It seems to me that Ken posted up about his experience installing his window seals after his car was painted. I can't find that thread to add my own experience to it, so I'll start another one with apologies if there happens to be some overlap. I also know I posted a link on how to do this, from another forum, but can't find it either. (Didn't look very hard though!)
I started off with the driver's rear outer, which it turns out is likely one of the easiest to do.
Window down, 2 screws to remove, one at the front and one near the back. Remove those two, lift up and pull a bit forward on the moulding. You'll be holding the outer seal and moulding assembly in your hand.
Simple swap, bend a few tabs, remove the old one, hold the new one in place, push the tabs through and bend them over. Back to the car, clip it in place, 2 screws and "Bob's your uncle".
On to the inner one, driver's rear.
With the panel removed you can see the staples that are used to hold it on from end to end. Simple enough to remove but a bit time consuming. Bend all the staples back on the inside, pry up on them from the outside and pull them out.
Now here I assume you are just supposed to drill new holes because it would be VERY tough to line up with the old holes, so that's what I did. My smallest drill bit was about the perfect size, maybe 15 thousandths bigger than the staple stem diameter. I used a few miscellaneous little clamps to hold the new seal in place, drilled and installed the middle staple, then worked my way out to each end to avoid buckling it.
I also marked the panel at the ends so I'd have it in the correct spot, front to back.
My car must have been built on a Monday. I removed the old U shaped seal at the bottom front of the quarter window. Removed one screw, looked all over trying to find where the second screw would go. Finally pulled the seal out. The guy must have left early for lunch and never drilled the second hole. The passenger side has both holes...
Off to the driver's side outer now. Looks nasty, and I've been told the glass has to come out. I sometimes don't listen when I'm told things...
I manage to get the 3 screws out that hold it on. Same deal, pull 3 screws, pull back and up to release it from where it's captured at the front by the moulding at the vent window. However, 2 of those 3 screws may have come out not too bad but it's not gonna be fun getting them started on the install because the glass is in the way.
I take the old part, set it on the table to compare it with the new part.On the new part, I notice the big felt block at the back end is partially covering the rear screw hole. You can just see the edge of the hole to the right of the screwdriver tip, most of it is under the block.
RATS! Now what? I finally decide I have no choice but to cut off about 3/8" piece of the block. It won't affect performance any, so out comes the cutoff wheel. These strips are very bendable, with a metal strip in the rubber, so I bend and tape the actual sealing part away so I don't nick it with the wheel.
This is how much I removed.
I installed the seal on the moulding and bent the tabs over, then installed it back on the door. Now for those screws...
The front one is Mr Nasty. I finally got it by coiling a piece of nice light mig wire tightly around it and held it in place using the wire as a handle.
Once I got it started, I gave it a couple of turns with my newly designed screwdriver that I made for this job!
And then it was time to come in and do my time on the exercise bike. I'll update this as I go.
-- Edited by Carl Stevenson on Tuesday 12th of November 2013 12:28:28 AM
'64 Parisienne CS "barn find" - last on the road in '86 ... Owner Protection Plan booklet, original paint, original near-mint aqua interior, original aqua GM floor mats, original 283, factory posi, and original rust.
I just came in from the garage to post up about doing the other side with more pictures but reading about the loss of Carl's mom has kind of taken the wind out of my sails. I'll continue this another time.
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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars
Thanks for the post. I have been trying to find out where a piece went on my car for some time. The second and third pictures that you posted showed me the correct position. It is that little guy that is sitting on the rear edge and it is to support the quarter panel. I new that it was to go in the rear somewhere but I didn't know exactly where.
I made another special tool for a couple of the screws. It's a sawed off Philipps bit that is welded in to a piece of flat steel (with a bend in it), and a hole for the bit.
Once the screw head was out enough, needlenose will do it.
And the bent tip tool gets the front one out.
To start them back in, mig wire coiled around the screw to hold it, and the pocket screwdriver (flat tip) worked the best to get them started, then remove the wire, then use the other Philipps special tools.
Right rear, once screw was rusted tight. Phillips bit in a vice grip and a couple of persuasive "taps" to loosen it.
Flat screwdriver under the front of the moulding and gentle working it around (so as not to bend it) to get it to pop up.
These are the tabs you have to bend out to 90 degrees. Notice the "hump" where it is.
I used the handle of a screwdriver to flatten out the hump a bit.
Use a flat screwdriver tip to bend out the tabs.
Time for the vertical seal. It takes patience. MUCH easier with the moulding on the window. The moulding on the other side was off, I did it on the table and that is tough to hold it all and push the seal in. It likely still took me 15 minutes to work this one to the top.
There is a lip on each side of the seal. One you can tuck in and slide, the other one you have to work in with a fine tip of some sort (not too sharp) a fraction of an inch at a time. Easy, just slow. This is that lip.
Now to the roof rail weatherstrips. Again, easy enough, takes a bit of time.
This car only had glue right at the start of it, front bottom.
Also there's little push in clips. My door panel retainer clip tool popped them out nicely.
In this shot, the part remaining in the channel is the extra that was hanging down inside the quarter panel at the back.
Installing it is pretty simple. Again, tucked in the back first.
then worked the little front bit hanging out, very gently. This rounded plastic flat tip is perfect. Tucks in nice and won't damage the rubber.
.
-- Edited by Carl Stevenson on Saturday 16th of November 2013 12:31:00 AM
Minor dilema. I can't decide if I should replace the inner felts. I did the first one, left rear quarter, but then I started looking at them all and the felts are decent.
Anyone have any pros or cons to replacing/not replacing the inners? I find the fit is good, and it's easy work, I don't mind doing it. Just not sure if I should fix it if it ain't broke...
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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars
So far I would say I'm very happy with mine. I got them from NOS Reproductions. Other than that one little thing I posted about having to trim the felt block to reveal the screw hole, they seem good. Time will tell I guess. I believe the brand is TopCat Whiskers but the boys at NOS can tell you for sure.
-- Edited by Carl Stevenson on Thursday 21st of November 2013 08:49:43 PM
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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars
If you're already there why not do it ? I've got a set to install in my '69, a buddy did the outer on the rattling drivers door (glass rattle) then found the funky wee rivits on the inner side and gave up.. a spring time project when she's back on the road I guess.
These inners are stapled and it really is not a bad job at all. My only worry is maybe the originals are better quality, but this car will be parked inside anyway, not sitting out in the sun, so really I guess quality is not an issue.
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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars
Hey Carl as usual you've done a great job of showing these procedures. Me, i just kind of did it in fits and spurts. I found the door seal rubbers fairly easy except that they didn't fit very very well at the top of the back of the door and have since broken. As for the top of the window opening rubbers they were by far the easiest to do as they just snapped right in as you have showed. The window felts i had a hassle with as well but maybe I just don't have your patience. I decided to leave the originals as they were pretty good. I find the closer the car gots to actually being on the road the sloppier I got in terms of getting stuff done.. I don't know if any body else has that tendency but it kind of makes for bad detailing.
I probably should have done all the fussy wiring, interior and body work first and left the drivetrain stuff till last so i wouldn't have succumbed to my own impatient tendencies. Now that I think about it, I also had wanted to be able to run it in and out of my single heated stall in case I needed it for other work so it made sense at the time.
Oh well, I got to drive it this year so I'm forgiving myself!
I had to stretch them to get them to fit so they wouldn't stay in place properly and eventually ripped. I may have gotten the slightly wrong application. I hope yours fit better. if they do let me know what specifically you ordered and I may replace mine.
Don't know the brand door weather strip you have but separation of the molded end might possibly be a warrenty problem? How ever it is important to liberally glue the molded end piece to prevent movement. This piece takes most of the pressure when the door closes and if it moves too much it can eventually separate from the extrusion
Dale, I'm glad you posted. I re-read Ken's post and I think I misunderstood. I thought he was talking about the outer window seals but now I see what you mean, I think it's the door seals. I haven't done those yet.
And also, your post reminded me to mention that they say to glue the bottom front of the roof rail weatherstrip on where the two clips hold it. My old ones were glued there and I plan to glue the new ones there as well.
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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars
