1968 Convertible top: how to solve leaking front seam?

[Geert-Jan]

Hi there,

I have a leakage problem I would like to solve with the help of you guys.

When it rains the convertible top of my 1968 is leaking water into the cabin. Always on the front seats and steering wheel (and dripping on the carpet). Although the weatherstrips (roofrail, doors & windows) need to be changed I think the seam at the front (where the top is folded down an inch and up again) is causing the problem and is leaking.

Why do I think that? Because when I drive while it rains the cabin will stay dry and when the car is parked outside I need a couple of towels so to speak. Even after a very light rain. The speed of the car prevents rain from seeping into the cabin so the problem must be somewhere on the top of the car.

Is there a spray or something on the market I can use to stop leaking rainwater (and carwash water!) through the front seam?

Thank you very much helping me out by answering!!

Best regards,

Geert-Jan Ankoné

[Dave Leger CLC # 19256]

I have a couple of suggestions.  Haartz, who makes the top on my daily cnovertible, recommends Raggtop Protectant (and their cleaner as well).  It is a spray, and will help seal out water.  You have to mask surrounding glass, trim, etc., but it does a good job (water just beads up after you use it).  If that doesnt work well enough, most camping shops carry a colorless sealant to seal seams on tents, and it occurs to me you might give that a try.

Dave

[Geert-Jan]

Thanks Dave!

Because I live in the Netherlands I dont know if Im able to get Raggtop Protectant, but your idea of using a colorless sealant (to seal seams on tents) is worth to try. Thank you!

Regards,

GJ

[Richard Pope]

Z3 owners recommend a product called gummy phelge for fixing this on their cars. Maybe this will help. Any BMW dealer should have this from my understanding.

Richard

[Rob Kranenburg]

Hi Geert-Jan,

my 65 did the same thing. The problem here was that when driving, the water on the roof is pushed back and everything works. When sitting, even just at a traffic light, the water would pour in. It ran left & right along the front beading, and then would comine in at the point (L&R) where the door-seal, front seal and side seal would meet up at the top of the front door-post.
My original fix worked ok. I stretched a very thin plastic bag over the door chrome, and a second one over the top corner of the window, and then injected a bit of black caulk to cement the two roof-frame seals to gether. The baggies just prevented the caulk from glueing the door shut or the top to the window frame and came off very easily. A little grease might have the same effect. Between the restored seal and a little acid-free vaseline to guarantee a tight seal between the front roof-rail and the top of the window, the leaks stopped pretty much completely.

If you need raggtop or something, just let me know and I can organize. A favor from one dutchman to another (I live in the US).

RK

[Geert-Jan]

Hi Rob,

I thought it was the seam but I discovered it is probably something else. Just behind the (visible) cotton seam at the frond end of the vinyl roof - when you spread it a little bit open - the roof is stitched to the roof-frame with small iron pins or nails. At two places the nails were rusted through and through and a gaping hole was visible. A big one (4 to 5 inches wide) at the drivers side and a small one at the passengers side (about 2 inches wide). And that was explanable because when it rained and the car didnt ran (parked or at traffic lights, yes) more water poured in at at the drivers side than at the passengers side. Just at the two points where the iron seam were discontinued. The front end of the roof top should function like a small gutter: it has to drain the rain but when there is a hole in it, water will prefer the easiest way and will come in through the open seam rather than running off along the left or right side of the roof.

I cleaned the seam space (all algae and dirt!) and choose for a rather non-elegant solution: I glued the holes (where the nails were rusted through) in the seam together with PVC glue and after that I glued also both rims together. Now NO water is able to penetrate the roof at the front side any more (I think and hope).

Ill test the water resistance of the roof first by pooring out some water on it. Keep you informed.

Thanks for your help and advise!

Groet en hou het recht daar aan de andere kant van de grote plas,

Geert-Jan