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I am not referring to filling in the hollow cavity of the pillar post...only the area under the upper trim that allows the T-tops and convertible top to seal.
That`s what I did.... just the header and t-top center bar.
As a side note, it`s also a good idea to make sure the drain holes by the bottom of the fenders are free of leaves & dirt, so the water that runs off will go through the wiper trough and drain out....
Hi everyone, this past weekend I took the stainless steal t-top trim off my '73. There was some surface rust so I painted on some POR15 and think i have it pretty well covered. However, even though my family is the original owner, my father does not recall much about work he did many years ago to that area of the car. After I removed the trim I found a LOT of white hardened caulk, and a WHOLE LOT of black sealant all over the place in the channel/ gap. Under all that sealant and caulk there appears to be rubber block(s) of some sort that are now of course gone. Anyone know what I am trying to describe? Its function? Where to buy replacements? I can't seem to find it on the Corvette parts websites.
My thoughts are that as long as you have cleaned the channel to bare metal and applied a durable top coat, filling the channel is a moot point and may only trap moisture. I feel abetter solution is to spray a rust preventative coating such as lps3 on the area before installing the ss trim, also apply the ribbon sealant without gaps to endure a good seal. Lastly, limit the water exposure. I havent washed my car yet since being painted almost 2 yrs ago. I wont drive it in the rain, and just use a quik detailer with micro fiber towels to keep it looking its best. Also if it does get caught out in the occaisonal rainstorm, its still protected.
And an indoor car cover in the garage helps too.
Last edited by Sunstroked; May 25, 2016 at 04:07 PM.
Thanks Sunstroked,
I guess it is hard to tell in the picture but I applied POR15 (first picture) over the rust (second and third picture) so I think i am covered there.
Do you know if there are any drainage holes/tubes near above the pillars? I didn't think about bout until after I applied the POR15,...now wondering. Last chance to open them up, if any, before I put everything back together.
