners of the windshield area LOL.

I just wish there was a little room between the bottom corners of the windshield frame and the fenders so I could whip out the handy dandy borescope and maybe see how things are.


BTW for those searching....the chrome exterior windshield side trim comes off after you remove 3 or 4 screws hidden in molded holes in the pillar weatherstrip the side windows press against......I know the assembly manual has a really crappy illustration of this.

 

I discovered this recently when I removed my old weatherstrip. It's so simple to get that trim off and expose the sides of the birdcage that I wish I'd done it years ago to check/protect the frame. Every C3 owner should do this every couple of years.

Wish it were equally easy to remove the windscreen top moulding.

 

Good luck. Remember, if you see water where you see water may not be the source of the leak. Water can run amazing distances before it makes its presence known.

 

I really didnt have much problem removing the top molding on the outside.....I bought the trim clip tool shaped like an arrow and gently slid it until it conttacted each clip then gently levered them outward.

Combined with a little gentle twist of the tool, and the trim gradually popped out and doesnt appear to be tweaked at all.....though I guess we'll really see when I try to reinstall it.

 

Sounds liek you did fine wit hthe upper molding.
I took mine out with a long screwdriver. I tried to force it a couple
times and tweeked it slightly. I'm pretty good working metal, so it
is back in shape again - or close. This is a pretty strong piece,
so I suspect yours is fine.

Good news on the WS frame so far ... good luck finding the leak.
If coming under the dash, I'd guess a leak where the fiberglass
cowl is riveted/sealed to the lower WS frame. Cleaning and sealing
along the edge isn't too bad ... with the glass out.

I've used PL brand urethane roof sealer for this ... works great and dries flexible. (Home Depot)
http://NHvette.com/ftp/_pictures/vet...PLadhesive.jpg

I sealed my cowl with this - plus the shown adhesive for strength - plus a ribbon of butyl rubber.
http://NHvette.com/ftp/_pictures/vettestuff/FWon_4.jpg
http://NHvette.com/ftp/_pictures/vettestuff/FWon_5.jpg

Good luck

 

Useful information - thanks for letting us know.

 

Holy schnikeys.......youre into that shark....

Thanks for the encouragement......I happy to say the front leak appears to be rather small.....this car is getting quite watertight.

I'm going to use the bedding and glazing compound to replace the same kind of stuff that I removed.

I left the urethane windshield seal alone since I dont see any evidence of leakage and I intend to use a thin bead or black RTV on both edges of the windshield trim to minimize anywhere the rain can get in regardless of what's beneath.


I bought the leak and wind solutions book....not too bad, could use a lot more pictures of partially disassembled vettes and where the water is a problem


Let me ask you, was your front clip already separating or did you break it all loose.

Someday I'll take wifey's vette down to nothing to treat the birdcage....Ive read a heat gun and a putty knife can slowly break the bonding agents (at least on the front clip but Im sure it's the same everywhere).

 

Don't use any rtv on the body. You'll cuss yourself when you do restore the car. Paint will not stick anywhere that silicone has been. If you want to seal around the windshield, get a tube of windshield urethane.