First, I am NOT a body man. Ever since I got my 69 back from the shop for paint and a new vinyl top, the trunk leaks. The water appears to be coming in aroung the threaded studs that attach the two piecers of chrome trim at the lower rear corners of the top. Should the bodyshop have put sealer around these holes and/or studs? Any advice would be appreciated.

It's a possibility, since your car never leaked before. What I would try to do is maybe dump some water on the roof and see where it's coming in. If you see it running down from the trim screws inside, then you know that's where the problem is. Or maybe they upset some rust holes when they removed the old one (assuming there was rust).

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1970 Chevy El Camino (Custom)
Green Mist & Silver w/Green Vinyl Top
350ci/300HP 4bbl & Factory Dual Exhaust
Non-SS with Rallies
TH-350 - 2.73 Posi Rear
Factory PS, PB, PW, A/C
My El Camino Home Page - www.dreamelectric.com (http://www.dreamelectric.com)

"Oh my stars! There's that black car again! Everybody get in the house, now!"

I've taken a few of the vinyl top moldings off of original cars, and the corner moldings did in fact have some body caulk around the base of the studs.

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Rainer Seitz
Vancouver, WA
Team Chevelle Gold #50

'68 SS396 (soon to be for sale!)
'70 LS3 400 Malibu
'70 Malibu convertible 350/300hp
rseitz@chevelles.com

Having owned a "vinyl topped" Malibu for the last 30 years, I can also tell you that the nuts that hold the trim pieces on had body caulk pressed into the nuts themselves. If these pieces are not caulked properly, you will get water into the trunk.

Good point, Jerry, I forgot to mention that!

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Rainer Seitz
Vancouver, WA
Team Chevelle Gold #50

'68 SS396 (soon to be for sale!)
'70 LS3 400 Malibu
'70 Malibu convertible 350/300hp
rseitz@chevelles.com

Thanks guys, I'm going to remove the trim and caulk it up.