Topic: 70 Mach I - Drip Rail, Roof, quarter panel assembly, at quarter window

[Angela]

Can someone please help me understand the order the drip rail, roof and quarter panel steel was installed & welded at the factory? I had to replace my roof, and I'm struggling to reinstall the drip rails. I'm most specifically confused about installing the short drip rail sections which install at the rear edge of the quarter windows.

Did the factory 1st install the quarter panels, 2nd the drip rails, 3rd the roof skin?

I'm kinda a '67-68 guy and trying to come up to speed with the '69-'70 chassis. Please help me understand how to install the short drip rail sections which install at the rear edge of the quarter windows. I can't upload pics to this site, so here's a link to a photo of the pieces in question: http://www.2040-parts.com/1969-1970-mustang-coupe-roof-drip-rail-weatherstrip-channel-filler-molding-pr-i2171634/
Questions:
(1) Do these pieces go on AFTER the rest of the drip rail is installed?
(2) How are these pieces held onto the quarter panel steel? Are they welded on? Screws? Rivets?

I wish I could find an assembly drawing that shows the detail of the quarters, drip rails and roof skin. Does anyone have a drawing showing this detail?

Thank you.

[Brian Conway]

No drawings but do have one picture.  Brian

[Bossbill]

I took the roof rails off of the race car (65 2+2). I believe they are built in a similar manner.
The roof is actually welded to the inner structure that surrounds the window/door opening.
Your visors attach to this structure in the front.
The roof rail is then welded to the underside of that combined structure.
As the roof rail moves toward the vent window it stopped and becomes a separate piece.

I happened to have a cross section of the roof on the flat just beyond the vent window. Zoom in.
 

[J_Speegle]

Can someone please help me understand the order the drip rail, roof and quarter panel steel was installed & welded at the factory? I had to replace my roof, and I'm struggling to reinstall the drip rails. I'm most specifically confused about installing the short drip rail sections which install at the rear edge of the quarter windows.

Did the factory 1st install the quarter panels, 2nd the drip rails, 3rd the roof skin?

Try this in steps

Believe the order of these three panels was roof, quarter panel and then drip rails. (Note read the rest of the discussion) If you look at how the panels were originally formed some reliefs that compensated for the other panels that would be layer over the earlier on. Surprised this was not notable when you removed the original panels

[J_Speegle]

As for the next part of the post are you working on a sportroof or coupe? Yes noticed that you posted a link for coupe pieces just wanted to confirm.

Questions:
(1) Do these pieces go on AFTER the rest of the drip rail is installed?

After

(2) How are these pieces held onto the quarter panel steel? Are they welded on? Screws? Rivets?

I wish I could find an assembly drawing that shows the detail of the quarters, drip rails and roof skin. Does anyone have a drawing showing this detail?

Assembly manual doesn't show the order of the stainless trim? And they should show what Ford wanted the plants to use when the page was sent out to the plants. Will look to see if I have any coupes with the trim partially removed

[Angela]

No drawings but do have one picture.  Brian

Thanks Brian!!! Do you happen to have that same picture, except aimed a little but north, towards where the roof, quarter and these drip rail pieces all come together?
Also, am I correctly seeing screws hold the short drip rail pieces to the body?

Jeff, sorry for the confusion... I'm referring to the steel drip rail sections, not the stainless pieces. Also, yes I posted a pic of the coupe drip rail sections, BUT, I did so only because that's all I could find a link for. I am working on a sportsroof (Mach 1)

"Believe the order of these three panels was roof, quarter panel and then drip rails. If you look at how the panels were originally formed some reliefs that compensated for the other panels that would be layer over the earlier on. Surprised this was not notable when you removed the original panels "
---> With respect, judging by what I saw when I took the original roof off, it looks to me like the quarters were installed first, then the drip rails, then the roof skin last. Once the spot welds were drilled out and the lead was removed from the roof/quarter seem on my car, I was able to lift the roof off... I did not have to peel the roof skin edges out from underneath the quarters. Is this not what you would expect?

The detail I'm struggling with is the where the long and short sections of drip rails meet the quarter panel. I took a hundred pictures with measurements prior to removing the roof, however, I failed to think that I'd need a picture of the quarter window areas. Ugh!


Is this detail shown in the 1970 welding and sealant assembly manual? That's the one assembly manual I do not own. Anyone have a picture they could post? I really want to button this up this weekend.

[Brian Conway]

One more picture of that area and no others.  Brian

[Angela]

Thanks Brian!

[J_Speegle]

"Believe the order of these three panels was roof, quarter panel and then drip rails. If you look at how the panels were originally formed some reliefs that compensated for the other panels that would be layer over the earlier on. Surprised this was not notable when you removed the original panels "
---> With respect, judging by what I saw when I took the original roof off, it looks to me like the quarters were installed first, then the drip rails, then the roof skin last. Once the spot welds were drilled out and the lead was removed from the roof/quarter seem on my car, I was able to lift the roof off... I did not have to peel the roof skin edges out from underneath the quarters. Is this not what you would expect?

Here is an example of the lip of an original roof panel where it would joined to the quarter panel - 69 example Have a few more but this is the clearest showing the lip formed leaving room for the quarter panel edge over/relief for the roof. Was using this as a suggestion of the order of assembly and have seen shops replace panels in a number of different orders.  Just human and still learning just about every day something new.

Guess if the order was roof last then they could have slipped the roof under the quarter panel.  Early weld and sealant manuals do show the outer layers (driver and passenger) being assembled as sub assemblies before adding them to the main unibody but don't know if this continued into later years so if they followed the same pattern your order (quarter panels (with the fairly complete side of the uni-body)  followed by the drip rail and after the roof would be correct. 






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Here are some examples from a 69 I was able to find  Hope it helps








Only one I found find in the collection for a 70 example. Apparently not may others thought of taking pictures of the areas either

Is this detail shown in the 1970 welding and sealant assembly manual? That's the one assembly manual I do not own. Anyone have a picture they could post? I really want to button this up this weekend.

Don't know - have some of the earlier years but not 69 or 70 Welding one

[J_Speegle]

Last of this part of the discussion I would expect - Did go back through my pictures and did find this picture of 69 production with the unibodys with quarter panels, drip rails but no roofs yet

[Angela]

Wow, very helpful Jeff - THANKS! Much appreciated.

Am I interpreting your pics of the quarter panels correctly?.... it looks like the short drip rail pieces are welded onto the body, even though there are three screws used as well. What's the purpose of the three screws, if these pieces were welded? Do you suspect this is something that varied from plant to plant?

I don't know what to say about the roof being installed before or after the quarters. In my 70 mach 1, the roof had definitely been installed after the quarters... it was laying on top of the quarter panel lip. I disassembled the car after it had been parked since 1976. The lead was still intact in these seams.

Thanks so much!

[RocketScientist]

I found those small drip rail pieces to be screwed on with sealant sealing it to the body. As they go on last you are able to fine-tune their position so the boomerangs sit properly and look right.

[69GT350H]

Looks like this has been mostly covered, but let me toss mine in for good measure. My rear quarters were replaced, but the body man seems to have used the original short metal parts as I still have them new in the box in the shed.

[Angela]

Thanks guys!
And what do you use as a drip rail seam sealant? I'm considering SEM yet and puzzled as to how one seals the vertical sections such as behind the quarter window.

https://www.semproducts.com/product/dual-mixtm-self-leveling-seam-sealer/sealer

[RocketScientist]

Sealing the vertical sections is done the same was as the drip rails as the intent is to properly seal the join to prevent water getting in. I found the best way is to apply the sealer and then quiclky smoothing it off by running a finger over it. You may need to dip the finger in a light solvent (or maybe better to use thin rubber gloves here) to soften the sealant to get a nice smooth finish and having small fingers definately helps to get in the gap.  As the area is painted the gloss paint will highlight major imperfections but with the chrome boomerangs in place, a lot gets hidden also. A trick I did before sealing the area is to trial fit the boomerangs and that was a good  guide to where the sealant is required.
Brad