Skip to main content ↑ ↓
Topic: Roof to 1/4 panel metal strips question... (Read 1553 times) previous topic - next topic

Roof to 1/4 panel metal strips question...

As I was filling a few little dings on the Sport for sanding later,I got to thinking about the little metal strips above the rear 1/4 windows and their actual function other than to fill the little groove up there.Do you think that adding a little filler under the strip,then installing it,then filling in the gaps to mold them into the roof would work alright?I don't know how much flex in the body happens there,and didn't want it to crack apart right after paint.I found some Bondo brand metal-like filler.A silver bondo with liquid hardener.I had thought about using that.Any ideas?
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

Roof to 1/4 panel metal strips question...

Reply #1 –
exactly what metal strips are you talking about?
the caps over the seams for the roof/quarter panel?
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
***** Project "EVOLUTION" 1987 Cougar LS  & 1985 Cougar Convertible *****
[/COLOR]
5.0 HO 306 roller block, machined GT-40P heads, Wiseco dished forged pistons, Eagle forged floating I-beam connecting rods, Lunati pushrods, ARP bolts, Scorpion aluminum 1.6 rockers, Comp Cams Magnum 266HR, Explorer intake, 65mm TB, MAF Conversion, 19# injectors, Ford Racing stainless P-headers, 2-1/2" cat-less exhaust w/ Flowtech Afterburner lers , SC AOD with 2800 BDR torque converter, 3.73 T-Lok rear, CHE rear control arms, full 2-1/2" frame w/1" jacking rails & seat supports, Rear disk brakes, Turbine wheels, All original interior w/ floor shift upgrade .......
Pretty much every panel on my 87 is new, rebuilt, or re constructed. :D
Join us on Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_137541156293768&ap=1

Roof to 1/4 panel metal strips question...

Reply #2 –
Yes,that's it.I have never given them any thought at all until today.
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

Roof to 1/4 panel metal strips question...

Reply #3 –
I believe they also work as a gutter. never took one off to see how it was attached. I'll find out later this week. I'll take one off.

I'm sure the first time you close the door you'll get it it crack though.

Thats also a big stress point. mabe if you had a full frame and other bracing in the car

I really don't know. :hick:
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
***** Project "EVOLUTION" 1987 Cougar LS  & 1985 Cougar Convertible *****
[/COLOR]
5.0 HO 306 roller block, machined GT-40P heads, Wiseco dished forged pistons, Eagle forged floating I-beam connecting rods, Lunati pushrods, ARP bolts, Scorpion aluminum 1.6 rockers, Comp Cams Magnum 266HR, Explorer intake, 65mm TB, MAF Conversion, 19# injectors, Ford Racing stainless P-headers, 2-1/2" cat-less exhaust w/ Flowtech Afterburner lers , SC AOD with 2800 BDR torque converter, 3.73 T-Lok rear, CHE rear control arms, full 2-1/2" frame w/1" jacking rails & seat supports, Rear disk brakes, Turbine wheels, All original interior w/ floor shift upgrade .......
Pretty much every panel on my 87 is new, rebuilt, or re constructed. :D
Join us on Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_137541156293768&ap=1

Roof to 1/4 panel metal strips question...

Reply #4 –
I'll leave them as is then.I am NOT going to even risk my new paint for something that small.I was just a little curious.By the way,they are held on with nuts from inside the car under the headliner.
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

Roof to 1/4 panel metal strips question...

Reply #5 –
That strip is there to cover the meeting point for the roof and rear quarter panel. If, say, you were to need to replace one or the other, that's the point where you'd separate the panels. The metal strip is simply a cover.

However, as Jerry mentioned, I don't think that area would hold up well with body filler unless the car was stiffened.

Roof to 1/4 panel metal strips question...

Reply #6 –
Agreed.It shall remain as I found them.....except painted.
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

Roof to 1/4 panel metal strips question...

Reply #7 –
Ya know, I took out the headliner in mine years ago for cleaning, and I never noticed the nuts holding those strips on.  I'm smarter now than I once was.  So, let's say I was going to do an all-over paint job, too.  Would it be in my best interest to remove the headliner and those pieces to make sure the seams do not fill with paint, as well as to make sure they get appropriately covered?  I'm planning on stripping the trim on the entire car before taking it to the paint shop.  That'll save a bundle in cost to R&R stuff that I can do for free.  (well, as free as my time is)
 
I have a new bumper cover on the way, have replaced the LF fender, header, and have refinished some old headlight doors.  Lookin good so far.  BTW, the same folks that sell the bumper cover sell most of the front end parts for anyone that's interested.  They can be found at:
 
http://www.autobodypartsonline.com/cgi-bin/webc.cgi/st_main.html?catid=975&sid=77CBJv1zeCcnB4X-45108343281.94
 
That link is for the 86 model, but you can find your own car there if you'd rather have replacement parts than patching up stuff from a junker.
 
I'm not much of a body man, so most of the patching and smoothing will be up to the painter.  I could probably rough it in so that it's fairly minor repairs, and save a few more bucks, though.  I DID do my VW, but used fiberglass to fill rather than bondo.  It's STILL there, no cracks or peeling.  It does require a pretty rough finish on the metal to make it stay put, though.  Methinks the Bird gets the good paint job, and the VW gets the Maaco special.
:birdsmily:
(X2) '86 Thunderbird, 3.8L CFI, C5 Tranny
 
'92 F-150, 5.0L EFI (SD), M5OD Tranny, 3.08 Dif
 
'70 VW Beetle, 1780cc, twin Solex 43's.

Roof to 1/4 panel metal strips question...

Reply #8 –
I had ordered fenders for my 87 Cougar from them, and they called me a few weeks after, saying they were out of stock and weren't planning on carrying them again.

This was last august.
Do they stock them again?
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
***** Project "EVOLUTION" 1987 Cougar LS  & 1985 Cougar Convertible *****
[/COLOR]
5.0 HO 306 roller block, machined GT-40P heads, Wiseco dished forged pistons, Eagle forged floating I-beam connecting rods, Lunati pushrods, ARP bolts, Scorpion aluminum 1.6 rockers, Comp Cams Magnum 266HR, Explorer intake, 65mm TB, MAF Conversion, 19# injectors, Ford Racing stainless P-headers, 2-1/2" cat-less exhaust w/ Flowtech Afterburner lers , SC AOD with 2800 BDR torque converter, 3.73 T-Lok rear, CHE rear control arms, full 2-1/2" frame w/1" jacking rails & seat supports, Rear disk brakes, Turbine wheels, All original interior w/ floor shift upgrade .......
Pretty much every panel on my 87 is new, rebuilt, or re constructed. :D
Join us on Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_137541156293768&ap=1

Roof to 1/4 panel metal strips question...

Reply #9 –
I think if you're removing everything,you may as well remove those strips as well.After all the work involved,why wouldn't you?
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..
 

Roof to 1/4 panel metal strips question...

Reply #10 –
Quote from: daminc;223896
I had ordered fenders for my 87 Cougar from them, and they called me a few weeks after, saying they were out of stock and weren't planning on carrying them again.
 
This was last august.
Do they stock them again?

Dunno 'bout stocking them, but they sure show 'em on the web site.  I ordered the bumper cover dby, and it didn't kick back.  Got a real live tracking number and all that good stuff.  Started to order the fender and header too, but found a good one of each at the Pull-A-Part.  Walked outta there with a buncha stuff for about $140, including the ever elusive wing mirror, motor and all.  I started to pick up a bunch of the mirror control switches too to clean up and keep one for personal stock, and offer the rest on here.  There were 8 Fox Birds there, ranging from 1986 - 1988.  Didn't really look for Cats, but found one with 3 of 4 turbines on it.  :(  Just wish it had the 4th.  Woulda been mine.  One was a little rough though.
:birdsmily:
(X2) '86 Thunderbird, 3.8L CFI, C5 Tranny
 
'92 F-150, 5.0L EFI (SD), M5OD Tranny, 3.08 Dif
 
'70 VW Beetle, 1780cc, twin Solex 43's.