confab

Has anyone else installed this and been scared to close their hatch? It sits up quite a bit with the new strip installed, and I'm scared to push on it.. Worried it might break the glass.

I'm doing paint right now or I'd put some silicone lube on it. Maybe some dish soap, or does it need anything?

You guys ever done this and know what I mean?

RWDsmoke

I had that problem . It would bow the glass if I tried to close it all the way. My solution was a gasket under the hinge plate to lift it slightly.

Renfield

If it's the Corvette America hatch strip from Willcox, it will work fine. I've installed their w.s. on two corvettes so far. Though I did use a liberal dose of dielectric grease.

After it sits in the sun for an hour, all will be well.

gerardvg

Ooh yeah its painfull.... I know it takes quite a bit of pressure to close the hatch, it does soften a little and gets easier over time.
Some hatch weather strips are more flexible and easy to close the hatch, BUT they do not seal as good and you get that annoying whistle on the highway.

aklim

I would expect it to be tight when first laid down

Seriously, considering how flat the old ones were, anything would feel like it wouldn't fit. Mine fit and still fit. Needs solid pressure to close it.

confab

Got it closed! The die-electric grease trick helped, I think..

Thanks all!!

aklim

Armour All is better. Dielectric Grease may trap dirt.

confab

I agree.. It's kinda heavy.

I'll use it after the paint is done.

(Atomized ArmorAll causes fish eyes.)

aklim

Surely you have a clean paper towel you can spray the stuff on and wipe the rubber down with it?

confab

Well, yeah.. I could try that.

But you don't want to lean against it and then get it into your primer, or blow it with an air hose. The paint goes nuts!

(A mistake I actually made once as a kid, working in a body shop.)

aklim

True. I'd do it after I get the paint on. If the paint is fresh, probably do it far away from the car and bring the damp rag to the car and wipe

Renfield

Glad it worked for you. If you want something lighter, aerosol silicone lube works better than Armor All for rubber, IMO.

Good luck with the paint. I've had the fisheye problem, and you can't be too careful.

aklim

Got a good one in mind? I tried a couple of cans from an auto show and they sucked

WVZR-1

Weather-strip before paint? I don't quite get that.

confab

No.. What is happening is working around a quirk I have with unfinished projects and balancing it with my regular work loads.

(Because I have to find shop time to do the actual paint. I throw EMT and plastic sheeting over one of the lifts to make a 'paint booth' And if I rip this car into a million pieces, I know it'll be a decade before I get back around to putting it all back together.)

So, I'm doing it in pieces. (Solid color)

This round, it's the back quarters and the halo area. So that is done and painted already and ready for weatherstrip..

But the doors and the rest of the car are next.

confab

Like this..

And if I do it like this, the shop disruption is minimal. (Or it would be if I would quit playing hookie to work on my own car instead of doing what I'm supposed to be doing.) and I stay pumped up about it and it doesn't turn into a "forever" project. (and I have a few of those.)

Seeing progress on a project helps. Some of them just get so big, if you don't break them down into bite sized pieces they become overwhelming and momentum is lost.

Renfield

I'm halfway through a can of "3 In One Professional" at the moment.

car addict

This is my present favorite treatment for weatherstripping.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Used to use mainly dielectric grease. Had a t-top car for a few years and ArmorAll and similar products just wouldn't keep the top seals from drying out and sticking to the glass.

Paul Workman

Words to live by... gotta break big projects down or they can get overwhelming - has been my approach too. Had some really challenging projects in the past

aklim

Finally found it. First couple of suggestions were Astroglide