Author Topic: 66 Vinyl top drip rail strips  (Read 2926 times)

Offline C5ZZ

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66 Vinyl top drip rail strips
« on: May 28, 2016, 12:24:10 AM »
Here are some pictures of the removal of the aluminum strips that go in the drip rail area
to retain the vinyl top. They are held on with aluminum pop rivits and then there is a layer of
a rubbery material that covers them up. They are from a 66 NJ coupe and look to have been
untouched from when the car was built.
MCA # 00945

65 Fastback, 6 cyl, AT, AC, PS, PB
Rangoon Red/Red Interior

Offline C6ZZGT

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Re: 66 Vinyl top drip rail strips
« Reply #1 on: May 28, 2016, 03:16:11 AM »
Nice !
Brian
66 GT Coupe 6R07A143871 owned since 1983
40+ yr parts man , over 25 with Ford.

Offline 67gtasanjose

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Re: 66 Vinyl top drip rail strips
« Reply #2 on: May 28, 2016, 09:13:19 AM »
Thank you very much for these pictures. Fortunately, the process the Ford assembly plants used here spreads across multiple years since these aluminum strips were used for 65, 66 and most of the 67 model years (including my 11/66 San Jose built coupe)

Not mentioned in your text but I believe you pictured, these aluminum rivets were all inserted from BELOW the drip rail EXCEPT the very back one on each side.

This is unlike what has been shared in other posts regarding issues with a vinyl top strip coming loose. Ford released a service bulletin on those strips but that Service Bulletin covered the later 67-68 (stainless steel) style, not these early (aluminum) ones.
« Last Edit: June 15, 2016, 04:59:42 PM by 67gtasanjose »
Richard Urch

1967 (11/2/66, S.J.) GTA Luxury Coupe, 289-4V w/Thermactor Emissions, C-4, Int./Ext. Decor +many options

2005 (04/05) GT Premium Convertible, Windveil Blue, Parchment Top w/Med. Parchment interior,  Roush Body Appointments

Offline C5ZZ

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Re: 66 Vinyl top drip rail strips
« Reply #3 on: May 28, 2016, 09:28:29 AM »
Not mentioned in your text but I believe you pictured, these aluminum rivets were all inserted from BELOW the drip rail EXCEPT the very back one on each side.


You are correct, that is how this car was, the very lower rivit at the back by the quarter window would be
difficult to put in from the bottom.

Once I drilled out the rivits I carefully pryed up on the strips to remove them, where the rivits go through
there is very little metal on either side of the rivit so they can easily break at that point.

MCA # 00945

65 Fastback, 6 cyl, AT, AC, PS, PB
Rangoon Red/Red Interior

Offline 67gtasanjose

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Re: 66 Vinyl top drip rail strips
« Reply #4 on: June 14, 2016, 09:03:31 PM »
Received these Strips in the mail yesterday...Thanks Steve very much for locating & removing them for me. I believe they should prove to be usable after repaired. I will try using Muggy Weld and if that doesn't work out at least I have the pattern. 
Richard Urch

1967 (11/2/66, S.J.) GTA Luxury Coupe, 289-4V w/Thermactor Emissions, C-4, Int./Ext. Decor +many options

2005 (04/05) GT Premium Convertible, Windveil Blue, Parchment Top w/Med. Parchment interior,  Roush Body Appointments

Offline C5ZZ

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Re: 66 Vinyl top drip rail strips
« Reply #5 on: June 15, 2016, 04:33:52 PM »
Richard, glad to hear that they arrived ok, they are certainly
delicate around the rivit holes, not much metal in that area.
MCA # 00945

65 Fastback, 6 cyl, AT, AC, PS, PB
Rangoon Red/Red Interior

Offline 67gtasanjose

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Re: 66 Vinyl top drip rail strips
« Reply #6 on: June 15, 2016, 04:50:00 PM »
Richard, glad to hear that they arrived ok, they are certainly
delicate around the rivit holes, not much metal in that area.

Yep, I broke another of the "already cracked" ones while scrubbing the corrosion off. I'll try to remember to update this thread with some images once I (or if I successfully) restore these. I think the chances are greater than 90% likely these will restore. I have to say, I wasn't too sure about those chances when I first heard how they were cracked already and breaking while removing. The pictures you posted made them look very nice though ;) Knowing it wasn't easy to get them off & then the possibility of shipping issues, still, things didn't look very promising when I first pulled them out of the box  :o ...then yesterday the MuggyWeld idea hit me! :D 

Great looking out for a fellow restorer...not too many "nice guys" willing to do something like this for others. Very much appreciated. 8)
« Last Edit: June 15, 2016, 04:56:24 PM by 67gtasanjose »
Richard Urch

1967 (11/2/66, S.J.) GTA Luxury Coupe, 289-4V w/Thermactor Emissions, C-4, Int./Ext. Decor +many options

2005 (04/05) GT Premium Convertible, Windveil Blue, Parchment Top w/Med. Parchment interior,  Roush Body Appointments

Offline mtinkham

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Re: 66 Vinyl top drip rail strips
« Reply #7 on: June 16, 2016, 01:07:35 PM »
Can't help but notice how nice the vinyl top material is under those strips - Picture 3.  Must have been a nice looking car (when new I mean).
1967 S-code Fastback, GT, 3-speed manual, Metuchen, Scheduled 04-21-1967 - Actual 04-25-1967

Offline CharlesTurner

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Re: 66 Vinyl top drip rail strips
« Reply #8 on: June 16, 2016, 02:18:44 PM »
Can't help but notice how nice the vinyl top material is under those strips - Picture 3.  Must have been a nice looking car (when new I mean).

That's the purpose of the strips is to hold the vinyl top material down so it doesn't lift off.
Charles Turner - MCA/SAAC Judge
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Offline 67gtasanjose

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Re: 66 Vinyl top drip rail strips
« Reply #9 on: June 16, 2016, 02:41:19 PM »
That's the purpose of the strips is to hold the vinyl top material down so it doesn't lift off.

Yep! When I helped replace my '67's top circa 1988, the "shop" doing the job for (with) me told me these strips were not needed. I wasn't really so sure but since I was working at a wrecking yard at the time, I looked at other cars in the yard and at the time, we only had a 68 with vinyl roof but it had the stainless steel variety...they DO look much nicer so I used those back in the day... but like the service bulletin for 68's says, they kept coming loose. I never did rivet them down but still have those available if somebody else needs them. Very straight considering they bend so easily. PM me if interested. ;)
*On edit, stainless strips have been claimed

...  Must have been a nice looking car (when new I mean).

I couldn't agree more. On some body colors, (darker usually) the WHITE tops REALLY POP! Deep dark moss green with the white GT stripes, factory tinted windows etc., really had my '67 turning heads back in the day! Looking forward to such a day again.
« Last Edit: July 11, 2020, 02:17:13 PM by 67gtasanjose »
Richard Urch

1967 (11/2/66, S.J.) GTA Luxury Coupe, 289-4V w/Thermactor Emissions, C-4, Int./Ext. Decor +many options

2005 (04/05) GT Premium Convertible, Windveil Blue, Parchment Top w/Med. Parchment interior,  Roush Body Appointments

Offline 67gtasanjose

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Re: 66 Vinyl top drip rail strips
« Reply #10 on: July 11, 2020, 01:57:08 PM »
UPDATED:
So the MUGGYWELD idea was a bust. I set the strips that Steve sent to me on the sidelines until I had the top on my car (installed a week ago now). I hadn't given a lot of thought over the past few years on what exactly I would end up doing but now that I have that decision behind me, here is what I did.

As stated earlier, these aluminum strips are for 65, 66 AND EARLY to mid-year 67's but as of yet, we don't know when the stainless version strip came into use (the stainless version ~later style~is a different version and is visible after installation and sealing of the vinyl top is complete).

Images attached here are what I did to install these very strips Steve provided to me off of this 66 Coupe (Steve is the original poster of this thread, he took these pictures to provide me more information of how these were taken off since I bought the strips from him). Yes, the strips are the same over the 3 years. So are the drip rail moldings too, if you didn't know ;) (only coupes, of course). Because the strips broke in several places, I used stainless steel rivets WITH #4 stainless washers to hold down these strips. It worked out most excellently (insert a sound bite of Bill &Ted's guitar here).

My 67 used spiral nails in a few areas as well so those images are provided here as well.

This may be partially off topic but I wished to address this particular post because it DOES cross over three years and partially into the first two generations of Mustangs.

Last item to note, seen in the last picture, I had to cut only the drivers side into two segments since it would appear that half the holes were punched about 1/4" rearward. The passenger's side strip fit like a glove without cutting it in two.


 
« Last Edit: July 11, 2020, 02:13:24 PM by 67gtasanjose »
Richard Urch

1967 (11/2/66, S.J.) GTA Luxury Coupe, 289-4V w/Thermactor Emissions, C-4, Int./Ext. Decor +many options

2005 (04/05) GT Premium Convertible, Windveil Blue, Parchment Top w/Med. Parchment interior,  Roush Body Appointments

Offline C6ZZGT

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Re: 66 Vinyl top drip rail strips
« Reply #11 on: October 16, 2021, 02:27:18 AM »
One thing I have been wondering about Richard , How far does the vinyl go to the outside of the ditch ? Does it just sit in the bottom or does it go up the outside a little bit ?
Brian
66 GT Coupe 6R07A143871 owned since 1983
40+ yr parts man , over 25 with Ford.

Offline 67gtasanjose

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Re: 66 Vinyl top drip rail strips
« Reply #12 on: October 16, 2021, 08:12:35 PM »
One thing I have been wondering about Richard , How far does the vinyl go to the outside of the ditch ? Does it just sit in the bottom or does it go up the outside a little bit ?
I only had the assembly manual for reference, it didn't exactly mention anything about that edge, only that it gets covered with color-matched sealant.
I cut mine off after pinching it down with the strip, it was easy to use the aluminum strip as a guide to cutting the material.
 
Richard Urch

1967 (11/2/66, S.J.) GTA Luxury Coupe, 289-4V w/Thermactor Emissions, C-4, Int./Ext. Decor +many options

2005 (04/05) GT Premium Convertible, Windveil Blue, Parchment Top w/Med. Parchment interior,  Roush Body Appointments

Offline C6ZZGT

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Re: 66 Vinyl top drip rail strips
« Reply #13 on: October 17, 2021, 10:31:42 PM »
Sounds like the best practice. Thanks
Brian
66 GT Coupe 6R07A143871 owned since 1983
40+ yr parts man , over 25 with Ford.