WET Vette
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
WET Vette
I have a 69 L71 convertible.
I live in Ireland where it rains quite a lot of the year and my car is parked outside all year.
The soft top I have which is about 4 years old is leaking and has always leaked .
I need to try to stop the leaks as really it is making it an unusable car for me .
I'm not sure even a new standard soft top will keep the rain out.
So can anyone help please .
1. Would I be any better off buying a hard top? Are they easier to make water proof ?
2. If I buy a soft top which one should I buy and has anyone made them water proof ?
3. I have been looking at the British type soft tops and they have a gutter that runs above the windows to stop the water running down on to the windows and flaps that cover the tops of the windows . Has anyone tried this or something like this as a solution ?
4.If I get a soft top I will probably have to fit it myself as there is no one here who really has the experience to do it . Has anyone fitted one themselves and are they hard to fit ?
5. Can you buy any small covers that just go over the soft top& windows that are easy to put on and take off and are water proof ?
Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated .
Peter
I live in Ireland where it rains quite a lot of the year and my car is parked outside all year.
The soft top I have which is about 4 years old is leaking and has always leaked .
I need to try to stop the leaks as really it is making it an unusable car for me .
I'm not sure even a new standard soft top will keep the rain out.
So can anyone help please .
1. Would I be any better off buying a hard top? Are they easier to make water proof ?
2. If I buy a soft top which one should I buy and has anyone made them water proof ?
3. I have been looking at the British type soft tops and they have a gutter that runs above the windows to stop the water running down on to the windows and flaps that cover the tops of the windows . Has anyone tried this or something like this as a solution ?
4.If I get a soft top I will probably have to fit it myself as there is no one here who really has the experience to do it . Has anyone fitted one themselves and are they hard to fit ?
5. Can you buy any small covers that just go over the soft top& windows that are easy to put on and take off and are water proof ?
Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated .
Peter
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 15,892
Likes: 42
Very honestly Peter, even if you seal the soft top, rain will still find it's way in around the windshield and rot the birdcage. These cars leaked like a sieve when new and are not getting any better.
A C3 is not an ideal choice for wet weather and especially not for sitting outside in the rain year round.
A C3 is not an ideal choice for wet weather and especially not for sitting outside in the rain year round.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 38,923
Likes: 1,481
From: Southbound
Cruise-In II Veteran
Where is your top leaking? Front bow? Door glasses? Rear bow? What condition is the weatherstripping in?
You can snug down the front bow, adjust the weatherstripping against the door glasses, and tighten the rear bow fit at the bow locks to reduce the amount of water entering the car, but you are not likely to make it 100% waterproof.
The optional hardtop might help to a degree, but would also require adjusting the front seal and door glasses.
Water can also enter the car if the wiper trough is not sealed well.
You can snug down the front bow, adjust the weatherstripping against the door glasses, and tighten the rear bow fit at the bow locks to reduce the amount of water entering the car, but you are not likely to make it 100% waterproof.
The optional hardtop might help to a degree, but would also require adjusting the front seal and door glasses.
Water can also enter the car if the wiper trough is not sealed well.
Last edited by Easy Mike; Sep 14, 2010 at 10:12 AM.
