WATER LEAK

[QQBIRD]

ALTHOUGH THIS TOPIC HAS BEEN VISITED IN THE PAST, IT IS WORTH NOTING THAT AFTER WASHING, ALL CARS SHOULD BE CHECKED FOR WATER LEAKS AT THE REAR & SIDES OF THE HARDTOP. I HAVE USED ALMOST NO DIRECT PRESSURE ON THE PASS SIDE BELOW THE PORTHOLE AND IT LEAKS EVERY TIME (NOT MUCH, BUT ENOUGH TO STAIN THE SOFT TOP). MY '57 SHOWS THE SAME CHARECTARISTIC; PERHAPS WHEN I BUY A NEW BIRD IN ANOTHER 45 YEARS, FORD WILL HAVE FIGURED OUT THE CAUSE.

 

[Chief]

Does one have to remove the top to check?

 

[QQBIRD]

THE WATER IS ON THE SOFT TOP AND CAN ONLY BE SEEN WITH THE HARD TOP REMOVED.

 

[5Birds]

No longer posting.

 

[yellowwing1]

I don't think mine leaks. I have pressure washed (a no-no) and found no puddles in the boot. I will keep my eyes on this and let you know. Joy

 

[Chief]

I'm sure not going to take the hard top off each time I wash the car!!!

 

[Birdbrain]

Just took off the hardtop for first time in a month in preparation for the Florida trip tomorrow. No evidence of leaks!!

 

[sixbits75]

I removed my hardtop for the first time last week. I had washed the car about 24 hours earlier. At the time I removed the hardtop, a few beads of water were on the softop, passenger side. If the hardtop had leaked during washing 24 hours earlier, I don't think the water would have been still standing in beads. In my opinion, the large rubber gasket on the bottom of the hardtop had trapped the water someway and it dripped on the soft top during removal. Also, when I placed the hardtop on the stand, about one ounce of water ran out of this gasket right at the center of the gasket. BTW my soft top fit perfectly which was the first time it had been raised. The only thing I dislike is the storage boot. Takes up too much space. It will most likely collect dust in my garage, just like the two Z3's that I've owned did.

WP, the fit and finish on my yellow/yellow bird is great. You and your crew did an excellent job.

 

[rt2esq]

I have my bird hand washed on average of twice a week since September. I have had the top on and off.

I have not experienced any leaks but am now considering putting some form of plastic over my soft top to protect it while my hard top is on.

Could this low tech idea be a solution??? Or are the reported leaks that heavy?

RT2ESQ
Triple Black #1049

 

[whvt01]

Seems like most of you guys are not having
any trouble removing the tops. What about
someone like my mother who will not be
able to remove. The water spotting does
not worry me. What about condensation,
dampness on the metal parts. ie: working
of the hinges controling the top. ? Rust

 

[greenwr]

I took the hard top off tonight for the first time since I picked the car up on Nov. 19th. I found no water spots and I have washed at touchless spray machines two or three times and the last time I washed by hand. Only problem I found was that I could not get the soft top to latch down. It worked fine in the dealers show room, but not tonight. Will work on that later. I think if I had another person to help I could have latched, but the wife is out of town.

------------------
Bill's Red and White #4359

 

[pbocciardi]

I went through some pretty heavy rain a few weeks after I picked up my car, and I did indeed find some water on the soft top when I removed the hardtop to check. It wasn't much -- maybe a few tablespoons.

 

[jodrod]

greenwr,

The top latching difficulty has been talked about by several people, myself included. After you use the top a couple of times, the fabric will stretch and latching will not be a problem.

I run in convertable mode 90% of the time, luck of being in FL, but I had the hardtop on for about 2 weeks a short while ago and noticed that the top was more difficult to engage the first 2 or 3 times after removing the harttop. Now it works perfectly.

 

[thenewtbird2]

Question for those getting their cars in the next few weeks.

Did you order your cars with hardtops?

Just read a message on the 02tbird newslist that said dealers in the San Diego area seemed to be getting in only cars that were ordered without hardtops...

Don't know if that just means that's what those dealers ordered thinking hardtops wouldn't be wanted in that area OR if Ford is searching thru their dealer lists looking for non-hardtop orders to build while they look into the leaking tops problems that some have reported. (That could explain some of the jumping around going on with orders at dealers IF that's the case)

 

[Gobird]

thenewtbird2, I am getting a hard top and got a build date of 1/14/02. Haven't heard anything about this before.

------------------
Blue on Blue Prem. STILL WAITING Ordered in Jan. 7of12 NOW 4of12
69 Vette
73 MGB
97 F-150 4x4
2-Seadoo Jet Skies
a dog a cat and a couple hundred fish in my pond
Got Vin. 109293 Build Date 01/14

 

[T02 Bird]

Dot,

Mine too will have the hardtop. It's my understanding that my car started production on Friday before the Christmas break, but that's just it...so it's somewhere in the paint area. I'm hoping that production gets off to a slow start on January 2 so that when I get to Wixom on the 11th I get to see my baby roll off the line! Wishfull thinking. Now if we could also control Mother Nature...

KB

 

[thenewtbird2]

my theory is pure speculation. Just wanted to get some "data" that nixed it. You're doing well at that.

So far it looks like some San Diego dealers just didn't think a hardtop was all that necessary for the car.

 

[tr cruiser]

I visited my drop ship dealer today hoping to find my blue**3 with hardtop, but it still hadn't been delivered. Mine is identical to exit32's, built on the same day. The last I heard he had seen his at his dealership and was planning to pick it up this week. I asked that they put mine in their showroom if it is prepped before I arrive to pick it up. The forecast is for continuing rain all weekend and I want to check it out before it gets exposed to the elements.