Tips for door weatherstrip install?

[67HEAVEN]

I'm about to install new main '67 coupe weatherstrips on both doors. The car is freshly painted and very clean.

I have this 3M adhesive.

How long before it sets up enough to close the doors?

Any last minute suggestions? Thanks.

 

[Bob Chadwick]

Bob,

I don't think I used the super adhesive but when I put on my lower weatherstripping I applied it to the two surfaces and let it get tacky as indicated. I then put it in place, made sure it stayed there and closed the door on it and let it dry overnight. I did this with both doors and it stayed in place perfectly.

Bob

 

[67HEAVEN]

Bob,

I don't think I used the super adhesive but when I put on my lower weatherstripping I applied it to the two surfaces and let it get tacky as indicated. I then put it in place, made sure it stayed there and closed the door on it and let it dry overnight. I did this with both doors and it stayed in place perfectly.

Bob

Thanks, Bob. I'm beginning to wonder if one 5 oz. tube is enough for a coupe. What product did you use?

 

[Bob Chadwick]

It was the GM weatherstripping just didn't say Super. A little bit goes a long way. I used a very small portion, maybe 1/4 - 1/3 of the tube to do both lower portion of the doors.

 

[67HEAVEN]

Thanks. Looks like I have plenty of adhesive.

 

[Subfixer]

Bob, just use as little as possible. That stuff oozes everywhere and it's a bear to clean up. Once it sets up, it's like rubber iron. Doesn't want to come off anything. Don't ask how I know......

 

[midyear]

Bob,

To help hold the w/s in place while installing, I use short strips of masking tape. After I have finished I close the doors. After a few hours the w/s is securely in place and the tape can be removed.

Dennis

 

[67HEAVEN]

Good tips everyone. Thanks.

 

[JohnZ]

All new weatherstrips have mold-release compound on them, and the adhesive doesn't like that - won't bond securely. Throughly clean the surface on the weatherstrips where you're going to put adhesive with alcohol on a clean rag, several times, before you start, to get the mold release compound off the rubber.

Later cars have plastic "pins" in the weatherstrip that go into holes in the door to locate the w/s, but midyears don't. I'd get LOTS of 3"-long strips of masking tape ready before you start, and do about 12" of w/strip at a time - brush adhesive on the w/strip and on the door (clean the door with alcohol too), let it "tack" up, then apply the w/strip and apply the tape strips to hold it in position. Then move on to the next 12" (do the molded rear upper corner first). Don't close the door - leave it open for about 12 hours so the adhesive sets before you stress the w/strip by closing the door. Go to the hardware store and buy some cheap 1/2" paintbrushes (the ones with the metal tube handles) - you're going to use lots of them. Also get a can of 3M #08984 "General Purpose Adhesive Cleaner" (safe on cured paint) - you'll need it clean up the squeeze-out and drips - nothing else will touch the "yellow snot".

 

[67HEAVEN]

All new weatherstrips have mold-release compound on them, and the adhesive doesn't like that - won't bond securely. Throughly clean the surface on the weatherstrips where you're going to put adhesive with alcohol on a clean rag, several times, before you start, to get the mold release compound off the rubber.

Later cars have plastic "pins" in the weatherstrip that go into holes in the door to locate the w/s, but midyears don't. I'd get LOTS of 3"-long strips of masking tape ready before you start, and do about 12" of w/strip at a time - brush adhesive on the w/strip and on the door (clean the door with alcohol too), let it "tack" up, then apply the w/strip and apply the tape strips to hold it in position. Then move on to the next 12" (do the molded rear upper corner first). Don't close the door - leave it open for about 12 hours so the adhesive sets before you stress the w/strip by closing the door. Go to the hardware store and buy some cheap 1/2" paintbrushes (the ones with the metal tube handles) - you're going to use lots of them. Also get a can of 3M #08984 "General Purpose Adhesive Cleaner" (safe on cured paint) - you'll need it clean up the squeeze-out and drips - nothing else will touch the "yellow snot".

John,

Thank you once again for the detailed instructions. Your advice is "always" welcomed and adhered to. I'd be crazy to do otherwise.

 

[IH2LOSE]

My only advice is have surgical gloves and shed them once they are dirty,No matter how carefull I am I always get it on my hands and touch something I should not.

I also take the masking tape and make a couple of 6" strips and place them all over the place so while I am holding the weather strip in one hand I can easely just grab a strip of tape and place it on.

Have fun

 

[PTighe]

After my '57 was freshly painted, I temporarily taped the whole weatherstrip in place about every 12" and then ran a whole line of tape along the entire outer edge of the weatherstrip, directly on the door. This is in case you get adhesive over the edge of the strip and on to the visible paint.

Then starting at one edge, I glued on about 1 foot at a time, constantly checking to make sure the 90° bend in the weatherstip was going to meet up with the bend in the door. The rubber should lay down naturally, not stretched or pushed together. I ended up slopping a little glue on the masking tape past the weatherstrip, but when I peeled off the masking tape, the excess glue was on the tape, not my paint. I let it sit overnight before I closed the doors. It came out perfect. PT

 

[67HEAVEN]

Thanks guys. All tips are appreciated.

I'm going to try it this weekend.

 

[67HEAVEN]

It didn't get done as soon as I first planned, but this weekend, with Z28Canuck's help, and the guidance of the people in this thread, the door weatherstrips are on.

The 3M Adhesive is amazing stuff. Thanks everyone.

The to-do list is getting very short.

 

[78Chevy]

Thanks for all the advice guys. I have a 69 and am in the process of replacing the weather stripping. The problem is that when the car was painted, the old weather stripping was not completely removed. The painter just painted over what remained. Now I have to cut into the paint to remove it all.

 

[Viet Nam Vett]

...Yellow Snot..... ..Damm if it don't look like it.

 

[TWINRAY]

:thanks: