I am very proud to announce I finished my draft of the windshield weatherstrip install instructions. These were written based off the experience of doing two installs in a row. You will note that it is MUCH more detailed than the Packard shop manual.
I did not bother to typeset this version so the locations of the photos are a little off and the figures are unnumbered just in case I need to add some stuff.
So feel free to take a look and let me know your thoughts!
Feedback: -Maybe indicate on the picture of the door what area the weatherstrip can be used. It gets confusing reading front upper, upper, rear upper, etc.
But I did indicate it directly on the figures shown with the corresponding terms...?
I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE CLEARER IF A COLOURED LINE INDICATED THE PORTION OF SEAL BEING REFERENCED.
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53 Cavalier wrote: -I would suggest that one of the first steps should be to check and adjust door alignment so that new seals are trained to fit properly aligned doors. Along with a reminder that door gaps on vehicles from the 50's are not as consistent as modern vehicles.
Good idea, I'll add it. Any favorite thread you know of with tips on how to do that?
SERVICE MANUAL GIVES SOME INSTRUCTIONS. IT'S ONE OF THOSE FUSSY JOBS THAT SOMETIMES JUST TAKES A BIT OF TIME TO GET IT RIGHT.
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53 Cavalier wrote: -When I installed my door weatherstripping I found that the asymmetrical design does matter, that one way it tips a bit towards the car and the other a bit away. To help the seal stay on the surface of the body where it should it was best if it tipped away and that is how the factory seal was installed as well.
That's correct, though how much it matters is debatable. AFAIK, Steele uses a symmetrical profile.
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53 Cavalier wrote: -I recommend the black adhesive if you have a black car like I do! LOL
Yeah, that's why I noted it. If I have to tell the reader that specifically then they might want to find a different hobby.
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53 Cavalier wrote: -On the corners, which the factory ones had a separate molded piece glued in, it's important to make sure that the tip of the seal does lean towards the car too much, which it will naturally do as you go around the corner. You cover this a bit, but I think an illustration would be helpful.
See above.
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53 Cavalier wrote: -I found that if I did the straight runs as one or two applications, then did just the corners by themselves that worked well for me, but no more than about 12"-18" at one time. *Once the adhesive makes contact it's stuck, so be very careful when positioning it!
Right. The length you do at a time is more about how fast you can apply the stuff. I think I ended up about 24" at a time but I was doing it pretty sloppily (think of the car it's on).
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53 Cavalier wrote: -I used a plastic knife and found it worked very well. Less is better when it comes to the adhesive and spread it quickly as it begins to set up right away and can't be evenly spread. It's a combination of being careful, but working as quickly as possible. I don't think you even have a minute as you suggested, I think you have about 20 seconds, depending on the temp.
The stuff is supposed to have a 2 min working time but yeah it tends to tack up as soon as you get it in a thin layer.
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53 Cavalier wrote: -Do not install working in the sun or on a hot day!
Well, I did but it provides no benefit aside from building character.
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53 Cavalier wrote: -Page 3, paragraph 2 had "remainer" instead of "remainder".
😃👍
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53 Cavalier wrote: -The weatherstrip on my car does not cover the weep holes at all and does not require drilling or cutting out. I'm not sure this is correct.
Seemed like it did on my 400. I'll have to investigate some more I guess.
MAYBE WHAT YOU WERE SEEING WERE THE HOLES WHERE THE METAL TABS OF THE FACTORY SEAL WENT??? THOSE "LITTLE" HOLES DO GET COVERED BY THE SEAL AND ARE SUPPOSED TO. THE WEEP HOLES ON MY CAVALIER ARE ABOUT 1 1/2" LONG AND NEARLY 1/4" WIDE
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53 Cavalier wrote: -I would not suggest the idea of skipping the the bottom of the doors. It will cut into your sales don't need extra places for dust, bugs etc to be able to get in.
Right, it's not a good idea, I was just being lazy on my Deluxe...
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53 Cavalier wrote: -I found I had cut and extend the weather seal to cover the striker plate for the front door, like the factory seal.
Not sure what you mean by this...?
THE FACTORY SEAL IS WIDER ON MY 53 STARTING AT THE BELT MOLDING AND GOING DOWN ABOUT 10", AND NEEDS TO BE AS THE B PILLAR HAS A RECESS THERE FOR THE STRIKER.
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53 Cavalier wrote: -I would suggest not removing all door seals at once so when working on one side of the car you can reference the other side for where seals start and stop. This would be good to note in the instructions.
Right, I'll add it. Hopefully doesn't need to be said.
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53 Cavalier wrote: -I also found that the generic seal worked on the upper front portion of the front door. The end needs to be cut appropriately on my body style in order to channel the water into the A pillar seal.
That's good. The V8's have an extra "special" (annoying) design in that regard so I'm glad that it worked.
I DID END UP ADDING A PIECE OF GENERIC WEATHER SEAL TO KEEP IT FROM WEEPING WHERE THE DOOR SEAL AND THE PILLAR SEAL MEET. IT WAS MAKING THE WINDLACE DAMP. IT RUNS ABOUT 1/2 WAY UP THE ANGLED PORTION OF THE FRONT DOOR FRAME.
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53 Cavalier wrote: -On the upper front of the rear door I find that the generic seal does not quite sit on top of the surface it's should seal against. I put a thin piece of cloth between the seal and the body of the car before I close the door and then carefully pull it out to pull the seal into place. I'm hoping that after a while the seal will stay in the correct position on it's own. This is a area that I should have been more careful to make sure the seal tipped out a bit more.
I'll have to check. That's under the drip rail so not a super critical area. The biggest pain points are the front of the front door and "middle corner" on the rear of the rear door.
I HAVE SOME MASKING TAPE ON A COUPLE OF SPOTS TRAINING THE SEALS. AS LONG AS THEY GO INTO THE CORRECT POSITION WHEN THE DOOR IS CLOSED ALL GOOD, BUT IF THEY'RE GETTING MUSHED INTO THE WRONG POSITION THEY'LL END UP STAYING THAT WAY.
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53 Cavalier wrote: -Check to make sure they are making good contact by spraying foot powder on the car, close the door and then open to see if the seal has powder on it and has made good contact.
I'll have to try that sometime.
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53 Cavalier wrote: -Then set up the sprinkler and test for leaks. If you are out in your car and it rains, it's good to know if you need to find shelter right away, or if you're good to go.
Yeah I would rather just do this normally, as some areas aren't super important. Yeah "dust leaks" and so forth except that you have two wind tunnels right at the front of the car blasting in unfiltered air when you drive, so as long as there's not water leaking in then I'm good with it.
461183J Front Windshield Weatherstrip Assembly.pdf
but it provides no benefit aside from building character.
