T-panel

[Trstno1]

Would someone be able to give me step by step instructions on how to remove the T-panel? One side of my T-panel seems to be bowing upward by the drivers door and I wanted to figure out why.

Pics would be awesome!!

[DMCMW Dave]

Yes. No pics at the moment but you won't need them.

Remove three screws that hold the plastic trim above the rear window in place. Lift up the bottom of that trim carefully and rotate it to disengage the 4 tabs across the top. It's fragile.

With a blunt scraper remove the outer door seal where it fills the roof gap at the rear of the doors. You need it loose the width of the t-panel. Under the glue you'll find 3 screws on each side. Take them out.

At this point all that holds the roof in place is double sided tape (or glue if some prior idiot glued the panel on). The leading edge is tabbed under the front windshield trim but you do not need to remove the trim. You may find that nothing is holding the roof on, this means that someone else took it off first and didn't bother to secure it back with anything but the screws.

Lift up the back edge of the t-panel and if you are lucky the tape will just let go. If not, you'll need to get under it with a long metal strip (metal yardstick, pry bar etc) and carefully separate it. You want to be BELOW the pad that is essentially part of the panel, that stays in place attached to the panel and you separate that from the roof of the car.

To reinstall it clean everything up and then build the tape back up using layers of 3M VHB-molding tape. Please do not glue the roof back on. The next person to work on the car will thank you.

I've had a car or two where the roof was glued on (one being my own car!!). On these the reinforcement panel that is attached to the t-panel broke and had to be replaced.

The t-panel will take an amazing amount of force but if you get carried away you can kink it.

[Trstno1]

Thanks Dave!

I have attached a couple pictures that show my issue. Hopefully the tape just gave way on that side. :headscratch::thumbup:

[DMCMW Dave]

Thanks Dave!

I have attached a couple pictures that show my issue. Hopefully the tape just gave way on that side. :headscratch::thumbup:

Often the tape (foam) has just disintegrated over time. Means the roof will come off easily!

[john 05141]

I hate it when the T-panel is not sitting straight.
But even with the best double sided tape, it will not hold.
I used a glue the last time and that did not hold either. My problem is that the doors are pushing the panel, so I know they need to be reajusted.

My roofcage needs to be replaced, so at that time I will get this fixed permanently.

[Bitsyncmaster]

I hate it when the T-panel is not sitting straight.
But even with the best double sided tape, it will not hold.
I used a glue the last time and that did not hold either. My problem is that the doors are pushing the panel, so I know they need to be reajusted.

My roofcage needs to be replaced, so at that time I will get this fixed permanently.

My T panel lifts when the door is closed. I was thinking of fiberglassing a hook in the center that slides into a mating fitting fiberglassed onto the roof.

[Trstno1]

My T panel lifts when the door is closed. I was thinking of fiberglassing a hook in the center that slides into a mating fitting fiberglassed onto the roof.

Now that's an interesting idea!

[Jonathan]

Bit of an old thread revival, but I had Dave's instructions from the 2nd post saved to a Word file on my computer... and I just got around to this job today.

I got the rear plastic trim off without breaking it thankfully. All the screws came out there and behind the weather striping and the t-panel pulled away from the adhesive that was left holding it in place fairly easily. I'd add to the instructions somewhere to put gloves on to avoid slicing thee crrrrrrr-ap out of your finger, but you already know that of course (ouch!!).

Anywho... after the transfusion, I got looking at the under belly.

This foam-ish pad that is secured on the underside of the t-panel looks to be fairly intact. It's not straight though. From front to back, it's noticeably curved (just the foam, not the stainless). I might tell you it looks like the shape of the bottom of a boat if I were a fisherman. This little access hatch that had some very nice (and gooey) black tape still across the entire thing looks like it has the electrical connectors and what not and probably where you would change the CPU in the T-800 to learn mode ;)

It's above about where that access cover is that is my low point and also where the slim end of my curved under foam is too. This "building back up with 3M tape"... was it always under-filled so to speak right from the factory? Mine didn't look like anything had decayed away (other than the cob webs) but any force from above over the years would have nothing to push against underneath and it seems inevitable that they would get pushed down and not be able to get back up.

I'll post some pictures perhaps once my finger stops bleeding....

[Jonathan]

Anyone know if this kind of thing can be found at a local hardware store?

http://store.delorean.com/p-9313-u-clip.aspx

I see they are available and not expensive ($0.68 ) but I'd like to put off placing an order until there is more in the box crossing the border than a couple clips.

[Jonathan]

Here's a couple pics.

Before:

3553435535

After (cleaning)... I think my car has had more cob webs than some Indiana Jones movie scenes:

3553635537

Test fit: (I believe my issue is less about building back up the underside and more to do with the effect of a small kink right at the corner on the driver's door which won't let the panel flex out in that slightly rounded shape and instead has it flexing in the opposite direction (down instead of up).

3553835539

[Christian Dietrich]

What causes the back of the T panel to bow up and snag the louvers? Its been that way since I owned the car for 12 years and now I have new louvers installed and I have the louvers adjusted slightly upward to prevent from snagging. I know how to remove the T panel and done it on another car but what causes it to bow upwards? I do have the back 3 screws tighten down pretty good but she doesn't want to move down anymore? So I figured I'd ask.

[Bitsyncmaster]

What causes the back of the T panel to bow up and snag the louvers? Its been that way since I owned the car for 12 years and now I have new louvers installed and I have the louvers adjusted slightly upward to prevent from snagging. I know how to remove the T panel and done it on another car but what causes it to bow upwards? I do have the back 3 screws tighten down pretty good but she doesn't want to move down anymore? So I figured I'd ask.

I had to drill the brackets so I could put the screws into a lower postion.

[Christian Dietrich]

I had to drill the brackets so I could put the screws into a lower postion.
Which brackets buddy?

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[Drive Stainless]

What causes the back of the T panel to bow up and snag the louvers? Its been that way since I owned the car for 12 years and now I have new louvers installed and I have the louvers adjusted slightly upward to prevent from snagging. I know how to remove the T panel and done it on another car but what causes it to bow upwards? I do have the back 3 screws tighten down pretty good but she doesn't want to move down anymore? So I figured I'd ask.

Once you have the rear upper finisher trim installed (3 screws), you can squeeze the little stainless tabs on the T-panel so that it stays down. Dave Swingle will remind you that these tabs can break off, so be gentle.

[Christian Dietrich]

Yeah i did that and its still this way. Might remove it to see whats under there? Ibhave those 3 screws tight, 4 stainless tabs squeezed damn good and tried pressing down on it but it wont budge anymore?

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[Christian Dietrich]

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160916/50b21fb55ad408413bf81044e947ec93.jpghttp://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160916/4a870be1494e6f63278de5c90d580428.jpghttp://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160916/bb1ace44b5623248002aa06e89203ba4.jpghttp://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160916/a294d59be75d25b112e76c258477b920.jpg

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[Morpheus]

The first picture makes it look like your T-panel is LOWER than your doors. If this is the case, I would remove it and lay down some strips of weatherstripping on the top of your roof box to bring it up a little. This helps with open Door / T-Panel rubbing issues if you are having those also.

[Christian Dietrich]

No i dont have any issue's with the T panel rubbing but it does look a little low.

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[aotmfilms]

Part of the way to solve the issue with the louver from snagging the T-bar is to either adjust the louver screws or drill new holes and adjust the louver. That's what I did with mine when it was hitting the t panel.

--Doug

[Christian Dietrich]

Part of the way to solve the issue with the louver from snagging the T-bar is to either adjust the louver screws or drill new holes and adjust the louver. That's what I did with mine when it was hitting the t panel.

--Doug
Sounds like a good idea Doug. So I guess what you're saying is to drill new holes in the back of the T panel for the 3 screws so it can move down even more? Am I reading you right on that account?

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[Bitsyncmaster]

Which brackets buddy?

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This was when I first got the car and the louver would catch sometimes on the T panel. I'm pretty sure I drilled and tapped the brackets where the rear finisher bolted to. Now the finisher would hold the T panel lower.

[Christian Dietrich]

Thats sounds like it might work Dave! I know there tiny screws. Almost feels like its bottoming out to something? I could always remove the screws and see if it moves down further. Mine has been this way since i bought the car but how does it get that way?

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[DMC-81]

Another thing you can try is to insert a small piece of appropriately thick rubber gasket material to fill in the gap. Like so...

46299

[Christian Dietrich]

Another thing you can try is to insert a small piece of appropriately thick rubber gasket material to fill in the gap. Like so...

46299
Yeah so my car has some foam stuff on it but it was all deteriorated and dry rotted. I get married in a little over a week from now and my fiance doesn't want me there really big into any big projects with the car because it's going to be featured in my wedding along with two other DeLorean so I'm getting all this crap straightened out so after the wedding I'm taking it off the road again to finish doing what I need to do. It's safe and drivable but it's just small little cosmetic stuff I still want to do like the fascias getting painted, my suspension and brake upgrade plus the T panel stuff.

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[DMC-81]

Yeah so my car has some foam stuff on it but it was all deteriorated and dry rotted. I get married in a little over a week from now and my fiance doesn't want me there really big into any big projects with the car because it's going to be featured in my wedding along with two other DeLorean so I'm getting all this crap straightened out so after the wedding I'm taking it off the road again to finish doing what I need to do. It's safe and drivable but it's just small little cosmetic stuff I still want to do like the fascias getting painted, my suspension and brake upgrade plus the T panel stuff.

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Cool. Best wishes on the wedding!

These cars seem to always have something that you could improve. That's what I like about them.

[Christian Dietrich]

Cool. Best wishes on the wedding!

These cars seem to always have something that you could improve. That's what I like about them.
You couldn't be more correct my friend! Even though they're all basically the same car there's always something you can do different than other people have done to further make them different and stand out. Its not a car that gets boring by any means! Thanks for the best wishes and like I said I'll be doing more stuff to it after the wedding but all big projects with the car or hold off till then. Bosses orders because she wants to drive off in this car so I can not have it taken off the road or I'll probably be castrated lol

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