"Although I have not personally seen the kit seals, I am told that they pick up at the top of the pillars , just sealing the T-Top glass. The seals installed by C&C at the factory, were complete seals going down the sides of the car glass. Apparantly the factory found this to be faster for them to install. This being the case, the CJB seals will work on all T-Tops where the non-CJB seals will only work on the T-Tops which were installed as kits."
The seals went all the way up and down just like the the CJB seals.
Tim
I think Casper is more correct...
My non-CJB seals do not go all the way down to seal the entire door, there is a split on both the A and B pillar where the T-top seal joins the existing non t-top seal.
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12:58 AM
mrfiero Member
Posts: 9003 From: Colorful Colorado Registered: Mar 99
My non-CJB seals do not go all the way down to seal the entire door, there is a split on both the A and B pillar where the T-top seal joins the existing non t-top seal.
If this is true then there was a revision of the non-CJB seals at some point in time. I had 3 new T-Top kits many years ago (2 complete and 1 with some missing parts) and all 3 sets had seals that went all the way down (like the CJB seals). I also owned an '85 SE that had T-Tops installed in 1989 and the seals were the same. I personally have never seen T-Top seals that split at the A & B pillars......let's see some pics!
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02:28 AM
AusFiero Member
Posts: 11513 From: Dapto NSW Australia Registered: Feb 2001
I'm in the same boat. My t-top was an 86.5 GT and the tops were dealer fitted new. The seals went to the base of the A and B pillars. Not finish up top.
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03:10 AM
FIERO JOHN-WI Member
Posts: 2413 From: GREENFIELD, WI, MILWAUKEE Registered: Jun 2001
ALL the seals went down to the bottom of the A-pillar and b-pillars, But when the NON-CJB's were installed at their autorized dealers (at least at the Racine WI place) they cheated, (kinda like how when Pontiac had the recalls done, some took off the recall strip and clips complete (AS PONTIAC WANTED) some took off the strip itself and left the clips and some took a knife and just cut the center section of the recall strip. Well back to what I have seen here the authorizied dealer here cheated he would cut it high on the A-pillar right were that black rubber tab is on the a-pillar track (they would hide the cut behind it. But the back went down to the the bottom of the b-pillar. I have seen 4 fiero t-tops with them done from that place like that. Just though I would share that with you.
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08:35 AM
fieroparts.com Member
Posts: 4831 From: Maine 207-934-1969 Registered: Jun 2000
ALL the seals went down to the bottom of the A-pillar and b-pillars, But when the NON-CJB's were installed at their autorized dealers (at least at the Racine WI place) they cheated, (kinda like how when Pontiac had the recalls done, some took off the recall strip and clips complete (AS PONTIAC WANTED) some took off the strip itself and left the clips and some took a knife and just cut the center section of the recall strip. Well back to what I have seen here the authorizied dealer here cheated he would cut it high on the A-pillar right were that black rubber tab is on the a-pillar track (they would hide the cut behind it. But the back went down to the the bottom of the b-pillar. I have seen 4 fiero t-tops with them done from that place like that. Just though I would share that with you.
C&C only had two types of seals non-CJB and the CJB and they both are the same in length. That installer in Racine WI was not very bright to cut the seals. So my statement above is correct.
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08:48 AM
fieroparts.com Member
Posts: 4831 From: Maine 207-934-1969 Registered: Jun 2000
My non-CJB seals do not go all the way down to seal the entire door, there is a split on both the A and B pillar where the T-top seal joins the existing non t-top seal.
I never said they "go all the way down to seal the entire door"
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08:49 AM
Caspermont Member
Posts: 59 From: meridian, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2003
From RossT Doing the CJB seals is more than likely the way to go. If they are reasonably priced, you could sell alot of seals to all fiero t-top owners. Many (like me who have good current seals on our cars) would buy a back up set. If the price gets rather high, only the people in dier need, or the true purest, will buy them. The vast majority of us who have useable seals on our cars now would just wait.
The question is, what is that "readonable" price? $200-$400? $400-$500?? I don't know. If we are talking on the lower end, I would even buy 2 sets!!
Good comments and I agree. My goal is to convince Steel Rubber company that Supply and Demand is sensitive related to this subject. I believe that they can sell more of they if they price them at a reasonable amount. My guess is that $200 will be on the low and if we can get them at $400 that would make this a good deal for them also. I'm going to suggest what they should charge but inform them that if it going to high then the sales will be very low. I will try hard to make this a good deal for all of us as best I can Casper ps. we have 30 set that members have signed up for, we have a good shot at this!
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12:57 PM
Caspermont Member
Posts: 59 From: meridian, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2003
"Although I have not personally seen the kit seals, I am told that they pick up at the top of the pillars , just sealing the T-Top glass. The seals installed by C&C at the factory, were complete seals going down the sides of the car glass. Apparantly the factory found this to be faster for them to install. This being the case, the CJB seals will work on all T-Tops where the non-CJB seals will only work on the T-Tops which were installed as kits."
The seals went all the way up and down just like the the CJB seals.
Is Casper just a nick name? How come you have never posted here before now?
Tim
Yes just a nickname! on posting before: I have been reading this for several years but find that most of you have more knowledge about the Fiero then I do so have just been reading mostly. this was an area that I thought I might be able to help on so Here I am.
Just so everyone knows, I have to travel for work next week so may not be on line much, will pick this up again when I get back. Time to contact Steell Rubber and make this happen for us! Casper
I never said they "go all the way down to seal the entire door"
I assumed that's what you meant. I have no idea what the non-CJB seals were like originally, no telling what happened to them before I got them. I just know when I installed them they split at the base of the A and B pillar, and joined to the base of the existing seals.
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06:16 PM
watts Member
Posts: 3256 From: Coaldale, AB, Canada Registered: Aug 2001
I should be putting my T-roof in my Fiero, during the Fourth of July holiday weekend. For now I will be using the same seals that my friend used on his 86 Ford Mustang. When I was helping him with his Mustang, I notice the glass panel said C&C on it and the seal looked the same as the Fiero's seal, the part that goes around and seals the glass. The part of the seal that goes down the pillars is real close too. But I still want the seals that goes to the Fiero. If anyone wants to see the seals from a Mustang, I took photos of them, before we installed them.
------------------ WWW.CLEVELANDFIEROS.COM https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum1/HTML/052322.html#lastpost My rear defuser
Wow was just watching an episode of My Classic Car and who pops up on the screen ??? This very company, Steel Rubber Products, out of North Carolina !!
The host Dennis Gage did a whole segment with them on how they take orders for special rubber replacement parts and how the parts are made !
Was very informative. They basically start out with plaster paris molds, then 3-d laser scan it, and download that into a CNC machine, from there a mold is CNC cut out of a block of aluminum. Finally compression molding techniques are used to produce the parts.
THe company spokesperson (Walter Vaughn,..i think ?) did say they do first look at production figures before they undertake something, meaning they don't do one-offs, but he did not sound like they needed to sell a million either.
Hey it can't hurt to try !
[This message has been edited by exoticse (edited 06-26-2005).]
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12:12 PM
Raydar Member
Posts: 41177 From: Carrollton GA. Out in the... country. Registered: Oct 1999
Wow was just watching an episode of My Classic Car and who pops up on the screen ??? This very company, Steel Rubber Products, out of North Carolina !!
The host Dennis Gage did a whole segment with them on how they take orders for special rubber replacement parts and how the parts are made !
Was very informative. They basically start out with plaster paris molds, then 3-d laser scan it, and download that into a CNC machine, from there a mold is CNC cut out of a block of aluminum. Finally compression molding techniques are used to produce the parts.
THe company spokesperson (Walter Vaughn,..i think ?) did say they do first look at production figures before they undertake something, meaning they don't do one-offs, but he did not sound like they needed to sell a million either.
Hey it can't hurt to try !
That's what I though also! can't hurt to try Casper
Ok, this is great news. I have leaky tops, and have just been getting ready to try to get them fixed. I have new end caps on the way, and am ordering a new center bar and some other misc. parts next paycheck, but the seals have been worrying me a lot still. If this actually happens, Im in for a set too, I would prefer the 4 piece set as well..
Mark 87 GT T-Tops
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03:49 PM
fierobear Member
Posts: 27104 From: Safe in the Carolinas Registered: Aug 2000
I would be interested in a set for a reasonable price. rebuild a t-top and one seal is torn. pre CJB though but reading the post, looks like I just need to order a couple more item to make it work.
------------------ 14.262 @ 97MPH
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07:25 PM
Caspermont Member
Posts: 59 From: meridian, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2003
Just wanted to let you know that 42 members have contacted me for a set. That is more then what the supplier suggested so I hope we can make this happen. Next week (when I get back home) I will start talking about actually doing it!
thanks for all the response, keep checking back and I will update you on the progress. Casper
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07:39 PM
PePe-LePu_For_2 Member
Posts: 284 From: San Ramon, CA, USA Registered: Jun 2005
Gents! I'm so glad to have found this thread! I desparately need a driver's side seal for my 88 CJB car. Put me down for a set. Also, I know a guy in Dublin that actually worked for C&C installing the tops. He might be a good resource for tech info. One question though, who's got the doner set for the cloning process?
Hey Bear, Good luck on the Mera deal!
Marty
------------------ Marty Wibert : 88 GT 5 speed. S/N 200372 built in 87. Number 8 in the T-Top registry. Black with twin (skunk) stripes, gold wheels, and beechwood interior. ~ 84,000 mi.
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11:58 PM
Jun 29th, 2005
exoticse Member
Posts: 8655 From: Orlando, Fl Registered: Jun 2003
I don't have a t-top but like to help with ideas. Maybe one of the fiero vendors can be convinced to come on board and buy up a couple dozen or so for future sales and stockpiles ?
That would boost your proposal numbers to the company.
Or maybe you could offer it up on ebay as a chance to get in on a preorder of a one time re-production of no longer produced fiero parts, I am sure you would have quite a few willing to pitch in their lot there ?
Just some ideas, sorry if they sound a bit crazy, but just trying to help.
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12:24 AM
Caspermont Member
Posts: 59 From: meridian, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2003
Gents! I'm so glad to have found this thread! I desparately need a driver's side seal for my 88 CJB car. Put me down for a set. Also, I know a guy in Dublin that actually worked for C&C installing the tops. He might be a good resource for tech info. One question though, who's got the doner set for the cloning process?
Hey Bear, Good luck on the Mera deal!
Marty
I have a couple possible donors of the seals so that part is taken care of. CJB seals
Casper
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04:30 PM
PFF
System Bot
FIERO JOHN-WI Member
Posts: 2413 From: GREENFIELD, WI, MILWAUKEE Registered: Jun 2001
I final got to a total count for T-tops seals at 45. Steel Rubber wanted to know if we could get to 30. So I am encouraged by this number. I contacted them about the interest we have and provided them with the additional information they were looking for.
Now we wait to see what happens.
Thanks to everyone for all their help on gatherng the information. I will keep you posted on the progress!
I am still working to get a new set of seals to Steel Rubber for them to review the seals for us.
They will determine how hard it might be remanufacture these seals. My friend that is to supply the seals is a little busy with work right now but has assured me that he will get them out to Steel Rubber soon.
So stay tuned we are still moving forward. Casper
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02:37 PM
TM_Fiero Member
Posts: 1077 From: Brookville, PA Registered: Jun 2002
I am still working to get a new set of seals to Steel Rubber for them to review the seals for us.
They will determine how hard it might be remanufacture these seals. My friend that is to supply the seals is a little busy with work right now but has assured me that he will get them out to Steel Rubber soon.
So stay tuned we are still moving forward. Casper
If he does not come through I have a brand new, never used, set of CJBs still in the box. PM me if necessary.
