Blazer/jimmy tops

[81bigbrett]

Ok so I'm the new proud owner of a 71 gmc jimmy 4x4. I have had it for about a month and it is my daily driver, however out here in socal we just had our first rain since I've owned it. I have wondered about the top wether or not it was the right top for the truck. I have my doubts. The hatch closes inside the tailgate and it has huge gaps where the driver and passanger windows meet the front winshield and top. In this rain all it does is leak onto the floor of the cab. I guess what I'm asking is, is there a certain year that will fit my jimmy corectly or does all of the years 67-72 fit right.

[Big J]

Our tops are interchangable between models in our years. Take some pics and post'em up. I'm sure someone will point you in the right direction.

[bouncytruck]

Pictures will be the best way for us to tell. The tops often do leak even if they are correct. It can be difficult to get them to seal correctly and things like worn body mounts, rust, etc, can greatly effect the integrity of the body and how the top fits.

All 69-72 blazer/jimmy tops should fit on your rig. If you have a single wall top (has interior dome lights), someone most likely drilled new holes in the tops of the bed rails. There is no way a later model top will fit and Bronco and Scout tops were much smaller.

[turp mcspray]

Aren't they supposed to leak? LOL!

[Firebirdjones]

Originally Posted by turp mcspray

Aren't they supposed to leak? LOL!

Mine doesn't. It's never in it's entire existance ever been off the truck. That's the reason I'm not that ambitious to pull it off. Sure as I'm sitting here it will leak from that point on

[jaros44sr]

Originally Posted by Firebirdjones

Mine doesn't. It's never in it's entire existance ever been off the truck. That's the reason I'm not that ambitious to pull it off. Sure as I'm sitting here it will leak from that point on

Mine doesn't leak either, but it has been hermtically sealed in a temperature controlled workshop for its life under my control Someday it might see the sun

[bouncytruck]

Originally Posted by Firebirdjones

Mine doesn't. It's never in it's entire existance ever been off the truck. That's the reason I'm not that ambitious to pull it off. Sure as I'm sitting here it will leak from that point on

Replace your body mounts before you pull the top and you'll be more likely to get a good seal when you replace it.

[Firebirdjones]

Originally Posted by bouncytruck

Replace your body mounts before you pull the top and you'll be more likely to get a good seal when you replace it.

The body mounts were replaced some years back with poly. I'm still not that ambitious to remove the top though. I'd rather turn the air on
I've got a convertable camaro, when I want top down cruising I can just push a button

[70gmcjimmy]

Originally Posted by Firebirdjones

Mine doesn't. It's never in it's entire existance ever been off the truck. That's the reason I'm not that ambitious to pull it off. Sure as I'm sitting here it will leak from that point on

I hope you didn't jinx yourself talking about your leak-free never removed top! LOL What year is your truck?

I've got a 1970 double-wall Jimmy that the top has never been off of and I know it leaked since June 1972 around the hatch as I was getting wet trying to sleep behind the rear seat. Not a normal rainstorm tho. It seems there was always a real steady drip that would get your left leg wet coming from the top of the wing window, probably passenger side too. From what I've been able to learn I think GM addressed some of these issues with the single wall top and the drip rail deflectors.

Later---DAC

[Firebirdjones]

Originally Posted by 70gmcjimmy

I hope you didn't jinx yourself talking about your leak-free never removed top! LOL What year is your truck?

I've got a 1970 double-wall Jimmy that the top has never been off of and I know it leaked since June 1972 around the hatch as I was getting wet trying to sleep behind the rear seat. Not a normal rainstorm tho. It seems there was always a real steady drip that would get your left leg wet coming from the top of the wing window, probably passenger side too. From what I've been able to learn I think GM addressed some of these issues with the single wall top and the drip rail deflectors.

Later---DAC

Blazer is a 72 with the single wall top. I am just lucky it doesn't leak. It's been family owned, bought new by an Aunt and I guess she was never interested in taking it off.
Just as well though, the seals around the base look pretty dry rotted and cracked. As soon as you remove the top I'm sure those seals are going to fall apart and an entirely new seal kit will be needed. Just as well I leave it alone.

[drdata]

Originally Posted by 81bigbrett

Ok so I'm the new proud owner of a 71 gmc jimmy 4x4. I have had it for about a month and it is my daily driver, however out here in socal we just had our first rain since I've owned it. I have wondered about the top wether or not it was the right top for the truck. I have my doubts. The hatch closes inside the tailgate and it has huge gaps where the driver and passanger windows meet the front winshield and top. In this rain all it does is leak onto the floor of the cab. I guess what I'm asking is, is there a certain year that will fit my jimmy corectly or does all of the years 67-72 fit right.

If there are large gaps, it sounds like you are missing seals. There is a pillar/door seal, as well as a roof rail to door seal, and on my new top the driver side was missing and there was a 1.5 inch gap.

FWIW, I bought the seals, and all went pretty well except I'd swear the driver A pillar is bent. That is to say when I bolt up to the visor mounts the whole left side is off by about 1/2 inch. Maybe this is body flex due to poor lift kit. Tried to jack the post a bit, but wanted to flex, not bend, so I ended up using some allum/bondo to move the driver door seal toward the front so it would mate with the window. I still have roof to bed bolts on that side as I need to drill new holes in the top to align with the bed rails.

With that said, I too live in socal, and was a bit annoyed to see all the water on the passenger floor. I did not expect watertight, but this was just static rain pressure and a small pool was found (rubber mats). I believe I have a case of a leaking cowl, but have not yet investigated.

PS> Check out the lmc tuck catalog to see what seals should be on the top.

Regards

[pound41]

I got my 71 blazer in 1980 when I was 15yrs old and when I was 17 I bought my 2nd a 72 blazer. I didn't even think about a soft top. My friends and I jerked those tops off those blazers like changing shoes. I constantly had those tops off and on. I never had any leaking problems until one of the rain.drip deflectors got a rip in the metal from being bent. The original rain deflectors were one piece metal and had a much smaller lip. When I got the new repos and installed my blazer leaked worse than without them. I save my old broken ones in hopes of making something before the repos came out. The originals were a much better fit and didn't have that high outside lip which to me seems to funnel rain towards the seal. Sometime if I can figure out how to I will post a pic of my old broken originals

[drdata]

Originally Posted by pound41

I got my 71 blazer in 1980 when I was 15yrs old and when I was 17 I bought my 2nd a 72 blazer. I didn't even think about a soft top. My friends and I jerked those tops off those blazers like changing shoes. I constantly had those tops off and on. I never had any leaking problems until one of the rain.drip deflectors got a rip in the metal from being bent. The original rain deflectors were one piece metal and had a much smaller lip. When I got the new repos and installed my blazer leaked worse than without them. I save my old broken ones in hopes of making something before the repos came out. The originals were a much better fit and didn't have that high outside lip which to me seems to funnel rain towards the seal. Sometime if I can figure out how to I will post a pic of my old broken originals

Please do. I have 0 experience w/originals. I can say I stupidly broke one of the new after-market (brothers sourced IIRC) drip guards when I later decided to lift the roof after forgetting I had screwed them on. Could not figure out why the roof was so heavy, then snap. Anyway, being new, I opted to repair with some inner tube and weather seal cement, with some epoxy added for good measure.

It strikes me that the high outer lip is to prevent runoff that might end up on the window/in to the door. In general mine seems to slant down, such that its should dump water down the a pillar rather than allowing it to pool on the roof seal.

FWIW, I have since removed my cowl and found that:
1. The antenna wire grommet was off, providing a clear leak vector.
2. The large glop of seem sealer that I believe is OEM could use replacing.
3. The OP had allowed dirt/leaves to build up, mostly on passenger side. This blocked drainage, and served to keep things wet long after a rain. Result is rust through box area into the cowl seal area. On the diver side the "little tray" that channels run off seems all but rusted out. Seems the piece was seem sealed in, so perhaps it can be replaced, else seems a torch is needed.

For now I plan to seal up the holes, coat with some por15, and fiberglass up the holes.

Regards

[turp mcspray]

I for one, just cannot fathom how anyone who owns a blazer with a removeable top, could stand to never remove it! LOL!

[Thealien]

Originally Posted by turp mcspray

I for one, just cannot fathom how anyone who owns a blazer with a removable top, could stand to never remove it! LOL!

I agree, to me that is a major part of the attraction!

[swyfor5]

Right on bro's!

[Firebirdjones]

It's easy,,,when you have a convertable camaro where you can just push a button, you lose the desire to chance a hernia

Honestly though, we've had several other blazers as well as a half dozen jeeps. Got sick of the whole "remove the top" thing a long long time ago
We are just getting too old for that anymore.

[luv my topless truk]

mine came off when I bought it, and it will go on when, and IF I ever sell it

[Firebirdjones]

I wish I could just leave it off like that. But being a daily driver it's just not secure when I park it anywhere.

I have to be honest though, I haven't had the camaro out of the garage since Sept of 2008

[70gmcjimmy]

I don't know what happened but I got logged out of here and it took me a day to come back up with my password!

Originally Posted by Firebirdjones

Blazer is a 72 with the single wall top. I am just lucky it doesn't leak. It's been family owned, bought new by an Aunt and I guess she was never interested in taking it off.
Just as well though, the seals around the base look pretty dry rotted and cracked. As soon as you remove the top I'm sure those seals are going to fall apart and an entirely new seal kit will be needed. Just as well I leave it alone.

Hey you are the only other K5 owner I have seen that had a woman as a long time family previous owner! I sure don't blame you for not wanting to mess with top removal if everything is still sealed up nice. My roof will have to come off to replace old weatherstripping eventually as it all looks as you described plus it does leak!

Originally Posted by turp mcspray

I for one, just cannot fathom how anyone who owns a blazer with a removeable top, could stand to never remove it! LOL!

It's like this, Scott, when I got my first drivers license in that truck, Mom told me if I take the top off I can't play with it any more and I couldn't deal with that!! Even when she was sick last spring and we would talk about the old days she asked if I ever took the top off without telling her and I could truthfully say no!

Another issue I have is that most of my life I have had to work out in the South Dakota wind and just thinking about creating more wind to beat the crap out of myself for fun just isn't an option. As you know out here a light breeze is 40 mph!

Originally Posted by Thealien

I agree, to me that is a major part of the attraction!

I can really see your point and I'm sure just about all agree with you. I really do think trail riding topless (the truck, not me and my beer belly! no one wants to see that! LOL) would be great and will try that someday. If there is much highway speed traveling to get there though, it's gonna be with the top on.

[Bull72]

Originally Posted by Firebirdjones

I wish I could just leave it off like that. But being a daily driver it's just not secure when I park it anywhere.

I have to be honest though, I haven't had the camaro out of the garage since Sept of 2008

I say get a tuffy console, and you can run it topless without having to worry about your "goods". Here is the console and drink holders =) for my 72'

[turp mcspray]

A topless ride in the woods, on a beautifull summer day, is awfull hard to beat! Removing that heavy slug is a major pita. One year I took mine off in the spring, and didn't put it back on till halloween!

[Dusty71blazer]

Haven't had the top off mine yet, but I've only owned it a couple months!
My Jeeps have always had the top removed in the early spring & usually not replaced untill late fall!
My top leaks terribly too- can't wait till the weather allows me to remove it!

[luv my topless truk]

I have no idea whether or not mine leaks or not, my top is in storage on top of my building at work. I have to paint it someday, it's still got the oringinal paint on it. I'm lucky I guess, it sits in my garage, and I drive it to work when it's sunny, and if it starts to rain it goes in the shop, and I take my pickup home. I don't know if I could deal with driving it every day, I'm spoiled with new the technology of my 2003 Silverado crew cab with Duramax. But man, you can't beat those special days in the sun, and the looks you get.

[81bigbrett]

Ok well I looked intothe jimmy more and found out that there is not one single piece of weather stripping on it. So this heavier storm that we're having right now is leaving the entire inside of the jimmy soaked. It sucks foe now I'll just rig something up till I can take the top off and get the weather stripping I need for the doors. I priced it out of the lmc catalog, it'll be about $400 for everything bumper to bumper. Here is the only pic I have of it right now