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Thread: T-panel

  1. #1
    Senior Member Trstno1's Avatar
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    T-panel

    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!!

  2. #2
    DMC Midwest - 815.459.6439 DMCMW Dave's Avatar
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    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.
    Dave S
    DMC Midwest - retired but helping
    Greenville SC

  3. #3
    Senior Member Trstno1's Avatar
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    Thanks Dave!

    I have attached a couple pictures that show my issue. Hopefully the tape just gave way on that side.
    Attached Images
    Last edited by Trstno1; 09-01-2014 at 02:10 AM.

  4. #4
    DMC Midwest - 815.459.6439 DMCMW Dave's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Trstno1 View Post
    Thanks Dave!

    I have attached a couple pictures that show my issue. Hopefully the tape just gave way on that side.
    Often the tape (foam) has just disintegrated over time. Means the roof will come off easily!
    Dave S
    DMC Midwest - retired but helping
    Greenville SC

  5. #5
    Senior Member john 05141's Avatar
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    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.


    Steering with power

  6. #6
    Senior Member Bitsyncmaster's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by john 05141 View Post
    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.
    Dave M vin 03572
    http://dm-eng.weebly.com/

  7. #7
    Senior Member Trstno1's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bitsyncmaster View Post
    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!
    You can't buy happiness, but you can buy a DeLorean and that's sort of the same thing....

  8. #8
    Senior Member
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    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....


    Sept. 81, auto, black interior

  9. #9
    Senior Member
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    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.


    Sept. 81, auto, black interior

  10. #10
    Senior Member
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    Here's a couple pics.

    Before:

    IMG_4243.jpgIMG_4251.jpg

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

    IMG_4269.jpgIMG_4276.jpg

    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).

    IMG_4283.jpgIMG_4284.jpg


    Sept. 81, auto, black interior

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