Windshield Header Sealer?
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 720
Likes: 204
From: Michigan
Windshield Header Sealer?
Any advice on what to use to seal the gap between the windshield chrome cross molding and the T-Top header chrome?
There was an ugly yellowed and brittle bead in the ~1/8" gap that I picked out and I'd like to reseal that seam.
Not sure if I'd be doing more harm than good by possibly helping the water to get trapped in the upper bird cage cross member.
And I do have a little fear of possible rust in there, but not ready to tackle the removal of the glass and the bright metals to reveal any skeletons in the closet.
For now, I'm tempted to run a bead of urethane in there, or maybe a clear silicone caulk (bathroom or similar), but would like some guidance please.
Thanks
There was an ugly yellowed and brittle bead in the ~1/8" gap that I picked out and I'd like to reseal that seam.
Not sure if I'd be doing more harm than good by possibly helping the water to get trapped in the upper bird cage cross member.
And I do have a little fear of possible rust in there, but not ready to tackle the removal of the glass and the bright metals to reveal any skeletons in the closet.
For now, I'm tempted to run a bead of urethane in there, or maybe a clear silicone caulk (bathroom or similar), but would like some guidance please.
Thanks
Last edited by Bergerboy; Apr 20, 2017 at 08:23 PM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 993
Likes: 44
From: Jefferson Hills PA
I wouldn't use silicone it's a pain to get out later if you want to put a new coat on it. There is a product 3M makes I just can't remember if it's called seam seal or not. It stays pliable. I'm sure someone else will know the name of it. It's more like Dap putty and stays pliable. Comes in a tube. You just roll it into a long strand and tuck it in with a wooden stick. Then trim it with the wooden stick. No mess and easily comes off the chrome around it. It's dark grey in color. I'll see if I can find it.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 993
Likes: 44
From: Jefferson Hills PA
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,108
Likes: 4,170
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi.
From looking at the samples I have from my 71 I believe the material used was silver gray in color.
It's seen on very few cars anymore because it typically was removed when windshields were replaced and few folks bothered to put it back on.
Here's a photo of a car with it still in place, and a couple of photos of my version of it.
Regards,
Alan
From looking at the samples I have from my 71 I believe the material used was silver gray in color.
It's seen on very few cars anymore because it typically was removed when windshields were replaced and few folks bothered to put it back on.
Here's a photo of a car with it still in place, and a couple of photos of my version of it.
Regards,
Alan
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 720
Likes: 204
From: Michigan
Thanks Alan.
Mine originally looked a lot like your first photo. The bead was brittle and sort of an amber color. I could pick it out in dry chunks up to 1" in length.
Do you recall what the material is in the seam of the last 2 photos? That looks like a decent match to the bright metal on either side of it.
Is it flexible?
Do you think that is the 3M Heavy Drip-Check sealer that is suggested above?
Mine originally looked a lot like your first photo. The bead was brittle and sort of an amber color. I could pick it out in dry chunks up to 1" in length.
Do you recall what the material is in the seam of the last 2 photos? That looks like a decent match to the bright metal on either side of it.
Is it flexible?
Do you think that is the 3M Heavy Drip-Check sealer that is suggested above?
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Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 65,492
Likes: 230
From: Orange Park Florida
Bought my '72 in '95, old show car so garage kept, still had a tad of rust on it, but believe it or not, car is intact....SO, when getting it, part of the thing was to remove all the window trim stainless, and clean out the gap between glass edge and metal, then fill with black caulking gun RTV and toss the metal trim retaining clips, and hold the stainless down securely in position while the RTV grabbed/cured from the bottom side....then to fill the areas around the fenders/trim completely.....
AND on the top edge where the rag top hits, pulled all that stainless off, and reseated it with a generous layer of RTV under it, and wrapped it in black vinyl, going from under the glass trim, up/over the stainless, and down to under the interior trim....easy to do on a convertible, this assured the top will never leak even at 80 mph into a hurry cain.....
been that way since '95......
AND on the top edge where the rag top hits, pulled all that stainless off, and reseated it with a generous layer of RTV under it, and wrapped it in black vinyl, going from under the glass trim, up/over the stainless, and down to under the interior trim....easy to do on a convertible, this assured the top will never leak even at 80 mph into a hurry cain.....
been that way since '95......
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,108
Likes: 4,170
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi Bb,
There's no 'sealer' in the seam between the 2 pieces of trim.
The sealer is between the windshield steel header and the large stainless piece of header trim.
The silver material is the 'Scribbles'; it's a very heavy bodied material. The nozzle on the container dispenses a 'bead' of the material as you squeeze the container. How hard you squeeze and how quickly you move the container along determines how large the bead is.
I saved the silver material from my 71 and the Scribbles is very similar to it.
The Scribbles isn't intended to prevent water intrusion into the interior. It's cosmetic.
Regards,
Alan
There's no 'sealer' in the seam between the 2 pieces of trim.
The sealer is between the windshield steel header and the large stainless piece of header trim.
The silver material is the 'Scribbles'; it's a very heavy bodied material. The nozzle on the container dispenses a 'bead' of the material as you squeeze the container. How hard you squeeze and how quickly you move the container along determines how large the bead is.
I saved the silver material from my 71 and the Scribbles is very similar to it.
The Scribbles isn't intended to prevent water intrusion into the interior. It's cosmetic.
Regards,
Alan
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 3,389
Likes: 83
From: Norfolk Virginia
There are Polymers out there for use in preventing water intrusion, like for certain roofing applications. I am aware of a product that was used on my semi-flat roof. It came in liquid form and dried to gray rubber like material, only it is very very durable. I have a suspicion that the product called "Flex Seal" is a very similar product. You can purchase Flex Seal in liquid form and color it, I have seen it in white, Walmart I believe. For me....I will probably use the stuff Alan is suggesting, as I don't intend to drive my car in foul weather.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,108
Likes: 4,170
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi,
Here's an example of the Scribbles material.
It gets hard but remains somewhat flexible. Once it's completely dry it has quite a strong surface…. dirt doesn't stick to it or get imbedded in it.
One stripe is about 1/16"x1/16" and the other is about 1/8"x1/8 inch.
It's been on my car 6 or 7 years and hasn't seemed to degrade at al…BUT my car lives a very easy life.
Regards,
Alan
I put a small bead in the joint on my windshield header trim, let it sit for about 15 minutes, smoothed it with my finger tip, and wiped off any excess with acetone.
Here's an example of the Scribbles material.
It gets hard but remains somewhat flexible. Once it's completely dry it has quite a strong surface…. dirt doesn't stick to it or get imbedded in it.
One stripe is about 1/16"x1/16" and the other is about 1/8"x1/8 inch.
It's been on my car 6 or 7 years and hasn't seemed to degrade at al…BUT my car lives a very easy life.
Regards,
Alan
I put a small bead in the joint on my windshield header trim, let it sit for about 15 minutes, smoothed it with my finger tip, and wiped off any excess with acetone.
