Front top seal leaking badly

[Nick Mesich]

I drove my 66 convertible in the rain yesterday for the first time. I thought I was going to drown!!

Water was being blown up the window and right through the front top seals. It looked like Niagra Falls in the car, had to pull over and wait for the rains to stop before proceeding. However the carpets consul, and I were soaked.

I haven't looked at the front seals on my top yet, but are there adjustments to tighten the top to the Window or do I just have to go out and replace the weather stripping.

Thanks in advance,
Nick

[Wayne P.]

Re: Front top seal leaking badly

You can pull the bow down with the front latches unless they are already at full travel. New weatherstrip might or might not help. If you have a replacement bow, their shape is off about 1/2" in the middle compared to an original.

[Wayne W.]

Re: Front top seal leaking badly

Welcome to the wonderfull world of Corvette. If you dont get wet, you probably aint driving one. There are a couple of things to look at other than adjusting the latches. Check the receiver holes for the nylon bushings. These help locate the header. Look at the condition of the bead and the weather strip. Replacement weather strips are too small. Some trim suppliers have a larger size. Buy a lot of good towels.

[Nick Mesich]

Re: Front top seal leaking badly

You can't tell me that leaks through the front are normal on all C2 roadsters....

The front latches are pulled tight. I looked at he weathstripping today and it does not look like it is badly compressed. The Front Bow is original. I would hate to have to purchase an new top so I could have the top adjusted... If that is the problem?

I wanted to redo my interior this winter, but after the last drive I am rethinking until after I can resolve the front Leak problem.

I'm going to order some new front Weather stripping, Install it and wait for the next rain storm then out on the highway I go... This time in Rain Gear and with a bailing bucket and Oh ya thanks for the tip Wayne regarding "Lots of towels"

Any one out there that has driven their car in the Rain, is this the norm....

I just can't believe it.

Any further help would be greatly appreciated.

From one soaked Corvette lover.

Nick

[Gary S.]

Re: Front top seal leaking badly

Nick, when I put new Corvette Weatherstrip on my 66 convertible, I too got half drowned during a rain storm. I figured out that the header WS was not as tall as the original. I finally went to Home Depot and bought 3/4" house-type black weatherstrip. I put the Home Depot WS down on top of the replacement. It didn't look great but it kept me dry, more or less. I never did find a solution to the problem since I sold the car a year later. I recently saw it at a cruise and the Home Depot stuff was still there.

Gary

[Wayne K.]

H2O option, many of us have it.

It has been suggested to carry a roll of duct tape and apply before rain storm.

[Gary S.]

Re: H2O option, many of us have it.

Well, I do remember placing towels in our laps to sop up the bountiful water.

Gary

[Bob Simard]

Don't use duct tape. Vinyl electrical tape

doesn't leave adhesive on your car. This is how my 60 retains enough air inside so that I don't need scuba gear in a light rain.

[Brian C.]

Re: Front top seal leaking badly

I have a replacement bow on my '67 and it is overarched by about 1/2".Does anyone have any experience or recommendations on decreasing the arch in the bow with the top installed.I am concerned with damaging and or streching the fabric if I can rig up a jig to straigten out the bow.Brian#27128.

[Kevin M.]

Re: Front top seal leaking badly

Nick,

Yes they all leak, you can make it better but you can't stop it. Really the advice above is the real deal, I travel with a small rug that I stopped and purchased the first time I got caught in a good down pour. I use it for my plastic rear window when folded so I always have it when the top is up.

Kevin

[mike cobine]

Re: Front top seal leaking badly

You can make them stop. They didn't all leak. My '63 was driven in all sorts of weather, soft top only, and only in the hardest downpours did I have leaks up front. Now there were some leaks around the backside of the side windows, but not enough to get anything really wet.