Question regarding the reassembly of the front fenders.
Background: I'm a first time poster but long time lurker. Up front I wish to compliment the community here for their knowledge, wisdom and helpfulness. I'm in the process of restoring a 55 400 that my Dad had bought new a very long time ago. We are now in the fitting phase before the final painting and reassembly and have a dilemma that may have been addressed before.

Two Issues:
Question #1: The lower pillar weather stripping/gasket the goes under the fender just in front of the door, appears to push the fender proud of the cowl and door by a good 1/8" - ?" . Compared to the original gasket material, the new material (from the popular supplier) appears to be too dense to allow the fender to sink sufficiently into the material. The solution appears to be to trim the material to make it thinner and not to push the fender out. Has anyone else run into this issue.

Question #2: At the same location. (see accompanying diagram if I can successfully include (remember I'm first time poster). Are there one or two weather strips? One located under the fender just in front of the door. And a second, bonded to the door itself along the vertical door edge, pressing against the fender weather stripping once the door is closed.
The parts diagram (from a '56) shows no second gasket (weather stripping) while a clone car I have has two different gaskets installed. Is the 55 different then as diagramed? Comments? One or two?

Regards Dave

Attach file:

---

  (161.14 KB)