Door Weatherstripping 1958'

[silverhaze]

Hi Larry,

I'm replacing the weatherstripping on the doors and read that there was a change in the way the stripping was installed in the 58'. Evidently there were screws and brackets used originally but soon thereafter it was found that cement alone was a better solution. Would you agree that cement is enough? What kind of cement should I use? At the moment, all I'm replacing is the area on the door posts and then the stripping in the trunk.

Your thoughts are continually appreciated.

New interior photos coming soon.

Silverhaze

[fatherlarry]

Use GM weatherstripping adhesive. I think the plastic push in clips were on the '58, but I'm not sure, but the adhesive is enough. I'll do some research and get back to you.

[fatherlarry]

There are plastic "T" clip inserts that insert into a hole in the weatherstripping. There may be about 10-12 of them. The top of the plastic "T" clips fit into the hole of the weatherstirpping. The bottom of the "T" has ruffles in it. They line up with the holes in the doorframe where the weatherstripping is placed. Use 3-M yellow or black adhesive. I would go with the black. Do not glue the clips into the hole. Put the adhesive just on the areas of the weatherstripping and stop when you get to the clip. Don't load the adhesive on too heavy. There is also a piece of formed metal that holds the strip at the top of the door at the rear.

The rear trunk drain channel has to be cleaned of old weatherstripping. Be careful when cleaning, the edges can be sharp and you could cut your fingers. Don't forget that when you remove the old weatherstripping, mark the channel where the two previous ends met on it. Then place the new weatherstripping in before glueing to get an idea of how it fits into the channel. Try to put the two ends of the weatherstripping back where the previous ends met and were glued prior. Sometimes, as you're placing the weatherstirpping in the channel, and you get to where the two ends meet, there may be a space between there so you may have to stretch the weatherstripping slightly until the two ends are about a 1/4 " overlap. Once you figure out how to place the weatherstripping in and you close the trunk to make sure that it's a good seal and fit, try to get inside the trunk with a flashlight to see if there is any spaces. You can also insert a sheet of paper between the trunk and weatherstripping and close the trunk on it, to see if the paper is tight against the weatherstripping, by trying to pull it out. It' won't pull out without ripping if it's tight enough.

Hope this helps. If you're not sure, feel free to ask me more questions, or if you feel uncomfortable doing it, then I would bring it to a professional. It could be tricky and costly if you make a mistake. With the new weatherstripping on, it will be a tighter fit, so you may not be able to close the doors and trunk as easily as with the previous weatherstripping. Good luck.