Anyone done the early 308 Roof seal mod? | FerrariChat
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Anyone done the early 308 Roof seal mod?

Discussion in 'Technical Q&A' started by Wayne 962, Sep 20, 2005.

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  1. Wayne 962

    Wayne 962 Formula Junior
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    Nov 27, 2003
    503
    #1 Wayne 962, Sep 20, 2005
    Just bought a targa roof, but my car has the later-model seal, and I need to file down the roof in some sections in order to make it fit (there's a Ferrari bulletin on this).

    Anyone done this mod before?

    -Wayne
     
  2. enjoythemusic

    enjoythemusic F1 World Champ

    Apr 20, 2002
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    Steven
    #2 enjoythemusic, Sep 20, 2005
    i have the Ferrari bulletin but am not home until the 24th. If no one answers here or supplied the PDF please PM me and i'll send you a copy of the page(s).
     
  3. Ferrari_tech

    Ferrari_tech Formula 3

    Jul 28, 2003
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    Malcolm W
    #3 Ferrari_tech, Sep 20, 2005
    Wayne,

    PM me your e-mail address and I will scan for you.
     
  4. BigTex

    BigTex Seven Time F1 World Champ
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    Dec 6, 2002
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    Bubba
    #4 BigTex, Sep 20, 2005
    What's the Bulletin number??

    I have a PDF of them as well, couyld FAX it, Wayne, if I have it!

    Thanks FerrariUK! You rock!

    Gotta go, surf is coming up soon! ;)
    You don't need that Bulletin, if you only have GTBs........LOL!
     
  5. nevpugh68

    nevpugh68 Rookie

    Nov 2, 2003
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    Ashby de la Zouch, UK
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    Neville Pugh
    #5 nevpugh68, Sep 20, 2005
    So ... what's this about ? I fitted a new front and rear seal about a year ago, and I've not been able to get the targa roof to fit right since (WAY too tight) ... will this solve it perchance ?

    Neville
     
  6. spiderseeker

    spiderseeker Formula 3

    Jul 22, 2005
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    Steve
    #6 spiderseeker, Sep 20, 2005
    I'd love to see the PDF too- my targa top isn't exactly a perfect fit. Didn't know a fix was out there.
    Steve
     
  7. f355spider

    f355spider F1 World Champ
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    May 29, 2001
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    #7 f355spider, Sep 20, 2005
    YES! I bought the kit from T.Rutland's and had good body shop owner/friend install it.

    *Note that this modification is for the 1978 GTS cars, as this was standard begining in 1979.

    In order to do it well, and have a nicely finished top, he repainted the interior black portions, which required removal and reinstallation of the vinyl inserts. When completed, it still leaked very slightly at the tops of the A-pillars (usually when a hose was directed there during car washing, not when driving in the rain). But the seal at the front was perfect, just like the later cars.

    My recommendation? If you are having sealing troubles, I would just buy all new stock oem seals and replace them, and leave it at that. I would not bother with the modification. I think I ended up spending around $900 for the installation work at the bodyshop, and my buddy felt that he probably should have charged me more, based on the hours he put in. He did a very profesional job though, so it looked like the factory did it.

    Interesting, when my buddy removed the forward rubber seal (at the top of windshield) he said it was obvious that a previous shop had tried to tighten the fit by bending the lip that the rubber seal fits on, backward. He said there were tons of marks from the pliers or Vicegrips used. No biggie, since that is covered by the seal itself..but interesting none the less.
     
  8. Wayne 962

    Wayne 962 Formula Junior
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    #8 Wayne 962, Sep 20, 2005
    Sorry, I should have given a bit more info. I have a 1979 308 GTS, and it has the later-style roof and front seal. Lee at T Rutlands told me that they made the switch in very late 1979 (which I think mine is), so I have the later style roof and later style seal.

    I bought a spare roof from them, and it didn't fit because the seal modification had been implemented on the car. I could exchange the roof with them for a later one, but then the headliner wouldn't match the car (it has the early 308 striped headliner, which is pretty neat). I bought the spare roof to put on the car when it's in the garage (so that you can just remove the roof and go, instead of having to jerk around with it and put it behind the seats). Spare roofs are very useful - I used to do this all the time when my 914-6 was running.

    So, I have the later seal on the car, and the later roof, but the new spare roof is the earlier style (even though it's also from a 1979 car). So, I need to modify the roof, and I wanted to know if anyone had any experience with it. I do have the PDF that Lee at T.Rutlands faxed over to me (the only thing that's bad about it, is that I can't read whether it says the lip should be 6mm or 8mm). For those that offered to email the PDF - thanks - it may be useful to post / attach it here for others?

    -Wayne
     

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