O.K., I’ve decided that I’m going to paint my black ‘86 GT instead of doing a full body vinyl wrap. This raises a few questions:

1. Other than cost, what are the thoughts on doing a panel-off vs. panel-on paint job?
2. If you do a panel-off job, do you remove the roof panel and the fastback clip or leave them on and mask the rest of the frame?
3. What should I use to re-attach the fastback clip to the frame under the rear quarter window? On my car, the adhesive under the right quarter window look likes it was never adhered from the factory. (No, it’s not been damaged or rusted out. It looks like the panel was never glued.)

Trim, fenders, moldings, and mirrors came off on the weekend. If I do a panel-off job, fenders, door panels and bumper covers come off on the weekend and sanding and bodywork begins. I'm adding Sage's quarter panels so it will look sweet. Haven't decided completely on the color yet. I'm leaning towards a matte black body and trim with dark pewter, matte racing stripes. Alternatively, I could go back to black over silver trim like it came from the factory. My 3rd option is the 1978 Toyota color call Black Metallic with matte silver trim.

Im 0 for 4 on roofs...
You have to get the full windshield rubber trim out. You have to get the 3m dum dum (3M™ Strip-Calk) to remove from the roof it has been applied at the factory starting at the bottom of the a-pillar and going up and along the the top of the windshield and back down the other side. You have to remove this and pull up evenly or you will rip /crack the roof at the a-pillar.

The section at the bottom of the windshield always seems especially brittle.

You also have to hope you don't have rusted studs if they are stuck they will spin in the roof and not come out. I have more often run into this on sunroof cars.

Im planning on trying a roof swap for real soon... (5th and 6th roofs) I am planning on having to do fiberglass repair.

Good luck...

Oh and you have to pull the headliner to unbolt the roof meaning A and B pillar trims have to go. If you have not done your headliner it may rip while ypu are messing with it causing it to need to be re covered.

I'm leaning towards all panels off except for the roof and the fastback clip. Getting spares is not easy in Oz and anything glued gives me some concern. Already broke one Lexan quarter window trying to get it out (it was crazed anyway and I have replacements) because the pull tape was missing. Tried cutting the mounting tape with fishing line. No joy there. May have done better with the dead e-string on my guitar but I rushed it. Finally just took the heat gun and softened the tape enough to get it to release. Moral of the story: 36-y.o. Lexan is pretty darn brittle and unforgiving.

If repainting a stock color, I find you can leave the panels on. Panels off, I leave the roof on, it's actually easy to paint that section while on the car anyway and removes the risk of damage.

quote Originally posted by da.slyboy: If repainting a stock color, I find you can leave the panels on. Panels off, I leave the roof on, it's actually easy to paint that section while on the car anyway and removes the risk of damage.

The giveaway I typically see is between the door and fender. Over spray ends up between the seam and when you remove the fender you can see it.

heating the roof skin helps it come apart insanely easier. I did the first skin I removed in florida, and I got it off with the only damage being to the cowl area by the windshield wipers, which I think happened in transit, not while removing. Number 2 and 3 were in the winter in WA state, and were much more difficult, I ended up cracking both at the A pillars near the top of the windshield. This seems to be the easiest spot to break them IMO. careful work with a heat gun and some patience, and you shouldn't have any problems getting the roof off.

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