'59 Plymouth Forum

I bought a really nice kit from Restoration Specialties. The pieces match up in size and length quite nicely with the old ones. The interior ones attach to the chrome moldings. The old ones were stapled... I called RS and asked if they could recommend an adhesive to use instead (I think there must be asphalt or some petroleum derivative in the band just below the whisker part). He didn't recommend one; he said I would not be happy with it. What do you all think?

He made two suggestions to me:

1) Buy some stainless steel wire, feed it through the holes, and twist it tight on the opposite side (he admitted that this would be very time consuming); or

2) use #4 flathead screws into the original holes, with the heads burying themselves in the asphalt of the strip.

I'm inclined to go with (2), and paint the heads black. But let me know if you know of a miracle glue you'd recommend.

Dan

Hi Dan,

I used 3M Weatherstripping Adhesive to hold a section of my cat whiskers up in the driver's door top (sedan of course). It bonds rubber to metal and metal to metal.

3M™ Super Weatherstrip Adhesive, 08008, Black, 5 oz Tube, 6 per case



A strong, flexible, rubbery adhesive that can withstand vibration and extreme temperature variations. It can be used to bond automotive weatherstripping and is a great adhesive for holding paper, cork, or rubber gaskets in place during installation.

Full Description »

3M ™ Super Weatherstrip Adhesive is a strong, flexible, rubbery adhesive that can withstand vibration, oil, grease, and extreme temperature variations. It can be used to bond weatherstripping to car doors, trunks, T-tops, moon roofs and sun roofs. It is an excellent adhesive for holding paper, cork, or rubber gaskets in place during installation. It provides the strength and rapid setting

If not just this adhesive - perhaps a few screws for insurance.

Curt

Oooooooooh, I like this, Curt -- thanks!

Dan

How about pop rivets instead of screws??

Well, I could use pop rivets -- that would work. But I'd have to drill out the holes, and TWSAM is looking to do as little work as possible

Dan

When I went thru this years ago, I followed Tom Fox's lead and re-used the staples! Talk about time-consuming! I have also heard that pop rivets do nicely, or small screws.
Good luck with the glue...

My $.02, I've gone the #4 screw route several times for both the fuzzy channels and the belt lacing. Drilling holes as I go along and then trying to find the holes before I loose all track where the damn hole is. This works out rather well. Use a new drill bit. Oh yea-make sure you use sheet metal screws not wood screws. Put me down as an anti-gluer.

I used nanumimium pop rivits, worked out nicely, they hold very well without a lot of crushing force on the fuzzies.
Dick.

Well, I tried the 3M Super Weatherstrip Adhesive today -- I followed the instructions, which were to put a thin film on each surface and let it dry -- then, another thin layer and hold together. And hold together it did! Like a visegrip. In pressing the pieces together, though, I extruded some glue -- this I had to gently scrape off after it dried. On the second piece, I did it my own way: I just coated the belt strip, and slapped it on. It is on there, like white on rice! This stuff is amazing, Curt. I'm thinking about gluing my glasses to my head, so I won't lose them anymore

The trick is to make sure the surfaces align as much as possible -- the belt weatherstripping can have some bends in it, so you want to lay it on a flat surface and work it until it lies flat. Same for when you stand it vertically -- else, it will deviate in height along its length after glued on.

No screws or pop-rivets for me. And the belt-weatherstripping kit from Restoration Specialties is great.

Thanks for the tip, Curt.

Dan

Before I put the inner chrome moldings in the back on, it occurred to me I should replace the outer belt weatherstripping -- there will be more room for the glass to flop around, and make room for dropping the strip into the channel before snapping it in.

Well, "snap" is what I got towards the front of the strip; towards the back, it was less of a done deal. The belt did not hug the channel as it should (on both sides). It wasn't going to drop -- the clips do that much -- but it's got a less than finished look. Should I risk popping the front out (and perhaps weaken the strip)?

I know what I'll do! The patented Curt Lambdin (®) weatherstrip technique!

I globbed some onto a piece of cardboard, then dabbed it on the weatherstrip pried away from the channel, using a small screwdriver. The neat thing is you can control how much you get on, by pulling the blob along -- it stretches and thins out. I got minimal extrusion, and now I've wedged some screwdrivers between the weatherstrip and the window to keep the pressure on. It seems to be working...

This stuff is great. And it makes a great dessert topping, too!

Dan

P.S. yes, Matthew, the car really is that dusty... needs a bath!

Well, that worked like a champ. And while I was at it, I fixed a nagging problem with the back seat panel -- I never could get it to stay under the chrome molding. It kept coming out, and then the backing board would get bent by someone getting into the car; it's even cracked (although, invisibly behind the material). It seems the guy who first did the interior, had the welt too long -- and there were so many folds in the welt fabric, and the panel fabric itself, that the chrome molding didn't have a chance to eclipse all of it. So I peeled back the cover, snipped the welt, took a nip and tuck here...

Voila! Nice and neat.

Sorry 'bout the pix quality -- the Blackberry fits nice in my pocket. Here's a shot of the glass coming up through the whiskers -- nice and snug!

All ready now! While the car is at the mechanic (extra brake leaf, emergency brake, intake manifold) and then at the headliner place, I'll afix whiskers to the door chrome and paint the headliner strips.

Carlisle, here we come! Speaking of which... Time to beat the bushes, one more time. Another roll call coming up soon.

Dan

this is a nice thread...thanks for the info. Even im new here i slowly follow your proj for the belt weatherstripping. May i ask where did you u buy the 3M ™ Super Weatherstrip Adhesive? Is this also available from walmart?

I was able to get my tube(s) from an auto paint finish store and also from my local AutoZone, Should be readily available in most auto parts stores in your neck of the woods!

John Q.

Not that I'm an anal pureist because I rivited the fuzzies to the garnish molding, then I found the correct attaching clips in the Gary Goers Catalog, Page 12. #188. That's what I'm going to use on the outer fuzzies for the back window and the door window. If the rivits are too apparent I'll replace them with the clips or staples. The rear window has to be lowered to use the clips. Hope I remember what I did to lower it.
Dick.

It's impossible to fit a rivet tool into the window slot, in an attempt to rivet the outer whiskers to the car body. This is where screws or clips will work better. For those using the Gary Goers catalog #10 (Vendors and Services pdf), you'll find the clips on p. 14.
Bright aluminum rivets on the garnish molding will show unless you spot them with some black paint, as I did.
I remember trying to get those sharp clip barbs to come thru the cat whiskers' rubber sections, in just the right location, then folding the tabs over...a labor of love, as are all tasks related to the 1959 Plymouth!
And Dan proved that 3M adhesive can work too!