Figured I'd start another topic. I hope you guys don't mind, I figure the more content here the better.
Now I've known since I bought the car, that the trunk weatherstrip channel suffered from rustout. Not surprising on this car as it apparently sat outside unused for 20 years. I bet any 65/66 that has sat in the weather has the exact same issue. Water, dirt and a rotten weatherstrip and there you go. the design is such that all the water carries down to the lower section, and gets behind the rubber and stays wet.
I'm actually lucky in that it doesn't travel up past the lower channel corners, and as such is pretty much only along the lower section. And the worst being at the latch. Either way, it will have to be cut out and repaired. It's another one of those jobs where it really has to be done it the car is to have a future. The time to do it is before the better lights and panel go back in, so I'm going to try to come up with a plan of attack and get to it soon.
Options; Piece it in like I did with the windshield, try to buy new channel, or get a good or better section cut from an existing car.
What do you guys think? Anyone done it on a B? Any ideas?
You might find a good tail panel out west. I got one for my 61 at Elfros auto wreckers in Elfros Sask. Panel was good and it was not expensive. They may have one for a 65. You could also try Frankspontiacparts in California. I took the one out of my Catalina to replace the trunk floor. It was not that difficult but you will need a mig welder, clamps, a piece of copper or aluminum for welding and it takes a while.
I've seen that Belden channel Bill. It would be a good start anyway. I wish you could get more of the complete "U", and to be honest, I'm not looking to replace the entire tail panel.
The thing is, there is good sections still in the lower run. While it would be the cleanest and probably the best way to just cut it out corner to corner. It would be possible to piece it in.
More or less this is the channel side on,
Here's the rusted run, and some closeup shots across left to right. I've seen far worse on line, I actually feel lucky.
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65 Laurentian post, 67 Grande Parisienne 4 door HT.
My stomach would have dropped if I removed the seal and found that. If anyone can fix it, you can Mark.
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Prince Edward Island
'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.
Compared to the windshield channel it shouldn't be too bad Darryl. It's in a great spot to work on at least.
I'm going to ask;
Does anyone on CP have a good sheet metal brake and shear that could shear up then bend some channel sections for me? Or at least know someone local who could do this?
To do it right the whole section has to come out and be replaced.
I know this type of channel would be difficult to bend in one go without a brake press, but I could do this in two sections (split being at the red line) and weld it up along the seam.
I'd send a cutout from the existing channel so as to get the right dimensions and profile, and I will pay for the time, material and shipping. I think it's around 18-20 Gauge. and it can just be cold rolled, not galv.
Would end up as 4 sections about 21" long, Any thoughts?
Thanks Carl. If someone here had some decent channel that they would part, that would be more than great. But I fear anything sitting outside will be suffering the same (or worse) fate.
I've seem images of this issue where there is no channel left, none!
Since everything forward now depends on me getting this in some semblance of repair, I'm going to go down to a small metal fab shop around the corner, and see what they have to say.
See if the can bend some small sections, or at least point me in the right direction. It's not like I need a ton of it. I only need about 42" of run. Wish me luck.
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65 Laurentian post, 67 Grande Parisienne 4 door HT.
The club has a 4 foot box and pan brake that you could use or I could help you use. We do not have a shear so you would need to get strips from somewhere. Just let me know.
Mark, I'll check I if my '64 parts car has the same size/style of channel and how good it is.
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Prince Edward Island
'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.
Thanks for the offer Darryl. Looks like I should be able to make something at least close.
I went over to the small local fab/weld shop, and he actually said I'm free to use his brake myself, but unfortunately had no light material. So I went over to B+D steel and had them shear up some 18gauge galv, in what I thought would allow me to fab up a channel in two pieces. Cost; $11. Grabbed two extra as well for the mistakes. I'm using galv if just for the durability of it, and 18g as it's just slightly heavier compared to what is there.
Cut a small good section out of the channel to have a profile template. Taped along where I think the channel should be cut off, and took some measurements as to how the channel sits as far as height, distance in, and angle to the rear panel.
If I only had a small press brake, I could do the channel in one piece and as an exact copy, and probably make a bunch more up to sell as repair sections. As it sits, it'll have to be done in two parts.
i have the same problem with my 66 parisienne, youtube has a guy from Nfld. his channel is Fitzees Fabrications and he shows how to fab it up in three pieces. im going to try it on mine. ill let you know how it worked out.
That guy is amazing and inspirational Dave. I saw his gutter vid. While the gutter he does doesn't really resemble ours, the techniques are certainly universal. I need to go back and watch more of his stuff to get revved up.
I tried bending my material today in a nice Brown and Boggs brake. And it was pretty much a fail (although I hit it off meeting with a great shop owner!). 18g is probably too heavy and the material too hard to make small bends. It feels like PQ (physical quality). So next I'm going to try to piece up and weld a gutter from the 2 sections I was able to partially bend. I already have some material with 90 degree bends in it as well, so I'll use that as well. I say it's all part of the process having setbacks and learning from them.
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65 Laurentian post, 67 Grande Parisienne 4 door HT.
That guy is amazing and inspirational Dave. I saw his gutter vid. While the gutter he does doesn't really resemble ours, the techniques are certainly universal. I need to go back and watch more of his stuff to get revved up.
I tried bending my material today in a nice Brown and Boggs brake. And it was pretty much a fail (although I hit it off meeting with a great shop owner!). 18g is probably too heavy and the material too hard to make small bends. It feels like PQ (physical quality). So next I'm going to try to piece up and weld a gutter from the 2 sections I was able to partially bend. I already have some material with 90 degree bends in it as well, so I'll use that as well. I say it's all part of the process having setbacks and learning from them.
A fail is still progress Mark. One step closer.
Make sure you post pictures. Even of the failure showing why it isn't going to work. I'm sure all of us have learned from others trying things and then explaining to us that we can't do it the way we thought it might work.
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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
The zinc should be ground away best you can wherever you plan on making a weld.
Yes, it is poisonous if inhaled.
I forgot to check mine, I'll check today.
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Prince Edward Island
'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.
Thanks Bill. I thought I was defeated. But using a couple pieces of heavy plate in a vice, I managed to dolly the two strips into some semblance of shape.
Then cut off one part of the S section, all the way across at the arrow,
Cleaned the edge up, ground off the zinc, then butted it into the C channel section at about the right spot and angle.
Holding it in place by hand, I tacked it first in the center, then when happy with that slight back angle, I tacked out to the edges about 6" apart. Then gradually filled it in until complete.
Ground the weld down a bit, looks like might do the job at this point,
Took a small section of old weatherstrip and tried it in the channel. Nests in just fine, just like the original. You just don't know until you see proof like this.
I'll dolly in a little downward curve to the edge on the right, as to meet the tailpanel at just a wee angle as required.
Next up, remove the old section in such a way that the new can be put in without too much fuss,
If anyone can fix it, you can Mark.
