Damaged hardtop front seal - HELP!

[treff-7]

I'm about to buy a hardtop and it's missing pieces from the front seal. Realoem says $700!! That's too much for me.
Does anybody know a place that sells them? Or a good alternative solution?
Thanks!

[McGyver]

i would like to know the answer as well. but either way, make sure that you have the pins to mount it and the covers. if the liner is sagging or the back glass is missing, then make sure they come really low in price. you can re glue the headliner, but it wont look perfect. and the back glass is impossible to find.

[treff-7]

i would like to know the answer as well. but either way, make sure that you have the pins to mount it and the covers. if the liner is sagging or the back glass is missing, then make sure they come really low in price. you can re glue the headliner, but it wont look perfect. and the back glass is impossible to find.

the liner is sagging and torn too but it has the glass. i don't know about the pins though. i gotta ask him. it's in a pretty bad shape. the fabric on the outside has scratches and some holes around the edges. i offered him $650.

[siggy]

I have a 'vert and a hardtop. Here is my 2cents..

Can't be positive, but the front hardtop seal has alot in common with the front folding top seal, the difference being the amount the seal extends back on the sides. On the hardtop, it goes all the way back. On the folding top, it goes back to the first hinged point. If the front seal is there but compromised, a creative guy might be able to bond a front seal from a folding top to the side pieces of the hardtop seal. Front seals for the folding top are approx. $110 new, and also do show up on the boards & at p-n-pulls on occasion.

[McGyver]

well tell him that the headliner is $600 to replace, the pins can only come from the dealer and are $121 each (u need 2), and the cards to cover the pin spot are $33 new. If he doesnt have the wrench, thats another $30. You can re-glue the headliner yourself and have it come out nice, bolts can be used instead of the pins, and the card covers arent necessary. the only problem is the outer cloth and the seal. But you can through those prices around to try to get the seller to lower the price for you. also look for the bag stand to see if he has them.

[thereisnoyun]

a new glass can be had, from BMW in Germany, its about 300 + for a new one. I bought mine for 300 about 3 years ago.

the headliner sagging can cover up some serious damage. Ask me how I know. I had water intrusion, and the sagging came with the fiberglass and sandwich construction parting. I had to epoxy everything back, and then made a new hardtop.

headliner will look pretty cheap if you try to re-glue fabrics that was once stretched and glue.

The front seal, you "can" use the soft top one, and glue it straight on, but if you are buying a top with missing pieces such as the seal I woudlnt even look at it. Its a waste of time.

[treff-7]

Thanks guys!! helped me a lot!

i don't worry about the fabric on the outside too much because sooner or later i will end up painting it.

i didn't know that replacing the headliner was so expensive! what makes it so pricey? i thought it was only a nice sheet of fabric glued on the inside. i have vert. so i don't really know too much about liners... :)

is the side part of the seal attached to the top the same way as it is on the soft top? if they are really so similar then i'm sure i can come up with a solution of some kind.

i read somewhere that when you buy a top you need to look for soft spots. does that come from leaking?

BTW i asked the guy about the pins and covers. he has the pins but no covers.

to be honest i don't think he will accept my offer but who knows. it looked pretty crappy in the picture he sent.

[VacMan]

Is this the guy in Imperial Beach?

[treff-7]

Is this the guy in Imperial Beach?

yeah.

[DRTSRFR]

Headliner material is relatively cheap. Usually less than $20 a square yard...

http://www.wlsheadliners.com/headliner-by-the-yard-c-9.html