GOING TOPLESS

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RACERROGER

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I took the top off after 6 months. I was afraid to look in case the car had been scratched where the top met the body. NO problem! Looks as good as when I got it last year. Small amount of dust accumulated but easily removed with a damp rag. Top is in good shape also. Again,a little dirty but that's it. Touch of moisture on the right side behind the door. Dried in ten minutes. Don't know if I was just lucky or what.
 

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RACERROGER, just wondering how many miles you have on the Bird. I took my top off about the 2ed or 3rd week after getting it and could see the ware starting after driving it just that long.

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02 T-Bird 9293
69 Vette
73 MGB
97 F-150 4x4
2-Seadoo Jet Skies
a dog a cat and a couple hundred fish in my pond
 
GOBIRD,

3280 on the odometer. Maybe it has to do with the paint. Mine is BASF. VIN is 650.

It is only out on nice days so maybe that's the answer.
 
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RACERROGER, that may be a point with the different paint, didn't think about that but then there were only a few 100 with that paint. We only have about 3,700 on ours but the paint could make a differance although the Dupont was supposed to be a harder clearcoat. Go Figure.

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02 T-Bird 9293
69 Vette
73 MGB
97 F-150 4x4
2-Seadoo Jet Skies
a dog a cat and a couple hundred fish in my pond

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I have BASF paint and around 1,275 miles. Probably 1,100 with the top on. Had some minor rubbing on both sides but polished off easy then waxed over.

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Yellow/Yellow Prem. 02 Bird w/full accent
1999 F150 Super Cab 4x4 Off Road
1998 Taurus SE Sport 24V
 
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ristonejr, OK I screwed up it's 3,700 mile

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02 T-Bird 9293
69 Vette
73 MGB
97 F-150 4x4
2-Seadoo Jet Skies
a dog a cat and a couple hundred fish in my pond
 
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Lon, I tried that with mine but it didn't help.

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02 T-Bird 9293
69 Vette
73 MGB
97 F-150 4x4
2-Seadoo Jet Skies
a dog a cat and a couple hundred fish in my pond
 
It's not the BASF paint, my car supposedly has BASF as well, (according to WixomPooh), and I've got the paint damage under the hardtop. However, according to Dave Davis and a plant manager that Joelja and I talked to when we were on our tour, "ALL the production cars that made it to the public were painted with Dupont". They went on to explain that the switch was made after the pre-production cars and during field testing. None of the cars, (again according to them), that were sold to the public, including mine and RACEROGER'S are painted with BASF.
 
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Too bad we don't have Pooh where to advise us on this.

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02 T-Bird 9293
69 Vette
73 MGB
97 F-150 4x4
2-Seadoo Jet Skies
a dog a cat and a couple hundred fish in my pond
 
Well, their explanation is in direct conflict with what she told us, so I don't think her advice would shed any more light on the situation. What we need is another party to give us an explanation and see where the truth really lies!
 
Another thing that probably enters into the equation is the environment that you drive in. Here in FL we have a lot of very fine sand dust (maybe the same grit as 1500 sandpaper). We just went through the pine tree and oak tree bloom. When I removed my top a couple of weeks back there was an incredible amount of pollen between the roof and the body and since the pollen is greenish it showed up quite nicely. The sand dust is not as obivous but if that much pollen got in between the roof and body, I am sure that there is also that much sand.
 
No idea on the codes here.

Hopefully Ford is now using a different system when it comes to painting the cars, also.

Fords have a VERY bad habit of having peeling clearcoat-comes from shooting the base coat, then the cars sat for as long as two weeks, and then having the clearcoat applied. In that period of time, dust and other contaminants would build up on the base coat. Ford would apply an adhesive layer to the base, then apply the clearcoat over that adhesive layer. Over time, contaminants embedded in the base coat would work loose, and voila, peeling clearcoat! I have to repaint my 93 for that very reason!
 
Just took my hardtop off after less than 300 miles and there are some "minor" scratches. Atleast they appear to be minor. I am surprise that at such low miles there would be any scratches, but I suppose they could have happened in transit. Guess what I'll be doing this weekend?

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Premium Black w/Red partial
VIN - 1FAHP60AX2Y113877
#4044
Delivered 3/29/02
 
I took my top off at around 300 miles and didn't find any scratches after careful inspection. One thing I noticed when the top was on - the fit was rock solid. No squeeks, shakes or rattles. When I removed the top I was surprise at how hard the bolts were torqued down. I wonder if there might be a correlation between loose fit and paint scratches?
 
we have 3500 miles, prob. 75% w/top on. no signs of wear. Top does fit solid & I waxed it two or three times first time I had top off. Palm Springs area is bad for blowing sand, luckily, I have had top off when wind has blown.
gene
 
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