1968 Coronet 500 Project
- Thread starter JimKueneman
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themechanic
Oklahoma is OK
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Not orange but close. At least you can see what it how it would look without a vinyl top. I think a black top would look good on an orange car but not on my copper car.
Cornpatch MO
Well-Known Member
Thank you for giving the extra information as to the placement of the factory holes. That will help a lot................................MO
JimKueneman
Well-Known Member
Wow. Bought a cheap Harbor Freight buffer and good polishes and wheels at the auto refinishing supply today. I buffed and polished my windshield mouldings..... they look like chrome now. Amazing difference that does not photograph very well. But in person WOW. New vinyl top is on the UPS truck for delivery. The wife will be earning her next car show spot with me tomorrow helping with the top
Cornpatch MO
Well-Known Member
When you put your new vinyl top on, will you be putting screws at the ends of the seams to hold them down ( hidden by the window stainless trim) ? And will you do anything different when installing the stainless drip edge trim over the vinyl. In particular at the horizontal seam on the A pillar ( about 1/4 of the way down from top of windshield)? I still haven't put that drip edge trim on my 68 Plymouth Satty. ..............................MO
JimKueneman
Well-Known Member
Screws till the glue drys and yes it cut it. It take lots of photos
JimKueneman
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Thought I could do it all in one day... Not that good.... Note to anyone, Harbor Freight spray guns suck.... it worked for the glue but I could not even imagine putting down a nice coat of paint... The top is 98% better.... No cut short mistakes and it is nice and tight. I did get a couple blobs something under it in a couple places but I can live with that. I took the time to hammer out some dents in the passenger drip moulding then file them smooth, sand and buff them out. Can't tell I dented the the first time I tried to install them with a rubber mallet.... NEVER do that.....
JimKueneman
Well-Known Member
Got the front glass in with the buffed trim, it is soooooo purdy! I forgot to mark where the trim clips are in the rear.... it is going to be a long day tomorrow trying to find them with a pick through the new top.... Oh I can use the old top to find them !!!!!!! Taking the time to post this just paid off! @Cornpatch MO see how I cut the top out around the clip that is near the seam. That allows the clip to set deep and the seam to be closer to the trim. Also see how I cut the top where the drip rail goes on and the seam makes it hard. I don't cut down far enough that the drip rail goes behind the surface of the top but I dig out the material BEHIND the surface vinyl so the surface vinyl can crush down further so I don't have to crush it as much trying to snap on the drip rail moulding..... This is a time critical job and there is about a 6 hour gap in photos 
. Man that new glass is crystal clear!
. Man that new glass is crystal clear!
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Cornpatch MO
Well-Known Member
Thank you Jim, That helps me greatly - as I'm sure it will others. It all looks good, and a new windshield is surprising as to what a difference in clarity there is.............MO
JimKueneman
Well-Known Member
Agreed, the clarity from the drivers seat compared to the 50 year old glass is stunning..... Need to take a photo of the factory marking so I can try to mimic them on the new glass.
JimKueneman
Well-Known Member
Oh and this tool is AMAZING.... makes R&R of the wipers a snap...
https://www.classicindustries.com/product/1968/dodge/coronet/parts/y65750.html
https://www.classicindustries.com/product/1968/dodge/coronet/parts/y65750.html
Wietse
Well-Known Member
That tool is worth every cent it costs!
When i got it i wondered how this simple thing should ease the job.....briljant!
PP1RT
Well-Known Member
JimKueneman
Well-Known Member
With the glass out much easier to fix some thing that bugged me. Note to others make sure you blackout the area you can see down through the glass and package shelf grills/vents. I could see orange and with the new glass it would be worse. I blacked out items and the corners where the shelf window gasket does not quite reach.
JimKueneman
Well-Known Member
It was not that hard to find the trim holes using the trim as the guide. You could see where the clips dug up the back side of the trim. Here is a reference for future generation
JimKueneman
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Some sealer snake and it is as simple as dropping in the glass!
JimKueneman
Well-Known Member
Buffing the trim was next. $44 Harbor Freight buffer with quality medium and soft wheel along with the compound for each for soft metal. Simple scratches just buff it out and see how they look. If not too bad just wet sand with 400 grit if deep and then 1000 grit and buff it out again. I just wanted to make these scratches less visible since they are up in your face on the back window. I just used 1000 grit and rebuffed. The parts get REALLY hot so glove are necessary. One of the wheel well moulding had a nick so use a quality fine file and LIGHTLY file, let the file do the work don't make big deep grooves. Light touch is all you need. I did not remove the entire nick, it was too deep. It is better and when buffed it is so shiny you don't notice it anymore. Then use 400 wet to remove the file scratches and 1000 wet and rebuff. May take a few retries with the sanding.
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JimKueneman
Well-Known Member
Man that glass is SO CLEAR...... Went to Patagonia with the youngest for some ice cream at the Gathering Grounds and I got BUGs all over it.... grrrrrrrrr......
JimKueneman
Well-Known Member
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