I sadly lost a NOS sail panel off my just out of paint Fiero today. It disappeared while my daughter was driving the car on the freeway.
The original foam tape wasn't very sticky so the shop added a thin double-sided tape layer to it. Both came loose so they tried butyl. Now one is gone and I'm not feeling very good about the other side.
Has anyone else had problem keeping them affixed to the car? Is the double-sided 3M foam tape the best product to use?
The 3M tape with the Red backing is 3M VHB (Very High Bond), I use it all the time at work. It Is incredibly sticky to the point that I would almost worry about it pulling paint off, but not quite. The grey version is what is currently holding the panels onto my car. I have seen it in a variety of thicknesses in black, clear, and grey.
Did you make sure the leading edge was sealed to the car with black silicone? Notice the silicone bead that is left over on my car just behind the drivers door. That keeps air from getting under the front edge and prying the sail panel off of the vehicle. Also put some silicone on the other flat spot that I marked with the arrow.
Oh man.... I hate to here that, I am getting ready to do mine when the weather warms up
I think ebay gtfiero is a member here, and I believe the stuff in his ebay auction is the correct tape to use from what I've read on the forum. on the few I've done in the past I always let it sit in the sun, or warm garage, and not drive it for 24 hours.
------------------ "Because in a split second, It's gone" Ayrton Senna
Mine didn't have to have the wind remove them. Just opening my door a few times did. The fitment sucked to the point that the window on both doors grabbed the corner of the sails and started to peel them back!
The VHB tape with the red liner comes in two varieties. One is a solid strip of rubber and is used for holding body side moldings and emblems on the vehicle. The other is actually a thin foam tape and is what should be used on the fastback quarter windows. Years ago, I purchased NOS windows for my 87 and the original windows I removed were held on with foam tape, and the new windows I bought form GM dealers had a pre-applied foam tape, but it had a white liner. Both windows are still firmly attached to my 87.
The windows for my brother's car came from Chris Cook, who advertises that he provides the correct tape. I believe it had a red liner and was of the foam variety. My brother's windows have been on his car for maybe 3 years, without problems. I believe Paul McKibben at Fierosails.com may offer the correct tape as a stand-alone product.
You need to use the foam tape. For extra measure, I locked mine in with a permanent bead of black silicone the whole way around. Use masking tape 1/8" in from the edge of window, and 1/8" outside of the seam. Run a bead of silicone all the way around and IMMEDIATELY wipe your finger along it the whole way around without stopping ONE TIME. IMMEDIATELY remove both strips of tape and repeat on other side. You will have about a 1/4" black even seal completely around it. When done right, it looks like a factory seal all the way around, and it dont weep water at the seam after a rain or wash. Let it dry a day before driving. The window will not come out unless its cut out.
Good advice. I did put a bead along the leading edge to keep air out from under it, but not the rest. I also used the gray 3M VHB tape with the red peel-off for the perimeter, and some thicker 120 mil white 3M foam tape for the raised painted areas.
The OEM windows come with a strip of tape along the front edge and on the flat panel area marked in IMSA GT's picture as well as around the perimeter. The tape along the bottom edge of the window isn't continuous, either. It has several gaps about 1/4 inch long between strips. I guess that's to let water drain out so that it doesn't puddle along the bottom of the window, freeze and push it loose. Putting two layers of the foam tape around the perimeter can create a problem getting the window to fit underneath the drip rail and also will make the front edge stand out enough that the window will catch it. On the other hand, the thin acrylic body side molding tape has some difficulty in filling the voids between window and the rough body flange. It's more forgiving when putting on two layers, though because it's not as thick as the foam tape.
