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Re: Going topless - but where do the windows go?

To: spitfires@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: Going topless - but where do the windows go?
From: Terry Thompson <firespiter@yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, 27 Feb 2002 15:12:15 -0800 (PST)
After adding a piece of self-adhesive foam
weatherstriping, I no longer had any issues with water
coming in from the juncture of the soft-top/windshield
cap plate. But I kept having a problem with a leak
dripping on my left leg too. It did this for YEARS!

I supsected that the water was coming in from:
-door jam
-clutch or brake boots
-heater vents
-firewall grommets (that cables pass through)
-the hole that the dual-line coupler/BPW indicator is
mounted to the firewall shelf...

I replaced/sealed all of them with water still coming
in and dripping on my leg in heavy rains. I would get
down with a flash light and try to figure out where
the water was coming from...No water on the speedo
cable or the gauges. No evidence of where it was
coming from at all in fact (ANNOYING!)

I eventually figured out that it was the windshield
gasket. It was dry rotted and cracked. Water had
started to rust the frame under the gasket, which was
decayed enough to let a steady down-pour of water in.
The heavier the rain, the more it would dump on my
leg. 

After body work and replacing the gasket, I could
drive through heavy down-pours without getting my leg
wet....until I step into a big puddle that I happened
to parked the car over, of course.

If anyone is having a similar problem where they can't
figure out where the water is coming from, even if
your windshield gasket is in good condition but isn't
making a water-tight seal to the windshield, you could
try to use some windshield gasket sealent (comes in a
tube with a pin-point nose like model/super glues and
dries clear like them too.)

Just something to think about, to keep you from
driving around in a mobile Chinese water torture.

-Terry
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