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By Rusty_S85 - 4 Years Ago
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Had a bunch of rain the last three days and today it was clear so I was going to throw in some new kick panels in my '56. The cardboard ones fell apart finally but I found a bunch of water on the sill plates front and rear as well as the carpet in the front around the seal plate is drenched in water. Guess its time to replace the exterior door weather seals.
Question is who makes the best weather seals? Seems like where I look the pricing is around $200 - $250 and I dont want a repeat on my F150 that didnt last a year due to the type of rubber they used. I was going to go with Dennis-Carpenter but they are priced the same as Macs which is $225 for the four door set. I have seen Rubber the Right Way before in classic/antique car magazines bragging about how they use the best materials and made like original and they have the set for $220 front and rear.
Just wondering who has the best rubber weather stripping that has been seen personally on here, car wont be restored for a while still but I need to glue in new weather stripping to stop the water from rotting out my otherwise solid floor pans. Also would like recommendations on weather stripping glue, I have used that yellow stuff years ago but it never would hold and would release in the texas heat. Rubber the Right Way has some glue recommended but not sure if that is any better, since this weather stripping is entirely held on by being glued in place I really need a recommendation on something that works and can withstand texas heat and not let loose.
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By 55blacktie - 4 Years Ago
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New weatherstripping may be called for, but both tops will leak, even with new weatherstripping. I would avoid driving in all but light rain, stay away from automated car washes, and store you car indoors, or at least keep it covered when outdoors. Leaks are not uncommon for convertibles/roadsters of that vintage, regardless of make.
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By Rusty_S85 - 4 Years Ago
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55blacktie (11/29/2020)
New weatherstripping may be called for, but both tops will leak, even with new weatherstripping. I would avoid driving in all but light rain, stay away from automated car washes, and store you car indoors, or at least keep it covered when outdoors. Leaks are not uncommon for convertibles/roadsters of that vintage, regardless of make.
Well mine is a 4dr sedan the roof rail should keep most water off the top of the door. I think most of my water ingress is around the front and rear of the door as the weatherstripping is quite flat or just non existant.
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By 55blacktie - 4 Years Ago
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Sorry, I suffer from Tbird on the brain. In your case, I would check the condition of the sheet metal behind the weatherstripping as well.
In 1983, I bought a new scruby S10 Blazer. When it was about 5 years old, it started to leak between the rear hatch and roof. When I went to replace the weatherstripping, I discovered that the sheet metal behind it was rotted out. A member of my church did a good job of repairing it, but he said there were also pin holes in the roof. I could go on and on, but it's simpler to just say that it was the worst vehicle I ever owned.A lot of junk was made between the mid 70s and mid 80s.
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By Rusty_S85 - 4 Years Ago
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55blacktie (11/29/2020)
Sorry, I suffer from Tbird on the brain. In your case, I would check the condition of the sheet metal behind the weatherstripping as well. In 1983, I bought a new scruby S10 Blazer. When it was about 5 years old, it started to leak between the rear hatch and roof. When I went to replace the weatherstripping, I discovered that the sheet metal behind it was rotted out. A member of my church did a good job of repairing it, but he said there were also pin holes in the roof. I could go on and on, but it's simpler to just say that it was the worst vehicle I ever owned.A lot of junk was made between the mid 70s and mid 80s.
Thats ok, I tend to do the same thing with Fairlanes when it comes on here I forget some times that Tbirds had the Y8`s as well. As far as the sheet metal goes, I know there is some rot in the body but I dont see any on the doors themselves. The weatherstripping itself must have had been a problem as far back as the 70s/80s cause there was a bunch of felt stuffed in behind the rubber between the door itself and the rubber to push the rubber out more to make it seal.
I hate to buy new stripping for the doors considering they will be destroyed when I strip the car down for restoration but I rather spend $250 now on that and prevent the floor pans from rotting out. At least the floor pans are pretty solid its just the exterior body that has some rot such as the rocker panel, the lower quarters, the trunk pan above the tail pipes that goes through the bumper, and the lower front fenders.
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By paul2748 - 4 Years Ago
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The other company that I am aware of is Steele Rubber Products. Carpenter was always my first choice, I don't do business with Mac's. Don't know which is best now but have heard good words on Steele. I always use the black weatherstripping glue. Did my bird with it years and years ago and no problems. Got to make sure no wax or dirt on body before applying
www.steelerubber.com
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By Rusty_S85 - 4 Years Ago
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paul2748 (11/29/2020)
The other company that I am aware of is Steele Rubber Products. Carpenter was always my first choice, I don't do business with Mac's. Don't know which is best now but have heard good words on Steele. I always use the black weatherstripping glue. Did my bird with it years and years ago and no problems. Got to make sure no was or dirt on body before applying www.steelerubber.com
I forgot about Steelerubber, they want $330 for the complete set so hopefully that is a sign of better quality but some how I will have to do more reading to find out as i want the best for my money.
As far as Macs goes, I look at Dennis-Carpenter first but he doesnt have much for my car, then its Macs or Larrys Tbird. Larrys has more hard to find concours reproductions but they also want more money overall for the same parts than Macs.
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By darrell - 4 Years Ago
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the rubbers i got for my 56 4 door a few years back were to hard.you had to slam the doors and they never did break in.
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By Ted - 4 Years Ago
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Rusty_S85 (11/29/2020)
Had a bunch of rain the last three days and today it was clear so I was going to throw in some new kick panels in my '56. The cardboard ones fell apart finally but I found a bunch of water on the sill plates front and rear as well as the carpet in the front around the seal plate is drenched in water. Guess its time to replace the exterior door weather seals.
My ’55 Customline went through a stage where the front carpet was getting wet after a rain or car wash. Same as you, the cardboard kick panels would weep the moisture up into them and eventually ruined them. Looked at and worked on the door seals but to no avail. The carpet was still getting wet. The problem ended up being the cork gaskets at the windshield washer arm pivots located in the cowl had shrunk and were no longer sealing. Went with some rubber O rings and some RTV and the leak to the interior was fixed.
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By Rusty_S85 - 4 Years Ago
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Ted (11/30/2020)
Rusty_S85 (11/29/2020)
Had a bunch of rain the last three days and today it was clear so I was going to throw in some new kick panels in my '56. The cardboard ones fell apart finally but I found a bunch of water on the sill plates front and rear as well as the carpet in the front around the seal plate is drenched in water. Guess its time to replace the exterior door weather seals.My ’55 Customline went through a stage where the front carpet was getting wet after a rain or car wash. Same as you, the cardboard kick panels would weep the moisture up into them and eventually ruined them. Looked at and worked on the door seals but to no avail. The carpet was still getting wet. The problem ended up being the cork gaskets at the windshield washer arm pivots located in the cowl had shrunk and were no longer sealing. Went with some rubber O rings and some RTV and the leak to the interior was fixed.
I will check that out. If it is that it would be the passenger side only as the driverside isnt getting wet. I did have some wetness on my old owners manual that showed signs of getting wet at some point but I installed a new glovebox last year when I did my heater and it fell apart on removal. New box is not getting wet but I will double check that. I can buy some of those gaskets and throw in some replacements. If i could keep the car out of the weather I would do that but I dont have that ability.
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By DryLakesRacer - 4 Years Ago
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I had noise and a leak where the wind wing met the “A” pillar. There was nothing there.m and the carpet got wet. All the other “front of the door” and firewall to door looked right. The correct seal was also on the edge of the vent.
I went to McMaster-Carr and found some soft round with a hole attached to a flange with sticky back and bought a few feet and it eliminated both problems. It’s the one against the stainless window trim so it looks like 2 seals now. The one on the wind wing closes into it.
I’ve found a lot of weatherstripping and metal edge sealing products from McMaster for years on our race cars.
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By paul2748 - 4 Years Ago
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There is a company, Metro Moulded Parts, that sells all kinds of weatherstripping plus a lot of other rubber parts.
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By Rusty_S85 - 4 Years Ago
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DryLakesRacer (11/30/2020)
I had noise and a leak where the wind wing met the “A” pillar. There was nothing there.m and the carpet got wet. All the other “front of the door” and firewall to door looked right. The correct seal was also on the edge of the vent. I went to McMaster-Carr and found some soft round with a hole attached to a flange with sticky back and bought a few feet and it eliminated both problems. It’s the one against the stainless window trim so it looks like 2 seals now. The one on the wind wing closes into it. I’ve found a lot of weatherstripping and metal edge sealing products from McMaster for years on our race cars.
See I think mine is leaking around the part below the windshield for the door. Cause there is a piece of rubber weatherstripping that glues on the door to seal in that region and on the passengerside mine is just missing. I think that could be where the water is getting in because the heater box on mine is dry, rubber floor mat atop the carpet is dry so I dont think it was leaking from the wiper arm pivot but the sill plates front and rear were wet with the carpet right around the sill plate being drenched and at the back door the sill plate had a little water but the carpet was only slighly damp. This is why I am seriously wondering about the door seals as mine are original to the car from 1956 and my grandfather before he passed away in 86 put some rope like material behind the weatherstripping between the door itself and the weatherstripping to try and get a tighter fit. Really makes me think its just this old weather stripping that is allowing water in and the fact that the passenger side door is missing that dog leg piece that goes in the door in the position just below the windshield while the driverside is still there abit crushed down now but no leak on that side as carpet is dry and kick panel there is not drenched wet falling apart.
I dont believe it is the part around the top of the doors as a sedan I have the drip rail that runs around the roof above the windshield and doors that would drastically cut down on the amount of water getting into the upper regions of the door seals. But the part I question is at the base of the windshield where the door has that second rubber seal.
Why I really am contemplating buying a whole replacement seal set but not sure if I want to get it from steele for $330 or get it from rubber the right way which I think may supply to macs and dennis carpenter for $230. I dont know how long my 56 will be sitting in the rain till I can get to restoration but I do want to keep the interior as dry as possible to prevent rot out. Plus I do drive the car a little.
The next thing on my list is trying to figure out how to get the fresh air ducts apart as I got new flapper valves to install and it appears the connector piece from the elbow at the body cowl to the fender tube that has the flapper valve is simply a twist up to line up the groove and slide back. Havent tried it cause the way its designed it looks like there is some kind of weather seal in that tube as well and want to be sure before I go disturbing something that I could just let wait till restoration.
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