Not a hard job...but wow....what a pain.

I am talking about changing the upper window gaskets located on the Targa Top.

What makes it hard; to do it right you have to completely remove the old rubber...all of it!
this includes a 1/32" upper and lower channel that secures the gasket in place.
Not only do you have to remove all the old gasket from this area, you also have apply glue to the channel and place the new rubber gasket in  there...doing all of this and making little mess on the Targa Top.

Then; once you get the thing cleaned, get the glue in place, get the new gasket in place, you have to massage the new gasket so as to get the gasket to fit correctly in the 1/32" channel so the window seals, and the rubber doesnt fall out at a later date.

Now; there are these steel "flaps" (I call them) that once the gasket is in place, you will have to adjust these when the top is on the car to make a good seal, you have to gently bend these.
Once you bend these creating the perfect seal for your window and new rubber gasket, you will notice you have lost a majority of the original paint, and now you have to do some painting.

So, change all your window gaskets, door gaskets, ect.... have a can of "Trim Paint" on hand....do your painting AFTER all work is done.

If you dont....you will find yourself re-painting all those trim parts you painted while your Targa Top was off the car.


I had enough paint flaking off during the removal and install of the new rubber that I knew I was gonna have to paint...I just decided to wait until the top was on the car, and I would paint all the trim at the same time making them all look the same.


SHEEESH!...all I wanted to do was change a window rubber. 




Jim

Sometimes the stuff that looks simple turns into the worse job you could imagine! I'll need to install new weatherstrip on my top eventually, but I haven't even looked at it to see how hard/easy it will be....
Thanks for the info...you just helped me put off the decision even longer....

my vert needs the weatherstripping acrost the top of the windsheild, and i am putting it off as long as possible

i have replaced the stripping on the targa top and on the a pillar (windshield) and it was a pain. if i tell you the secret i found, i will have to kill you. ok i will be nice . they make little wire brush bits that go into a dremel tool. i found that it fits in the channel and is the easiest way to clean it out. it can be a pain but if you have a little patience it goes pretty easy. have fun replacing the rest of the gaskets.

[QUOTE=eddie20890]. they make little wire brush bits that go into a dremel tool.  [/QUOTE]

I did that too...they also make these little "scouring pads" for drills that I used and made black rubber dust on everything.

And as far as a tip...if you have a radiator hose removal tool, that helps get a majority of the rubber out of the 1/32" channel before the wire brush for the Dremel.

*Radiator Hose Removal tool*

A very tedious PITA.



Jim

[QUOTE=Strats-N-Vettes] I did that too...they also make these little "scouring pads" for drills that I used and made black rubber dust on everything. [/QUOTE]

guess i wasn't that nice. forgot to mention to use a sheet or a drop cloth to saveall that black stuff from getting over everything.

[QUOTE=eddie20890] [QUOTE=Strats-N-Vettes] I did that too...they also make these little "scouring pads" for drills that I used and made black rubber dust on everything. [/QUOTE]

guess i wasn't that nice. forgot to mention to use a sheet or a drop cloth to saveall that black stuff from getting over everything.
[/QUOTE]


I did that too...a  couple of old blankets, still made a mess...I got pics coming.


Jim