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Re: Leaking Top

To: Rick Gregory <rick_gregory@yahoo.com>, spitfires@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: Leaking Top
From: Atwell Haines <carbuff@nac.net>
Date: Sun, 14 Mar 1999 15:48:03 -0500
At 11:18 AM 3/14/99 -0800, Rick Gregory wrote:
>
>Happy St. Patrick's Day Everyone (or soon to be):

<soggy Tale of Woe, SNIPPED>

> There is strip of rubber that runs the length of the
>front that looks like it should seal. Obviousily it isn't doing the
>job. It does look crushed somewhat.
>
>Are there any tricks for preventing this leakage? A new seal? (or
>should I just wear a wet suit and scuba gear?)

My favorite water-repulsing trick is to coat both the rubber seal and its
contact surface with a thin film of vaseline (or other grease that is not
harmful to rubber). This will keep most (I said MOST) of the water from
coming in the top of the windshield. 

Having done so on my Spit,  I only get an occasional drop in, and that is
at speed on bumps (when the lifting of the top and the shaking of the
scuttle conspire to allow the water get past). I have driven the car in a
couple of really bad downpours.

I assume the seal _looks_ OK, no cuts or tears? And that the aluminum top
frame is clean?

Take a look at modern convertibles. Their tops have multiple rubber strips
along the windshield, and the windshield headers have deep water channeling
grooves in them. THAT's progress!

Atwell Haines
'79 Spitfire
"To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism; to steal from many is
research."


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