Replacing the side and front trip on a Cabriolet top

[Wayne Arny]

I'm replacing the old trim on a Cabriolet top. It seems fairly straight forward, but I would love to hear of any hints/experiences on what to, or not to, do. I'm assuming I will need to cut/scrape out the front trim and clean out the groove before reinstallation. I've got "trim sealant" for that, but how much or how little do I use? I'm inclined to put a thin layer on the surface that contacts the "bottom" (with the top open) of the groove and leave the sides bare of sealant. My theory is that this will allow the seal to seat all the way into the groove and not hang up on the sides during installation. As for the side pieces, they seem even more straight forward, as they all move fairly freely in their grooves now. So I will remove them and slide the new pieces in. The only real question then is: How do I cut them properly? I have a sharp razor knife, but do I cut them to the exact size of the previous ones, or should I cut them longer and trim after they're in to make sure the fit is right? Pictures of both locations below. Thanks! Wayne

[Ned Gorski]

wayne
The top trim is pretty straightforward, dry fit it first then glue it down as you mentioned.
as for the side trim its a little difficult to get the angles to mesh perfectly when the top is closed . i oversized the pieces by a little then dry fitted. closed the top then marked the trim. then removed and sanded the trim down on a full sheet of sandpaper. The rubber is quite stiff and will sand easily on a flat surface ( the gray pre a trim is stiff not sure about the later black trim )

Regards Ned
55 continental Cab

[Wayne Arny]

Ned, Thanks for the info. And I forgot to mention that I will be replacing the black trim with gray as well. "Front" piece is also gray.

[Ned Gorski]

i forgot to mention do not clamp the roof closed until the top seal is fully dry .. i closed mine soon after glued.. the corners curled up .. i had to remove and replace .