Weatherstrip and trim installation

[Raymond Compton]

Hi Everyone,

Continuing with my "replace all the rubber" project on my '74 Avanti, I am trying to determine the best products to use when installing the various parts. So far, the 3M #08011 weatherstrip adhesive and the 3M 08090 super trim adhesive seem to be the right products for glued on weatherstrip and carpet and carpet pads, respectivly. I also have some "dum-dum" putty. When I removed the 'A' pillar, 'B' pillar, drip molding, and rear quarter windows the sealant was very similar to plumbers putty or old fashioned wresidential window glazing putty, grey in color and non-hardening. So far, nobody around here has any idea as to what the current equivalent is. The "dum-dum" seems to be too stiff and being black, it will show any seams next to my silver paint.

Also, any hints, caveats, etc. that any of you have on the subject of rubber/weatherstripping would be appreciated. Again, I do not want to be at the steep part of the learning curve if someone else has already figured it out.

Thanks

[WayneC]

I'm no expert, but good body shop supply stores carry grey caulking strip (3M?).

It hardens some over time, though never getting rock hard. I think that

silicone caulk/sealer would also do the trick, at higher cost.

[Raymond Compton]

I'm no expert, but good body shop supply stores carry grey caulking strip (3M?).

It hardens some over time, though never getting rock hard. I think that

silicone caulk/sealer would also do the trick, at higher cost.

Thanks Wayne,

The problem has been finding the grey 3M stuff. I have some and can find the black easily but maybe 3M has discontinued the grey stuff. I also found "Frost King B2 Mortite Caulking Cord" on-line which seems to be what I am looking for. I also found a referene to a NAPA #4414 but their web site does not show it. I will check next time I am near a NAPA store. The nearest is about thiryt-five miles away so I don't just pop off. My success rate for phone inquiries is only so-so therefore I prefer face-to-face. The nearest body shop store is sixty miles away.

I'll keep you posted

[WayneC]

The problem has been finding the grey 3M stuff.

I just did a search and now I understand your problem finding it... 3M used to make that stuff in grey, but apparently they don't anymore. I even found reference to it, but nobody seems to be selling it.

All is not lost, try this link:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000LNODSQ/ref=asc_df_B000LNODSQ1793550?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&tag=nextagus0039202-20&linkCode=asn&creative=395093&creativeASIN=B000LNODSQ

or these:

http://www.lowes.com/pd_96338-1410-P24H_?PL=1&productId=1114771

http://tinyurl.com/7n32rgq

http://tinyurl.com/73wdqwn

http://tinyurl.com/85l3ptd

http://tinyurl.com/73vl9fz

You might even try your local plumbing supply, or Ace Hardware (plumbing section).

Edited December 19, 2011 by WayneC

[Raymond Compton]

Thanks Wayne,

Yesterday I ordered some caulk from the auto body supply shop that is made by Norton, the sandpaper people. Today I found a similar product at Wal-mart made by Duck, the tape people. Between the two I should have it covered.

Also, do you have any technique tips for using this to re-install the rear quarter windows?

Again, thanks,

Raymond

Edited December 21, 2011 by Raymond Compton

[Project Avanti]

Thanks Wayne,

The problem has been finding the grey 3M stuff. I have some and can find the black easily but maybe 3M has discontinued the grey stuff. I also found "Frost King B2 Mortite Caulking Cord" on-line which seems to be what I am looking for. I also found a referene to a NAPA #4414 but their web site does not show it. I will check next time I am near a NAPA store. The nearest is about thiryt-five miles away so I don't just pop off. My success rate for phone inquiries is only so-so therefore I prefer face-to-face. The nearest body shop store is sixty miles away.

I'll keep you posted

Hi Ray, the 3M grey body caulking is PN 8547, original number, if you can find it. My personal experience with silicone

caulk is not good, tends to stain, not be appropriate for applications where there is movement or vibration.

[WayneC]

Hi Ray, the 3M grey body caulking is PN 8547, original number, if you can find it. My personal experience with silicone caulk is not good, tends to stain, not be appropriate for applications where there is movement or vibration.

I located a partial old box of the NAPA 414 grey rope caulk in its original cardboard NAPA package in my garage, with the words Martin Seynour on the box. Couldn't find it for sale on the internet from either NAPA or Martin Seynour, but I did find this reference:

http://www.martinsenour-autopaint.com/pds/martin/english/9519.pdf

Chances are that I've had it for 15 years or so, I'm pretty sure I bought it at an auto supply store, though I don't think it was a NAPA store.

Here's an article describing using the 3M black rope caulk to seal a removed Mustang side window:

http://www.mustangmonthly.com/howto/mump_0911_how_to_restore_weatherstrip/index.html

[Raymond Compton]

Thanks for the info. I have that NAPA data sheet though I have not checked on availablility. The Norton stuff seems to be the right product.

The link to the Mustang weatherstrip How-to is great. I will refer to it again when I get going on the weatherstrip project. According to the body shop it will be after the first of the year. meanwhile I want to get all of the weatherstrip installation that I can do without the car around. it appears that the front vent window weatherstrip channel must be removed by drilling out the rivets to be able to get the weatherstrip in the channel. Is that correct?

I will have to check but I think that I have the yellow weatherstrip adhesive. No reason was given for preferring the black though any oozing out would be less noticable than the yellow.

Thanks for the insight in to silicone seal issues.

Raymons

[WayneC]

it appears that the front vent window weatherstrip channel must be removed by drilling out the rivets to be able to get the weatherstrip in the channel. Is that correct?

Raymons

The Avanti workshop manual, body section, page 12, gives instructions.

If you don't already have the manual, you need to get one.

[Raymond Compton]

Thanks, somehow I missed those instructions.

The workshop and parts manuals were among the first purchases that I made after getting the car.

With no snow in the seven day forcast I hope to have the weatherstrip and the window run channel fuzz installed within the next few days. Moving snow here takes all morning with about .7 miles of driveway and lots of porch and sidewalk square footage.

Thanks again,

Raymond

[Raymond Compton]

I finally finished with the front vent window frames. The drivers side had the top of the casting broken out at the end of the window run channel. I would guess that the "up" stop was not adjusted to stop the window before it hit the end of the channel. I filled the area above the rubber and steel stop with JB weld and covered the top with "chrome" trim tape, the solid aluminum type. It looks pretty good and if I am careful to adjust the "up" stop in the door so that the window does not actually touch the stop at the top of the frame it should be OK.

The passenger side casting was not damaged but the ear at the top of the window run channel that fastens the channel to the casting at the top was broken. Since I was using the fuzzy Velcro technique for restoring the felt, I wanted to keep the original channel so that the finished product would match the already completed driver side assembly. I ended up with a small piece of sheet metal riveted to the channel where the top rivet fastens the channel to the casting and bent in a "L" shape then drilled for the screw that goes through the very top of the casting. After riveting in the rear vertical weather strip piece I then glued in the fuzzy Velcro in to the channel, let it dry overnight and then trimmed it. By the way, the Velcro method does a beautiful job and actually looks better that the new replacement felt channels that I have. The window is held snugly but moves easily so I expect no rattles and no excessive load on the motors.

Last, I spread some JB weld in the casting cavity as I assembled the rubber stop and channel assembly to prevent any movement that would eventually break the sheet metal tab. After installing the large rubber weather strip in to the casting and fitting the vent window the whole assembly looks like new.

I have also cleaned and lubricated the power window mechanism and all of the channels in which the nylon rollers run. Of course I replaced all of the rollers with new and have new clips for the rollers when the assembly goes back in to the door. One of the power window mechanisms was so stiff from hardened grease that I could hardly move it manually. I am amazed that the window motor was able to run the window up and down. It should be effortless now.

The rear quarter window weather strips went in nicely though the process was tedious.

The car got painted last Tuesday but the color is wrong. The paint shop made an error in cross referencing the Avanti Motor Corp. paint code and ended up with a light Champaign instead of the proper "Silver Moondust Metallic." Both the paint shop and the body shop knew there was a problem before painting but failed to call me until after the car was painted. I did not insist on checking the color because I thought that the make, model, year, and paint code would be a no brainer for any automotive paint store. Anyway, we try again Monday. I am going up to the body shop Monday morning to double check the color before they paint.

Once I get the car back, one of my first projects will be the A/C blower. I understand that it is a pain to remove. All of the interior carpet and molded plastic side panels are out of the car, exposing the blower assembly. Is it possible to remove the blower without disconnecting the evaporator? Because my A/C is a R-134 conversion, the evaporator and its fittings are still R-12 flair fittings. Right now, they do not leak and I would hate to introduce a leak by opening those lines.

As always, any suggestions are welcome.

Edited January 15, 2012 by Raymond Compton

[WayneC]

What in the world possesses a body shop to go ahead and paint a car knowing the color is not the color the customer specified? Seems like they are just throwing away their time and money. I once had a shop install a convertible top that was an incorrect color, even though they thought the color choice was very strange (the shop had also just painted the car and the installer missed the fact that the label on the top that arrived with my order number on it didn't match my order; he installed a green top on a blue car). One would think that if they spot something that looks amiss they would at least pick up a phone and call the vehicle owner.

Hope they covered the expense of their mistake for you; in my case luckily I had ordered through the installer, so the company that sold me the top re-sent the correct one and paid for the re-install, probably because they knew the installer would stop recommending them to future customers if they tried to stick him with the bill.

[Raymond Compton]

What in the world possesses a body shop to go ahead and paint a car knowing the color is not the color the customer specified? Seems like they are just throwing away their time and money. I once had a shop install a convertible top that was an incorrect color, even though they thought the color choice was very strange (the shop had also just painted the car and the installer missed the fact that the label on the top that arrived with my order number on it didn't match my order; he installed a green top on a blue car). One would think that if they spot something that looks amiss they would at least pick up a phone and call the vehicle owner.

Hope they covered the expense of their mistake for you; in my case luckily I had ordered through the installer, so the company that sold me the top re-sent the correct one and paid for the re-install, probably because they knew the installer would stop recommending them to future customers if they tried to stick him with the bill.

Yes, I did not understand why they proceeded with painting if there was any doubt. Especially since I remind them that if there is ANY question about ANYTHING, give me a call. I would be happy to drive up and sort it out. The paint shop bought the paint and the body shop the respray so the only thing I lost was time.

Anyway, the car is repainted in the proper color and looks great. Within the next week they will have it "cut and buffed" then we will put the windshield and rear window back in. After that is done we will bring the car home for the mechanical stuff including brakes from M/C to lines and a rear end rebuild while installing 3.73 gears and a limited slip differential.

I am going to starta new thread about pulling the A/C blower to see if anybody has been able to remove the blower without pulling the evaporator.