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After reading all the above I'm glad I have a Vert!
LOL. Just like weatherstrip and tires, ragtops are wear items. How much for a new top?
Don't get me wrong. I love the convertible. But they wanted $1200 to replace the vinyl top on my '94 Miata. I bought a used hardtop instead for $800.
A co-worker had his vert sliced open in the parking garage. They got his Glock. The factory top replacement cost was enough that insurance totalled his '15 Miata.
I think that this whole hatch weatherstrip deal just got a lot better. But that's of little solace to those who bought the previous version.
So you are selling the same product as Corvette America now?
I posted to alert others about this new design. There was much hand wringing over your prior offerings.
I am very pleased with mine so far. Although no one here seems to care for my install, it works a treat. No leaks at all. And the corners don't grab like the old design. I can use the hatch without cringing.
Mine is a DD, not a garage queen show car, so I'm good. Way too many other things to deal with on this old Chevy.
I've never installed weatherstripping for a living, so I relied on the accompanying instructions. They started in the center. I've seen videos doing it both ways, and I don't understand the reason for starting in the center. Corners make more sense.
Next time around, I'll start in the corners.
The original GM weatherstrip and the reproductions never fit in the corners all the way, so to make sure the spacing was equal on both sides you had to start in the center. What would happen if you started in the corners is you'd come up short. The video we made was using the earlier reproduction weatherstrips which meant we had to start from the center. We may re-visit this in the future and update the video if needed.
FWIW, I bought the rear hatch last year from willcox for my 90. to date, no issues.
Good deal, they were hit or miss.. Now they'll be a hit.. All I can do is present to you guys what is the best there is at the time. If we have a product that has issues but there is nothing better then all I can offer is my advise on how to move forward. We tried all the manufacturers including GM, CA's import, Lone Stars's Import, and two others....
All had issues.. Hopefully those issues are solved how. The next time we get a rear hatch job in the shop I'm pretty sure we'll video the installation.
Good deal, they were hit or miss.. Now they'll be a hit.. All I can do is present to you guys what is the best there is at the time. If we have a product that has issues but there is nothing better then all I can offer is my advise on how to move forward. We tried all the manufacturers including GM, CA's import, Lone Stars's Import, and two others....
All had issues.. Hopefully those issues are solved how. The next time we get a rear hatch job in the shop I'm pretty sure we'll video the installation.
Willcox
Best learn to do it right fisrt for the user. I trained many on how to fix things for the factory. And know how and why somethings were done in the factory. The way you are showing is the way it was done in the factory. It was done that way not to spread the snot grease and so a worker did not cross a moving line.
Just for a example I trained the dealership how to replace the vista glass on a roadmaster station wagon the G.M. way was 4 hours for two people. My record was 16 minutes and needed the other person for 4 minutes.
Last edited by antfarmer2; 11-19-2016 at 10:29 PM.
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (appearance mods)
C4 of Year Winner (appearance mods) 2019
Originally Posted by Cruisinfanatic
so are you going to replace all the crap hatch striping you sold us
for the last few years?
Originally Posted by Z51JEFF
Yet you want to sell something else to a dissatisfied customer,good luck with that. If I bought something from Wilcox and it turned out to be garbage I surely wouldn't do business with you again.
On the surface, these gripes sounds typical. But, just remember...
Make sure you stop going to ANY store where you've bought something and it didn't last as you expected. That includes Walmart, Target, Lowes, Home Depot, Ace, AutoZone, OReillys, NAPA, GM, Ford, Advanced Auto, etc....
And don't complain if aftermarket isn't the joyful crap GM (OEM) Chinese crap is coming too.
I've had the CRC weatherstrip since 2006. It's survived longer than the OEM stuff...at least in terms of "mileage". And, that translates to number of days outdoors.
Willcox has normally been a "stand-up" vendor in the same fashion that Jon as been in the injector market. One of our best vendors. In fact, he helped me "lobby" CRC for a new A-pillar WS that was misformed several years ago.
If you have a complain about CRC quality, molds, etc...., make your complaint about them. Do you think an aftermarket retailer is going to lobby for and make some grand "recall" ala the major automakers for a safety reason? Seriously?
Let's complain to GM because the C4's don't have the same technology as the C7's. What a load of crap. Who's doling out the crap here?
You know, I've had my share of complaints from something that doesn't meet the standard of current production (especially from OTHER vendors), but the complaints about Willcox aren't even well-thought-out.
I am not calling out any products that may be a weaker casting or a cheaper bearing, but when they say a seal will work on a 198? corvette it should not be deformed from the mold.
It is obvious the guys seal was a reject, it had air in the mold or something. It should be uniform and then you can accept that in will flatten out and fill the space. The color on my door panel was labeled as bronze, it was a PITA to send it back and it was not bronze. It was their brown. Bait and switch.
This post is about a totally new product I purchased from Corvette America. I posted because others were not happy with their RECENT purchases from Wilcox and Steel.
Now Wilcox is apparently sourcing and selling the same product as Corvette America. Steel Rubber (giggle) has not weighed in on the conversation.
The Corvette America product has molded, not glued, corners. So far, I am very pleased with no leaks, no noise.
Doesn't matter how you align it as long as it is even. What matters is if it is cut properly. The miters look cut properly on yours.
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (appearance mods)
C4 of Year Winner (appearance mods) 2019
Originally Posted by xrav22
I am not calling out any products that may be a weaker casting or a cheaper bearing, but ... it should not be deformed from the mold.
The color on my door panel was labeled as bronze, it was a PITA to send it back and it was not bronze. It was their brown. Bait and switch.
I agree with your first statement and have been helped by Willcox in this scenario -- if pointed out early. I would suggest before installation. It's a way more specific comment that makes more sense than labeling everything "crap".
I am also the type that would ask for round-trip shipping when something has been shipped that's incorrect, damaged, or just plain wrong.
This is bait and switch my friends, also took like 6 phone calls because they kept telling their color was correct oem.
They even said that the colors looked the same to them. Can u believe that I can't. They would not help me return the item I was lucky the UPS store guy gave me his discount to ship was only 19.00 instead of 35-40 dollars.
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (appearance mods)
C4 of Year Winner (appearance mods) 2019
Originally Posted by xrav22
This is bait and switch my friends, also took like 6 phone calls because they kept telling their color was correct oem.
They even said that the colors looked the same to them. Can u believe that I can't. They would not help me return the item I was lucky the UPS store guy gave me his discount to ship was only 19.00 instead of 35-40 dollars.
I have to plead ignorance on the door panels. In the picture posted on page 1, the left panel looks bronze. The right panel looks charcoal or black. But, it's hard to tell correct shade in a picture.
I'm also confused by the OP saying "so far I'm impressed" after posting the 2nd picture you show above. I don't know/understand what the indentation around the corner is for, if it's correct, or WTF?
It's hard to understand the viewpoints and differences in products. I can only say my 2006 vintage CRC rear weatherstrip does show the typical separation at the corners. I never tried gluing it because it didn't think anything could successfully "weld" the joint back together. That's because I tried gluing a WS on my OTHER car a couple years back and it didn't hold. OTOH, I haven't had a leak issue...possibly because I try to avoid rainy days. My CRC A-pillar WS still DOES leak even after they prodded CRC to send a replacement. It's not horrible, but I'm not sure it would cause water damage to the car either.
I'm also confused by the OP saying "so far I'm impressed" after posting the 2nd picture you show above. I don't know/understand what the indentation around the corner is for, if it's correct, or WTF?
No one was impressed with my installation. I am happy to have zero leaks and no wind noise. So I AM impressed. Doesn't look like the window glass is going to split that corner anytime soon, but only time will tell.
When you get this weatherstrip in hand, you'll understand.
xrav22 is upset with Wilcox about the color of a door panel. Totally off topic rant against Wilcox. I didn't buy from Wilcox, and there was NO bait and switch. If I had received that door panel, it would have been shipped back to Wilcox on their dime, period.
Again, this post had ZERO to do with Wilcox and everything to do with a new vendor for the weatherstripping sold by CORVETTE AMERICA.
As it turns out, Wilcox is now also selling this superior product so they jumped in to hawk it here. As they are a forum sponsor, I'm cool with that.
After a day in the sun, mine has flattened out and filled out much better, but it's never going to compete in a show so I don't give a flip if it doesn't look like their picture perfect example. It simply works. And I expect it will work for years to come.
Which frees me up to deal with all the other stuff that's failing on this old Chevy.
No one was impressed with my installation. I am happy to have zero leaks and no wind noise. So I AM impressed. Doesn't look like the window glass is going to split that corner anytime soon, but only time will tell.
When you get this weatherstrip in hand, you'll understand.
xrav22 is upset with Wilcox about the color of a door panel. Totally off topic rant against Wilcox. I didn't buy from Wilcox, and there was NO bait and switch. If I had received that door panel, it would have been shipped back to Wilcox on their dime, period.
Again, this post had ZERO to do with Wilcox and everything to do with a new vendor for the weatherstripping sold by CORVETTE AMERICA.
As it turns out, Wilcox is now also selling this superior product so they jumped in to hawk it here. As they are a forum sponsor, I'm cool with that.
After a day in the sun, mine has flattened out and filled out much better, but it's never going to compete in a show so I don't give a flip if it doesn't look like their picture perfect example. It simply works. And I expect it will work for years to come.
Which frees me up to deal with all the other stuff that's failing on this old Chevy.
So Wilcox and corvette america sell the same weather strip now? I need to know so i can purchase the best quality. Also what is CRC?
Yesterday I installed another Corvette America rear hatch weather strip for my other C4, the '95 Polo. This set was sourced from Wilcox Corvette.
Shipping was the same gotcha as Corvette Central with ground the only option at $21. But the coupon dropped the price of the weather strip by 10 percent, so bottom line was a bit less.
This time, I ripped through the job in less than 30 minutes and it came out better. Even though the PO had used some adhesive on one side.
Meanwhile, the weatherstrip on the '96 is doing great. Which is why I decided to double down, of course.
11-19-2016, 08:56 AM
