ChattanoogaJSB

After searching a bit on this:

I just installed my second left side Corvette Rubber door main coupe weatherstrip on the 64. I had purchased a pair before the accident and ensuing door replacement and bought a whole coupe kit from CR afterwards so I had a spare.

Background- my door lines up great at the top and below the beltline, the rear where it meets the quarter has a little drop, 1/8-1/4" which is the same as my old coupe door had. The door closes easily without weatherstrip.

My passenger weatherstrip went on easily and that door closes like a bank vault with fits just like it had before rubber.

Today I did the drivers side, the door was VERY hard to shut with the striker adjusted in! The top of the door was out noticeably and I could see daylight on the horizontal and front pillar section. I shaved the rear 90 degree "fat" portion at the top of the glass. No help.

I talc powered the jamb at the rear and saw nothing unusual.

After much aggravation I pulled off #1 and installed #2- same part. This time I corrected what I think was a little portion just below the vent window that was holding off the forward edge of the window frame.

Now I have got it adjusted out a the striker. The top is still out! The front is fine, and the door is hard to shut (I know it may need a while to compress and relax).

This door from another car is one I have really had a love/hate relationship with. I don't know if I'm going to "reverse reef" it if I leave tension on it like I'm doing now -

1)is it going to hurt anything sitting with tension on it?

2) would you trim the fat section of the upper?

Frustrated,

Benton

DUB

IF you door is 'drooping'...I would be concerned IF the rivets in the door that secure the steel inner structure to the fiberglass door shell are solid. Keep in mind... IF you have loose rivets...then the door will be just fine with NO weatherstrip on it and appear to be OK...but when you go and try to get the door to seal and fit correct....these same rivets will NOT allow the door to do that

This is when you compare the right door to the left door. The rivets that you can feel on the door shell where the hinges go INTO the door shell are what you want to verify are NOT LOOSE....and also the ones on the underside of the door shell.



It all depends on the amount of tension and how dense the weatherstrip is that you are trying to compress.

In some cases...where I can physically feel a section of super dense hard weatherstrip. I go in from the backside and cut and hollow some of it out with my Dremel tool so it is a bit softer and then glue it back on and you will never see where I did my 'surgery' to the weatherstrip

YES..the top back corner of the coupe door weatherstrips seem to be wickedly hard where it makes that 90 degree bend. I just did a 1967 coupe and had to modify it somewhat. it may take a bit more. And yes...teh weatherstrips were CRC ones also.

DUB

ChattanoogaJSB

DUB!
Many thanks as always! I may have to do a little weatherstrip surgery as you describe- I can vouch for the fact that all the rivets are tight, there isn't any slop in the door anywhere, and my old collision damaged door didn't have any slop in the rivets (front and bottom). The new door fits cosmetically like the old one. The new rubber is just giving me fits. Sounds like I'm not the only one - if a pro like you has to massage it then I expect to as well!
I'm going to let it get warm outside and see how a few days treats it all before I start anything else.

Again- thank you!
Benton

DUB

GLAD to read that you have taken the potential problem that the door can have with loose rivets out of the equation. THAT is GOOD to know.

I have had some doors that actually fit really really good. Flush in every aspect with NO weatherstrip on them. BUT...then when I installed teh weatherstrip ...the door is no longer flush and ALL rivets are good to go....SO....I remove the weatherstrip and then I apply my modeling clay and shut the door...the smooshed clay would give me a thickness that I could see was different from one side of the car to the other. And sometimes that slight difference (i.e. 1/8"-3/16") can cause for when the weatherstrip made today is being compressed...it causes the door to push out....which is why I have to get in and do a bit of surgery to the weatherstrip....BECAUSE I can not stand that when I get panels to fit GREAT...the darn weatherstrip causes for it to change.....which I know will change in time and the weatherstrip will compress....but some cars I cannot allow the to go out and do whatever I have to do to the weatherstrip to make sure they are right when they leave.

DUB

Gary's '66

DUB,

This is all good info. As you know, I'll be (with help from the painter) doing the same thing soon.

Question, do you apply the strips with tape first or do you just "tack" them with a little adhesive before final installation in case they need to be removed for "surgery"? Thanks

Gary

Gary's '66

DUB,

PM sent.

Gary

DUB

Gary,

Replied to your PM.

DUB

ChattanoogaJSB

Dub- I have a surgical scalpel from my wife. I'm going to do as you suggest and trim the inner guts of the weatherstrip on the rear vertical run. It is the point of interference. The door upper has broad daylight showing through right back to the thick corner mold where it seals.

Thank you!

DUB

YEP..I have a scalpel also and that is what I use...along with my Dremel too to 'grind' out some of the foam to take some of the density out of that top corner where it seems to be hard as heck...or where ever I feel it also needs to be modified due to being too dense.

FYI...in case you need it. When I do this....I cut into the w/strip and spread the cut apart....and when I start to hollow out and remove the foam...I make sure that I do this roughly about 1/8"+ inside from the outer surface....SO...when I am done....I can glue the w/strip back together and USE that 1/8"+ thickness to join the w/strip I cut back together.....SO...when I glue the w/strip on the door....it has a good 'backbone' of weatherstrip to hold it to the door.....INSTEAD OF...hollowing the w/strip out and leaving a paper thin piece of w/strip so when you glue it to the door...the w/strip can tear away due to NOT having enough of itself to give it a good backbone and hold it there.

Does this make sense???????

DUB

ChattanoogaJSB

Makes perfect sense DUB. Thank you sir!