I have had many collectors cars in the past including a 1963 Daytona Blue Split Window Coupe ... yes I wish I still had it. My question is in regards to a few comments I have seen about using a silicon protection product on the rubber. I have never used this on any car I've had in the past and have never had any problems.

My questions are: What areas of rubber do I need to treat on my Coupe? What rubber protection product should I use?

Thanks.

 

I have been using PYROIL by Vavoline labeled a Multi-purpose silicon lubricant for 5 years on my C5 and so far all is well. The rubber is clean and appears to show little wear. Can't say like new,, but in excellent condition. Don't know anyone else using this,, I just dumb thumbed on it one day in the store.

 

About all I treat are the various pieces of weatherstripping that is on the car. Includes under the hood, the doors/windows/top and the hatch.

 

Dielectric silicon grease has worked well for me!

 

My understanding is you want to use a "silicone" grease, not "silicon" grease. There is a difference. A check on the internet shows that Pyroil is silicone, not silicon.

Many people use a silicone based dialectric grease. Boating supply stores also have silicone grease.

Use it on the weatherstripping, etc. I've also read here that some silicone spray in the hatch latches will cure squeaking.

 

I have been doing a little research on the web and it seems that you want to use a non-silicone treatment. Here is information that I have found from a few sites. Is non-silicone what you would recommend? and what brand?
*****
Non-silicone. Protects rubber from drying and becoming brittle. Also ideal for lifting polish marks from trim.

Black Beauty™ Non-Silicone Rubber Treatment
Over time, if rubber is neglected, it becomes oxidized, rigid and dull looking. Black Beauty undoes all this unsightly damage quickly and easily by restoring rubber to a like new condition by removing oxidized rubber, paint over spray and powdered wax and polish residue. Restores original blackness and flexibility. More than just a cover-up, it rejuvenates rubber.

"Leading Brand" protectant products contain silicone oils giving them their oily, greasy, dirt attracting nature. Some even contain petroleum distillates (petrochemicals)!....which should never be used on rubber or vinyl and most other plastics. Common automotive 'protectants' and 'tire dressings' are typically devoid of UV stabilizers of any type and offer little, negligible or no protection against other environmental degradants. 303 Aerospace Protectant does not contain silicone oils or petroleum distillates, or other agents unsafe for rubber, vinyl and other plastics.

Points to Remember;
Easy to use, safe, non-toxic, non-corrosive, odourless and non- flammable.
Contains NO silicone at all.
Protects vinyl, rubber, plastics & leather from fading and hardening.
Creates an anti-static surface that helps repel dust.
Easy to apply, just spray & wipe over.

 

I use silicon grease from the scuba shop, if it's good enough for the rubber parts in my regulator, it's fine on the weatherstripping. Cheap to. Jeff

 

Looks like a lot of differing views. It may be that the non-silicone treatments are the ones suggested for hard rubber like tires and trim, rather than weather-stripping.

From a www.corvetteactioncenter.com article about preparing a car for storage:

Exterior Trim
Another frequently overlooked area to prepare is the exterior trim components of your Corvette. These include, weather-stripping, door hinges, hood latches and release pawls, pivots, and spring anchors.

For the weather-stripping, use a non-solvent based, silicone lubricant or grease. Mequiars Vinyl and Rubber Cleaner and Conditioner is one example and GM Goodwrench Dielectric Silicone Grease (part no. 12345579) is another. If you choose to use the silicone grease, apply a small amount to the weather-stripping using your fingers. Wipe off any excess with a clean rag.

For the door hinges, hood latches and related hardware, use Lubriplate Lubricant (GM part no. 12346293). This is similar to white lithium grease which can be applied using your fingers. If you can't find this product at your local Chevrolet parts department, try GM SuperLube (GM part no. 12346241). This lubricant is similar to WD-40 and contains teflon.

 

Thanks. I appeciate the information.