rain gutter strips?

[tinman75]

I noticed a very original 68 camaro hardtop on e-bay and on the listing the owner mentioned it had "the original plastic rain gutter strips". What exactlly is he refering to on a hard top.

[gro51]

  No clue.   Anyone?

[tom]

Chrome strip that clips on above the side windows. There was thread here recently about replacing this.

Tom

[gro51]

That makes sense.  I wonder why it says "the original plastic rain gutter strips" though.

[Steve68]

There is a plastic strip that runs the length of the gutter on cars with fabric roof covers.  Fisher called it "flexible retainer".  It installs into the drip molding with the thin edge toward the outboard side.  There was a special tool (J-22710) used to install the strip.  It "rolled" the strip of plastic in from front to rear to seat and hold the cover in the gutter.  The plastic had a bad tendency to deteriorate, crack and fall out in pieces over time.

Steve

[tinman75]

Is the plastic gutter strip  currently reproduced by anyone?

[Pex68]

Not to my knowledge but again, it is only used on vinyl roof cars, 67-8 only.

[tom]

Check your catalogs, most vendors offer vinyl top kits. This strip may be included with the kit. If you cant find it there, check with some 1st gen Firebird vendors, it may be the same on the birds.

Tom

[68L30]

My 68 had them......I don't know of anyone reproducing them or even selling them used. Most did not survive due to the heat from the top and expansion and contraction due to the temperature changes..If they did survive, removal will almost surely destroy them...I have found several on cars still in place but,in bits and pieces.....The last intact set I've seen were on the low mileage 68 Dana car..


Steve   

[Pex68]

Their on my car, got a NOS set at Carlisle.  B**ch to install without the correct tool.  I've seen them in both black & Chrome, but Chrome is correct for Camaros.  They do not come with any of the repop kits but you still see them eBay every now and again...but their pricey like everything else on there. 

[tinman75]

If anyone ever comes across a set, let me know.
Thanks

[169INDY]

I will concur that from what I can remember when I farmed out a vinyl roof replacment by a vendor they removed some long flimsey gutter plastic retainers, of course they did not come out intact.
Interesting that there was a tool for installation.
I think most fabric hard tops that have been replaced are gluse and then a silicone product (bead) ran in the gutter to secure smooth out the termination of the fabric.

1968 12E

R2

Jim

[Pex68]

Yeah, that's exactly how they do it.  When I had my top re-done I showed the place the retainers and they said they wouldn't use them.  I told them to just leave the vinyl long in the gutters and I would put them in myself...they did and told me Good Luck!  Well when the car was done I brought it back there to show them and they were amazed of the look and how well it fit & they asked me if I could get them a few sets.  When I told them how much they cost me they said "Never-mind"!

A picture of the tool is in the Body manual.

[lakeholme]

Well, I just mentioned it to a Chevy body shop and they said "A What?!?"  Anybody got a picture???

[Pex68]

Phill, you want picks of the retainers installed, by themselves, or the tool?