Protective Strips For the Hardtop

[02 TBRD]

Does anybody know what the Ford part number is for the protective strip kit to avoid chafing from the hartop on the deck? I remember Ford introduced the strips but I don't know how to get them. Are they free?

 

[navigator]

Unfortunately they are not free - they are about $50 for a set of four applications.
Don't have the part # handy but I'll see if it's on the box tommorrow.
A very bad fix for a $40000 car - but I love it anyway.

 

[brd4jk]

o2 bird i would check with your dealership i ask them for your first set. especially since the plant included them with some of the vehicles. not all but i believe my dealership when i pick up my bird didnt know what the box was for and thanks to this forum i was able to show them. i even had to show them at the dealership how they went on. but navigator is right they are 50 for a set of 4 and they are a pain to put on

blk blk prem
13205vin

 

[George]

The proper number, according to previous posts is, 1W6Z-202W30-AA. You can reference for the dealer, OASIS # 3085
Good Luck

 

[jgaffney]

I hear about these strips all over this board but don't understand what they will do. I cannot see how the hardtop could scratch any paint.

Could someone post a picture of the strips or try to give me a better explination why I would need them?

 

[thaser]

jgaffney, the story is that it is not the hardtop that scratches the rear deck; rather, small particles of dirt apparently can get in between the top and the deck and act like sandpaper as the top vibrates against the deck. My blue T-bird does not have a single scratch on it (perhaps mostly because I brought my T-bird home on June 6th and the hardtop has been in my basement since June 8th!). However, based on the all the talk in this forum about the scratches, I have no doubt whatsoever that the scratches will happen over time without laying down the protective strips. The strips would make it harder for dirt to get into the seam and would also act as a a protective layer on the deck. My hardtop will be on from about November-March, so that's when I'll be putting on my first set of strips. btw, my T-bird came with 4 sets of strips in the trunk.

In addition to jgaffney's request for pics of the strips, I would be interested in some closeup pics of rear deck scratches.

 

[brd4jk]

thaser and jgaffney, i have a blk blk prem that had scratches and even some pitting the body shop was able to take out the scratchs but i did not have them do any thing with the pits they are not real bad but i didnt want to have it wet sanded and all that. sorry didnt get pictures of the scratchs but i can tell you that the black shows up the worst. the dealership had yellow in the show room and i had to show them on a bird that they took off the top and put it on the rack. thanks to this forum i knew more than them. the strips do protect but you have to put a new one on everytime you replace the top back on.

 

[02birdman]

My yellow bird had a very deep scratch down to the body filler used around the top lip and needed repainted. It came out great from the paint shop. My father finally took the top off on his car last week and it was also surface scratched needing buffing I think, he is taking it in next week. Ford needs a better fix than the plastic strips or they will be painting mine agian next spring.

 

[thaser]

02birdman, can you clarify something please. Did your father's car already have the strips on the deck? In other words, did his deck get scratched even with the strips installed? If so, that should make all of us a bit nervous. When you say he "finally" took the top off, I'm thinking (hoping) that he took it off for the first time and he did not have the strips installed(?)

 

[02birdman]

Thaser, Strips were not installed, he just took the top off to check for scratching after prodding by me to check. The car only has 3 miles on it so they are getting scratched in the factory and during transport also, mine had less than 200 miles on it when I took my top off to find a deep scratch (about 1/8" deep and 1 1/2" long), they had to know it was hit at the factory with the top, the scratch was about 12" from where the pin goes in. My fathers car is black and even a little scratch seems magnified on black cars. I'm still working on my salesmen to supply the protective strips free, don't think it right to supply them with the cars now and not go back and supply pervious owners. They may be a pain to install but I'm willing.

 

[brd4jk]

one question i dont understand is that ford knows there is a problem here but they dont install the film at the factory just put the box in the trunk. why is that i wonder something that makes you go hmmmm

 

[HeelBird]

The thought came to me last night that the Xpel film that 3M is manufacturing to protect headlights and the painted noses of today's cars could offer a solution---If we can obtain the material, a strip of it wide enough to cover the area where the moulding is rubbing would offer protection, still display the paint color, and would be a permanent fix. It should be thin enough to allow installation of the hardtop, since the chrome strip that has been much discussed reportedly would be too thick to be a viable option.

 

[thaser]

02birdman, thanks for the clarification. My blue T-bird had probably 100 miles when I took the hardtop off and there is not a single scratch on the deck. I will be applying my (free, came-with-the-car) strips when I put the hardtop back on around November -- hopefully I will be scratch-free in March 2003 when the lid comes back off. Thanks again, Jeff. And I totally agree that your dealer should provide you an initial package of 4 sets of strips at no-cost. I think if you emphasize that vehicles later in production came with the strips in the trunk, they would be more sympathetic/cooperative.

Heelbird, it would be very interesting to see someone put down a strip of Xpel and see if this does the job. Honestly, I'm not that much of a trailblazer to do it myself, but I would be interested in hearing about anyone's experience who does try it! Somewhat of a cop-out, I know, sorry.

Thanks,
Tom

 

[jawill2000]

I took my red bird in for an oil change and showed the service Mgr the oasis bulletin concerning the protective strips. He ordered a set of 4 and called me when they came in no charge.

------------------
Jim Williams
red/red/std blk premium #2 of 2 VIN 1FAHP60A62Y111592
Mass. tag JWBIRD