Z3 rear window

[Richard29]

The fabric is coming away in both bottom corners of the rear window.( ever so slightly)
Before it gets worse i would like to fix it as the original roof is still in really good shape.

Does anyone know the best fixing method and best adhesive to do this?

Many thanks

 

[Stevo7682]

Which part can you post a picture please.
Stephen

 

[Richard29]

External fabric bottom aeft and right corner of rear window.
Will get pics ar weekend...

 

[Duncodin]

Around the window is a narrow plastic strip and the edge of outside roof fabric tucks into/under that plastic trim.

But the trim is often not quite wide enough and/or there doesn't seem to be enough fabric to keep it tucked in. Mine always pops out. Many people try to tuck it back in and glue it. But gluing often makes a heck of a mess making it look even worse.

I just live with it.

On the other hand if you're talking about something different then, as mentioned above, a picture will help people answer more accurately.

 

[Richard29]

Spot on' thats exactly what is happening.

 

[Duncodin]

Spot on' thats exactly what is happening.

Thought so. It's common. That plastic strip I mentioned is part of the window and the fabric is part of the roof. They usually zip together so it's easy to replace the window when it gets damaged or just too cloudy to see through. Look at the edge of the window from inside the car you should see whether it's zipped in or stitched in.

If it's stitched in then the window isn't easy to replace anyway so you could try glueing that flap in there. But if it's zipped then gluing it would mean
you won't be able to (easily) unzip and separate the window from the roof if ever you want to replace it.

 

[Richard29]

Yes its zipped. Will a new window sort it?

 

[Duncodin]

Yes its zipped. Will a new window sort it?

You'd think so wouldn't you.

I had the same problem as you and my window was pretty cloudy. Bought a new one for just over £100 from some bay seller. Super clear now and pleased with the new window. But I swear that the plastic trim thing is even narrower than the old one and my fabric still doesn't go underneath.

No idea why they don't make windows with wider trim.

Maybe if you shop around and contact sellers you might find one that supplies window with a sensible wide plastic trim.

If you do find a back window seller with a wide enough plastic trim please come back and tell me. I'll buy one.

 

[Richard29]

Ok. Thanks for the info' the window isnt bad enough to warrent a new one. So i may try some smal strips of 3m tape ro hold it.
Its frustrating clise to tucking back in but not enough rubber or material.

 

[Hwk-I-St8]

I used a product I found on Amazon (I'd have to go look it up) that made an amazing difference on my cloudy window. It was so bad it might as well have been opaque. I put this product on (outside and inside) and the difference was remarkable. It is perfectly clear now. Interestingly, it was the inside that was 95% of the issue. I started on the outside and was thinking "crap, this stuff isn't gonna work". Then I started on the inside and had a "holy crap, amazing" moment.

I know that's not the subject of this thread per se, but since it came up, I thought I'd mention it.

 

[Hwk-I-St8]

Oh, and mine won't stay tucked in either (original top on a garage queen with 7500 miles).

 

[TriumphZ3]

Mine seems to have shrunk (blame old age...!) and I tried to glue it back on earlier in the week but it moved again and as posted earlier the dried glue, and I was soooo careful, has marked the hood material. I'm wondering it I was to cut the plastic trim at the top centre would it relieve some of the tension, and could be put back, then just overfill the gap with a suitable trim clip?
I also need a rear window... I assume the guy that used to do them is selling from the USA now?

 

[Duncodin]

I bought mine from this guy - surprised to see that it was actually 9 years ago. Back then it was on ebay. But his site, in germany, is here.

Click here

It came with a zipper etc. I think his plastic was a bit thinner than OEM but, as I said, it was 9 years ago and it's still see-through.

But. As mentioned in my earlier post. The plastic trim that the fabric tucks into wasn't wide enough to tuck in.