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Leaking Top

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dphilippo

Senior Member
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I drive my Healey to the office on a regular basis and being that I'm in Atlanta that means that there are occasionally pop up thunderstorms he needs to sit through. If it rains really hard for a while, it can soak through the seams that run over the nylon webbing straps. Maybe that's what the straps are for? The top was put on about 8-years ago and is in good shape and it takes a pretty good soaking for the problem to occur. Does anyone know of any kind of sealer that I can use on the seams to keep them from soaking through? Let me state in advance that I know I'm not supposed to get the car wet or drive it in anything other than sunshine with 0% chance of rain.
Thanks,
Drew
65 BJ8
 
Hey Drew,
As a former Atlantan, you are a braver man than me to drive your car to the office ! You must stay off of the autobahn's up there as even with a Healey which can keep up with modern traffic, Atlanta traffic will make you chew nails. Anyway, as to your leaks, if I recall correctly with the BJ8's I have owned over the years, the webbing should not have been stitched to the actual top material. Only place where the integrity of the top was punctured was the two screws over the top rail. Those could be water proofed by various means. If someone stitched through your top material, guess you could try to apply some kind of water proofing carefully to the stitching - so it doesn't show - and see if that helps.I also know what you mean about in a perfect world we only drive in perfect weather with no chance of rain, but it happens and best to be prepared with a couple of towels just in case - that's part of the charm or at least that's what we all say !!!
Good luck,
Mike
 
Mike is correct the webbing straps are put on first and are separate to the vinyl top material. They are used to set the gaps between each hood rail and then the hood is put over the top and trimmed to the shape the set rails make. The top and webbing are not stitched to each other, there should only be a stitched seam over the last hood rail / top of window and one running front to back just above the webbing on each side
 
I'm guessing I wasn't clear. The webbing is separate from the top, the water just leaks through the seam above the webbing and then rolls off the webbing. I mentioned the webbing more as a way of identifying the seam that is leaking.

As for driving in Atlanta, I drove some laps down at the speedway a couple of years ago. When I told the guy that I regularly drove a Healey down I85 he just laughed and told me I would do just fine on the track.
 
You might contact Robbin's tops. They are the largest top maker and one of the top makers for the Healey. They may have a product you can use.

You could also look into products that seal tents when they have leaks in the seams. Check this out
 
Just a bad top. Along with Rogers suggestion I see a black water repellent in a spry can on TV that might seal the joint if you mask it off neatly
 
Outdoor stores, like REI, sell seam sealer for tents that works quite well. It may show, so a test would be a good idea.

Frank
 
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