1025 hardtop restoration question.

[Brian Dumais]

I was lucky to pick up a complete 1025 hardtop this weekend and i wanted to strip it down, sandblast and repaint. I took the top hatch off and now have the stainless steel rotating turret bearing exposed and all hardware removed. It looks like the only thing holding turret bearing on is this gray weather sealer. How difficult is it to remove the turret bearing from the roof top? I started using a razor knife and a putty knife but it slow going. Any insight would be helpful. Thanks Brian

 

[Retiredwarhorses]

That bearing is bolted into the roof support, the roof rests on the roof support and is held in place by the 6 half moon pieces as well as the 2 front corner and 3 rear isolators. Assuming you removed all the hardware holding weapons tray, and roof hardware, the roof should lift off, that would leave the roof support and bearing, they very well used a gray seam sealer on the bottom of the bearing, use a stiff putty knife and a hammer to get underneath it....of course after you removed all the bolts holding onto the roof support.

also, that CARC is hard as ****, so it will not just blast off like conventional paint, my guy burns it off in an oven before he blasts it...if not, it take 2-3 times longer, that equates to more cost to you. If you can use conventional body work prep methods such as sanders and chemical stripping, I would go that route, unless there is a lot of rust.

 

[Retiredwarhorses]

Also, look in the 24p TM, it shows the turret breakdown...

 

[86humv]

That bearing is aluminum, not stainless.....don't blast it, the balls inside can get damaged.

 

[Brian Dumais]

Thanks for your help. I was able to separate the turret ring from the steel top without any problem. I ended up using a hammer and a putty knife to cut the adhesive. I was also able to remove the steel hardtop from the b-pillar assembly. I am surprised the bearing are aluminum. I would have though they would have gone with Stainless steel. Thanks again Brian