Cracked A-pillars?

[DMan]

Hello,

I have an 86 T-top GN with about 105k miles. A few years back I noticed that both A-pillars have a crack in them, right at the base where they join the frame near the upper door hinge.

Has anyone experienced this before? Is this repairable? Any tips on what the right approach is? The windshield really shakes a lot and the squeaking/creaking is horrendous...

Denis

 

[DMan]

bump..help?

 

[Bweavy]

Dennis the hood bumper is a rubber snubber section that is in the rear dead center of the hood.It's just a piece of rubber that helps hold it up. Put a little grease on it & I think the herendous windshield noise would stop.

 

[DMan]

Thanks BWeavy, but I've had this car for 14 years now - that solution has been implemented a ways back

No, I'm talking serious T-top integrity issues here. Going over bumps you can see the windshield waggle back and forth, and subsequently the t-tops make/break contact with the roof section at the rear. Sounds unbearable. Looks terrible.

Curious if anyone has dealt with this, but it seems like I'm the only case.

 

[turbo2nr]

It happens (often). I added a roll-cage and all the braces I could find for my T-top car. Sorry to hear about the tear in the metal. My car (at 11,000 original miles) had four creases above the windows. OK, I admit, I had a few T-brake launches that might have helped the problem.

kirban had a pic of this in their cataloge. I was aware of this years ago. Look at any Regal in the junk yard with T-tops. Even some of the hard tops have this buckle/tear.

You car sounds pretty bad! Are you missing body bushings or bolts?

 

[DMan]

Thanks 2nr,

no I'm not missing any bushings in fact I had them all replaced a few years back. Even after I changed all the bushings, it was still a problem.

 

[Bweavy]

We had a car in here last fall like that the window actually had a gap at the top.We sold him a new roof.Come to find out the old roof had rusted internally so bad there was no real integrity left.If you need a roof we have rust free t-top & hard top rofs. We also have moon roofs.

 

[PEACHS]

Check to see if you have wheels that are out of balance or bent rims, broken motor or tranny mounts, bad shock absorbers. That will cause the windshield to flex or even break seal and drop. The windshield acts as a body brace to. Look in the trunk or behind the back seat to see if the factory body welds have broke loose. How are your T-Top seals? If the are dried out then you lose the rigidness of the body too. Hope this helps.

 

[DMan]

Thanks to all. It looks like I need to take the car to a body shop to investigate.

Wheels are good. Motor mounts new. Shock absorbers are Bilsteins - not old. Frame braces in the trunk. T-top seals replaced a few years back. Still good.

 

[miked]

Cracked A pillars.

I agree with Brian, I had an 1982 GN I used for parts . The entire window frame was rusted out. But from the inside. They fill the pillars at the factory with foam in a can type of material. It holds in the water and rust develops. Just my .02 cents. Hope its turns to be something minor. Thanks Mike D.