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I have a couple of places where I get moisture in on my front doors like under the vent window on the picture below.

Would this be caused by bad door seals? That is, water getting in and then traveling down the interior window trim until it comes in contact with the fabric and weeps out?

Maybe the source of the leak is the belt molding? Is it attached in a similar way as the lower windshield trim, that is, with little bolts that penetrate the body that need butyl to seal them?







I'll be removing my door cards, and stainless trim, when I get to work on my rockers and I want to make sure I do what's necessary to eliminate these leaks.

You might check out the service index, 51-4, body, for any service articles on water related issues. Several areas around the roof and windshield are mentioned where water might be getting in and running down to show somewhere else. One in particular regarding the vent and door weathersrtrip might be pertinent to your issue. Water could be leaking at the top and being channeled down to drip out where you have the damage.

If the car is able to be moved out of the garage, possibly removing the garnish molding and door panel then having someone use a hose to spray water against the door while you watch from inside might let you see where the leak is coming from.

It's probably the vent window rubber, but door gasket leaks are also very common. If the vent window rubber is still very pliable, it's often possible to adjust the position of the assembly or shim the vent window latch, if present. If the rubber is aged and hardened, it will probably have to be replaced. Door latches can be tightened, but if the door gaskets are aged or damaged, that won't help much. Leaks around doors and windows often cause wind noise at highway speeds, and if you can have a helper ride with you, driving on the open road at 50+ MPH with all windows closed may reveal a leak point by wind noise. I doubt if the exterior trim is causing a problem. It's normal for water that gets on the window glass to run directly down into the door, so water getting in under the trim isn't likely to be an issue with water getting on the upholstery unless drain holes in the bottom of the door are clogged. Some door gaskets have channels or gutters to direct water, usually in the belt line area. If present, they need to be in good condition and free of any debris. Leaks can be difficult to locate, and car wash sprays are a big challenge for any older car's door and window seals.

Thank you for the suggestions. I'll pull the garnish molding and door card, get the water hose, and then do some testing to see where the source of the leak is. It shouldn't be too hard to find with the door apart.

Just a reminder, I will have new door-to-body weatherstripping for sale in about a month. Should be factory quality.

I agree, just pour some water in the suspect areas with the door card off, and see what happens. I would bet the vent window since it completely relies on soft rubber to seal. The actual shape of the rubber will slightly channel it into the car.

Definitely the vent window seal. I could replace all 4 vent window seals using Steels products. $590 + US/Cdn exchange + shipping + taxes + duty + tariffs??

Steele is probably the only option anymore but you might check Metro Molded Parts as they list a pair of vent weatherstrips which they say also fits some late 30s Plymouths. If that statement is accurate some of the Mopar vendors might have another rubber source or because of greater volume, have a better price.

Kanter used to have some vent strips too but nothing shows on their website now so it would take a call to find out. I don't know if Kanter's rubber was discontinued or if the website has just not caught up with everything after the sale and integration with the other businesses. At the time I bought mine Fred said in a post on the forum that their rubber was NOT made by Steele.

The Steele ones are not perfect, but they are pretty good. For this reason, it’s not my biggest priority to make these.