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Aftermarket Weatherstrip

1

1stiff84

Guest
Hello All,

I am currently considering replacing some weatherstrip on an '84 coupe and was considering using products by Metro Moulded Parts, Inc., as an alternative to GM due to cost difference. Has anyone used their products before? Is this cost savings worth it?
I know SoffSeal is a reputable company with a great product, but I found out their 'Vette weatherstrip is actually made by Metro.


Thanks,

1stiff84
 
Well, I can comment on this from 2 different points...a few months back I had both rear side rails as well as the weatherstrip that surrounds the windshield replaced on my car (GM replacement pieces)....no problems with fit after installation.

Someone that I know was not as fortunate. He thought that he was receiving GM weatherstripping when he dropped his car off at the shop (they lied and told him it was GM)....major fit problems after the fact. Cracked glass that had to be replaced due to the weatherstrip being aftermarket (not as pliable as GM, fit was "off").

It's up to you, but in my opinion there is a difference between GM weatherstripping and aftermarket.
 
Not For Me

I haven't done mine yet, but I have three very good friends in the glass business, auto, residential, commercial etc. and when I do replace mine I will be using stock not aftermarket. All three tell me there is a major difference and they won't use aftermarket when I do mine. Just my $.02.
 
weather strip

After witnessing several "fit" problems with aftermarket kits, I would recommend purchasing genuine GM and have some install it, unless you want to do it yourself.
Lots of luck
 
Thank You

Dear RubyDropTop, Rowdy1, TomsToy,

Thank you for your time and assistance. Looks like an overwhelming vote for factory seals. Thanks for sharing your experiences.


Happy Motoring,

1stiff84
 
Believe it or not I have gone 2 ways with these seals.

When my car was broken into the bad guys managed to rip EVERY seal on the passenger side including the one that "wraps" the roll bar/separater<--(Major bucks)

The body shop of course used all GM seals and of course no one cares for my car as much as I do so when I got it back I had to redo every one of them and heres what Ive found...

They are NOT as good as they should be, they are still the stock blown foam and I had to stretch them into place SO bad that a couple of them that have the plastic angle pieces BROKE no fault of mine they actually fit now because of the breaks.

When I looked at the seals from Aftermarket at my local Corvette Shop ( Corvette Corner ) the wise man behind the counter knew what I was talking about and pointed out that Aftermarkets know this to and have made they're seals a little bit better and bigger. NOT TO MENTION WAY CHEAPER!

I have to do my Drivers door and the hatch yet and I will MOST defienitly buy aftermarket then treat the foam with a sealer of some kind so they won't mold or rott again.

Of subject but when the Body shop had my roof off to replace the seals the GOOF ripped off the drivers side instead of the damaged passengers side...Hehehhee ALL new seals on the roof man I was impressed LOL

I find it weird that everyone else has had overwhelming success with the GM ones mabe ours have been sitting on the shelf to long (In my town) pbly sitting beside the Air conditioner or Heater Hehe The ones I had EXTRA trouble with were the Interior passengers door and the roof seals. The one for the Pillar, Roll bar and hood pad were decent from GM.
 
Thanks

BigRed,

Thanks for sharing your experiences, too. I have also heard from others who have installed aftermarket weatherstrip who are happy with the results.


Thanks,

1stiff84
 
I too have had excellent results with the GM weatherstripping. I replaced all of the rubber on my '86 with GM weatherstipping. I was in a state of shock because of the pricing but it worked well and lasted great. It was a bugger to install though. I guess removing the old stuff was one important point. Then the sealant I used was kind of a problem because I had to put a coat of it on the bare metal then another coat on the seal. The windshield seal is quite long and hard to manage on an '86. Once the seal touches any part of the frame it is STUCK! So there is no shifting it around, it has to be perfect the first time. I managed to do it but would not be quick to do it again. Fortunately my '85 has good seals and I may not need to do it again...:)

I did not price the "aftermarket" weather stipping. Our local Corvette shop sold GM so that is what I bought. I think if I had to do it again I might look into it. The GM stuff is outrageously priced.
 
Weatherstrip

Hi All, I have just replaced all my weatherstrip on my 92 Lt 1. My best advice for anyone replacing their w-strip; buy from GM and have your GM dealer do the install. This job takes expertise!! If you mess up its big bucks down the drain!! My most trusted body man informed me that his shop sent 2 guys to school just to learn w-strip install on Corvettes. If anything does go wrong like leaks,pinching around the windows,ect,ect, you take it back to the dealer!! It was a no-brainer for me! IMHO :)
 
Thank You

boblx2a and Stommer,

Thank you for sharing your insights and experiences. Like boblx2a stated, I also find the factory weatherstrip outrageously priced, but by your responses, it seems like a worthy investment.

Thanks again and Happy Motoring,

1stiff84
 
One more vote here for GM.... Just had all my weatherstripping replaced and, after looking at several alternative after market kits...decided to go with GM's stuff after seeing the difference in fit and durability. There's reallyt no comparison. So, if you plan on keeping the car for a while, I'd recommend going the GM way...
 
Thanks

newbie,

Thank you for your insight. I'm happy to hear that you were able to see the aftermarket kits and make a physical comparison to GM's product; and that there really is no comparison.


Thank You,

1stiff84
 
just a little off topic

Welcome to CAC, 1stiff. I also have 1 stiff 84...I wonder if they all are or just ours.:D
Good luck with your baby--both you and your vette will love it here.
--Drew:w
:bu:bu
 
Thank You

Drew,

Thanks for the welcome. I'm a long-time visitor, first-time poster. CAC is the best 'Vette-based site; hands down.
Gotta love the Z51 on the '84's. Hit that pebble and your head hits the glass top, but their cornering and handling ability makes it all worth it.


Thanks Again,

1stiff84
 
Have you guys ever looked in the Eckler's catalog about weatherstripping? They also talk about proper fit as opposed to aftermarket makers. I don't know if it's GM or if it's made by Eckler's. But I do know that it's awfully expensive. It's somewhere's like $800 for a set of weatherstripping for a C4 coupe.
 
Hello, I replaced the roof front weatherstrip on my '87 myself. It was not too hard. After carefully cleaning away the old strip, the new one fit right in the channel with only minor cussing. I bought mine from the Corvette Rubber Company 1-888-216-9412)for $145. Compared to $300 for a GM piece. I did not have a GM piece to compare it to but it was heavy and of good quality. I did it myself because I could not find a body shop that would do the job. My local Chevrolet dealer would do it but could not get me an estimate. They said some go on smoother than others and they couldn't give ma an idea. At $60 an hour for labor, I was afraid of the outcome of that bill! I thought at $145 I could mess up one, buy another and still come out ahead.
 
jmooney,

Where is the Corvette Rubber Company located at? Do they sell anything besides weatherstrip?

Has the strip been holding up well?

I might have to give them a call; thanks for the info. that Ecklers weatherstrip just isn't in my budget right now!
 
jmooney and Edmund,

Thank you for your help. Thanks for the great reference, jmooney. I'm glad the install was reasonable, too.

Happy Motoring,

1stiff84
 
I concure at using Corvette Rubber Co. They advertise in all of the corvette mags. I have just completed a body restoration on my 84 jet4rs ($864.00) and all went well. No problem in fit. I did have to return the back pilar and it was at the house before I had a chance to get the bad one in the mail.

Good Luck,
Bob with jet4rs
 
I may have to check those guys out.

Do they have a website?
Where are they based out of?

I think all I have to do are the windows and the hatch.
 

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