Thanks fo the tips. I live in Tampa and have printed the info for posterity in case my '08 needs a new top. In the past Ernie's Auto Upholstery replaced a couple of tops on my '70 Cutlass, but the last one was too tight and ripped. I will keep Classic Auto at the top of my list.

 

I am going to try this 3M stuff tomorrow. I picked it up today along with a headlight restoring kit. The headlight stuff was the bomb, and I have New looking lenses after only 30 minutes of work. Is your repair still holding up? I want to get the new top with the 350Z glass in the pocket, but my gosh, it is all so expensive!!

 

Yep! Been three weeks so far. Looks like new! Top goes up and down everyday. Holding up GREAT!

Did a sort of How-To on this thread https://www.crossfireforum.org/forum/crossfire-roadster/35371-roadster-rear-window-problem.html#post396080

 

Just finished about an hour ago, and I was real thorough in the prep, and though the stuff is hard to keep from sticking to everything, managed to get it on all areas of window without a mess on the canvas or car. It does seem to be the ticket, and the nature of this stuff being somewhat flexible, makes it removable if another repair is necessary down the line. I will let everyone know if my repair is successful down the line. Thanks for the great post on this repair. STEVE T

 

Hey Steve,
Your repair looks EXACTLY like mine!
Good work!

 

Hey - I have an 05 roadster, garaged with the same mileage as you and my window peeled off the top last week; I've also been told that only the OEM has equipment to install the window and a whole new top will be required. If I don't find a better solution, I'm tempted to have a marine top manufacturer sew in a zipper with eisenglas in it; it's not like I use the defroster in the rear window much down here.
Kristin

 

My top has been tested since the repair, and lowering and raising didn't pull it loose. I am going to drive the G35 to work or use my truck this week, and won't be driving thru august due to shoulder tendon repair on Friday. I hope by the time I can shift gears that it isn't so hot, or I may just garage for the rest of the heat and use other vehicles. I think the design is crap, not having a pocket for the window to rest in is ignorant engineering, and I don't design tops!! The people that do should get it together, and that goes for all manufacturers. Some are OK, but this problem is just one of many that the auto industry dropped the ball on. I still love my roadster, but will be getting the aftermarket pocket mounted 350Z windowed top next year. Will let y'all know how long the fix lasts.

 

I have applied one coat of black silicone adhesive I purchased at Advance auto parts. It will need another coat since the lip around the edge had curled outward. It looks kinda crappy right now, but a little trimming after the next coat should make it look OK. The one coat seems to be holding very well. I guess this would be considered a temporary repair unless the adhesive is a better quality than the OEM stuff (why not?).

Art

 

If you just used standard black silicone you are going to be dissapointed. Use the good stuff, 3M Window-Weld (08609). Did my repair a month ago and it is still holding perfect.

 

The problem seems to be in SW florida especially. My folks called me yesterday, they arrived back at the airport after a few day trip and the rear window of the XF was sitting on the rear ledge 90% disconnected. I was wondering if enough people would be interested to where we can approach this shop in tampa who has already done one with great success and minimal expense to see if we can organize a group buy. I am sure there is significant interest with the amount of people who would need, coupled with the fact that factory tops are 2x as expensive, limited availability, and are more than likely prone to the same problem. Anyone interested?

 

I used Permatex part #81158 black silicone adhesive sealant. It is different than the 3M Window Weld part #08609 which is a urethane sealant. 3M recommends their product is used to seal primered (3M product) glass to painted car bodies Also they recommend that the orig. sealer not be totally removed(!). Permatex claims their product secures windshields, vinyl tops, metal etc.. I have used Permatex products nearly 50 years with satisfaction. I used what I could find. I came across the Crossfire forum after my repair had been completed.

Art Rigsby

 

Not sure what your man's limitations are (were), but if anybody is considering having a top made, the choice of colors should be fairly dramatic. I once had a white Grand Torino and put a powder blue top on it. Gorgeous. I bet the SSB Crossfire would be striking with a coordinated blue top.

Somebody on the site has a pic of a black Crossfire done out in brown leather.

 

I believe it is FP who likes to post the leather convertible top pick, but I bet if he got one, it would be orange LOL

He could probably pull it off too hahaha

 

i'm actually dropping my car off at Classic Interiors in Tampa tomorrow. The price has gone up a little bit due to material cost of the top. They wanted $1475+ tax but since I told him of the positive responses from this forum he dropped the price to $1275+tax.

They are also documenting all of the cars that come into the shop so they can possibly submit enough paperwork to Chrysler and maybe we could get a reimbursement or a recall notice for this issue (and maybe they would do the work or sell a kit). Either way, it's a step in the right direction for some bad engineering

Anyway, I'm getting a black top so I'll post pics once I get the car back which will be Monday or Tuesday of next week

 

Last year after I got my car I was in Casper Wyoming on vacation and took my roadster through a car wash. It was a manual wash and when I got done there was water on my rear dash. It looked like it came in from around the rear window, but it hasn't leaked since and I can't find any gaps. The temperatures were in the low 60s. Not sure what was up with this. Has anyone else experienced this?

Also if I had to replace my top I would think about doing a gun metal grey or scarlet red.

 

Coule the pressure from the hose have hit it at the correct angle and forced some water through the pressure seal of the top??

 

yes 3m does make a window glue that works great it comes in a caulking tube but is smaller than the normal size but it is worth the cost $19.00 for glue and $20.00 for gun. good luck!

 

I am not a fan of tan tops but they did do a very good job for you.

I hope that everyone reading this thread has a pop-topp cover. IT is the only thing that you can use for protecting your top.

The heat is the primary culprit. Wind buffeting is not a real issue. The fact that these tops are black, the are like a heat seeking sensor and the cars really heat up in the southern sun.

The poptopp cover keeps em cool and eliminates direct heat on the adhesive.

At least there is an alternative if your top fails but this would never make me get rid of my roadster! These challenges go with all roadsters unless you have a sewn in like the ones on the likes of those laborghinis, but then you would have paid for a new top 100 times over! LOL!

 

wow....I'd better go look at my roadster....may want to go topless all the time...tighed1 and Lark's idea sounds like the cheaper fix....off to look at my rear window...

 

My repair with 3M window weld is holding up in the 100 degree TX heat after 1 month. I think that even if I had to fix every 6 months, I would forego the new top option. I will post if it comes loose. After all, I only had to repair 1/3 of the glass, so I expect the OEM glue to fail on the rest soon.