Hey all,
Been working on getting the vette ready for next summer and decided to tackle the aged, hard, missing, and cracked weather stripping. Figured I will create one post with questions for the group. Currently I am about a 1/3 of the way done and would be happy if I never saw another piece of weather stripping for the rest of my life. Bought the complete CRC kit from Willcox and the quality is awesome with only a few minor fitment issues (really minor and probably my fault anyway).


First fit issue I ran across was with the piece that runs along the back of the passenger side window. There is a decent gap between the stripping and the glass and I am looking for ideas to close it up some. The strip in the picture has not been glued down yet so I can still manipulate it if necessary. The glass is original so not sure if it could have warped or something. Thoughts?

 

Thanks again Alan for a great reply. I didn't realize you could adjust the glass like that.


Is there anything you don't know about these cars?

 

Hey fellas, I need to do this too but don't know how to take off the inner panel. Your words of wisdom would be appreciated as I don't want to break anything. CPT, please excuse the interruption.

 

CPTCroaker, I'd be interested in hearing if you're able to remove all of that gap, I've wrestled with mine a couple of times, both sides, but can't seem to get that gap gone!

 

thank you Alan, I'll have to take a look at that

 

No problem. I actually welcome it since it helps us all learn.


I will be sure to post pics and notes of any improvements...assuming I actually make it better and not worse

 

FOR WHAT THIS IS WORTH:

I have adjusted more windows that I care to remember. And the ONE thing that I check BEFORE I begin to do any adjustments is IF the front and rear rollers that go into the front and rear vertical window tracks are GOOD and have NO 'in and out' play in them.

IF they do...and I can see that there is this ANY 'play' in either one of them or both of them. They NEED to be replaced. NO 'IF's---'AND's ---or 'BUT's' about it!

The reason is that....IF these rollers have 'play' in them....then there is NO WAY that you can expect the window to respond to your adjustments and HOLD that adjustment due to this play.

SO...if the density of the weatherstrip you are installing is greater than the latex weatherstrip what was installed in some areas of the car....the door glass will now no longer easily compress the weatherstrip...but instead....the weatherstrip NOW is introducing a force against the door glass when it is trying to be closed to it.

So if the rollers are good (or replaced)...keep int mind that setting the front and rear vertical tracks IN CONJUNCTION WITH the felt adjusters is what will get you door glass to be RIGID and very little to no in and out play of the glass when it is up.

AND THIS is where the FUN begins.....getting the tilt of the glass just right so it will seal to the weatherstrips ...but not so much that it is binding and trying to push the glass outwards a lot...which...once again DEPENDS on the density of the surrounding weatherstrips.

I have never needed to shim out the bottom of any vertical track...and this is due to the design of the roller....they pivot.

Also do not be 'surprised' that you may need to remove and modify or adjust the pillar post weatherstrip track.

And...I have encountered MANY doors where I had to close the gap at the top of the steel door shell section to the outer window sealing strip area. And this is due to the felt adjusters are not working well...and I can see a MAJOR GAP on the outside of the door glass in relation to the outer window sealing strip. This....I feel is attributed to years of closing the door by the door gap handle and it pulling on the steel shell....and this can effect the front vertical track also.

Do not be surprised also if you need to re-position and drill a new hole for your door main weatherstrip where it attaches to the door frame at the rear.

DUB

 

My replacement weather strip was glued on and its coming off. What is a good glue to use? What are you using?

 

I used the 3M weatherstrip glue, it's been holding for about 3 years now with no signs of it coming off...

 

Good old brush-on contact cement works well, goes on easier than 3M, and is closer to the original color.

 

YES...the yellow brush on stuff works great. I DO AGREE! I myself do not care about if it is factory correct 99% of the time and I am more worried about the area looking clean and not a lot of adhesive showing when the job is done. When I do use the yellow contact adhesive for a customer who wants it factory correct...I use a yellow contact adhesive with a 1/2' wide brush and have at it.

IF you use the 3M 8008 or 8011 . You MUST apply it to both surfaces and then allow it to tack up and then apply the weatherstrip.

When I talked with 3M tech line....they told me that the 8008 is for LATEX...and the 8011 is for EPDM weatherstrip. Sorry I do not know anything about the yellow 3M tube glues due to I do not use them.

I also wipe the new weatherstrip with acetone to remove any residual silicone or whatever they may have used to get it to release from the molds.

And I can say that I have worked on so many Corvettes where the weatherstrip adhesive was NEVER removed correctly and a person kept adding more and more and more. SO...if you car is like that. Where the surface of all this glue is all uneven and jagged... Get some 3M 8984 and begin the process of getting ALL of the glue off so you can start CLEAN and then...the weatherstrip may stay.

DUB

 

How do I determine which type of weather strip it is?

 

Contact CRC ...and they should have a recommendation on what glue to use. I KNOW that they do not make LATEX....that I know for a FACT!

DUB

 

But does anyone still make latex? I talked to Corvette Central and they said no one makes latex anymore and if I find some for sale, it will be likely be old. Is that true? I see latex for door seals and t-tops (for my 72), but no A pillars anywhere...