Body / Glass: material under drip molding

[Dan White]

I pulled off my Hawk'w drip molding for repainting. I don't think it has ever been removed from the car and it appears there is some sort of white powdery material under it all the way around. Anyone know what it may be? Did Studebaker put some sort of sealant or lube when they installed it?

[RDWEAVER]

Mine had the same thing under it. I figured it must have been the seam sealer they used on the top. It was white also before it was blasted off.

[unclemiltie]

Seam sealer was used. A lot of times you can see a nicely done car and guess what, they did not redo or reseal the seam around the drip molding. I think they originally used a white lead compound which you can no longer buy. Last several times I have gone to the paint store and got a tube of seam sealer which worked nice.

[rockne10]

I first re-did mine with 3M seam sealer and let that set up for a couple of months. In spite of claims it does shrink just a bit. I then went over it with a finer bead of their Flex 'n' Seal.
Since then there have been developed even better products by 3M and others. No matter what is used, make certain that seam is first irreproachably clean.
As Milt indicated, failure to properly seal that roof line means you will never, ever, ever want to get caught in the rain or, bye-bye headliner.

[rkapteyn]

If that is really white lead you must wash your hands very well before you eat a "Twinky"
Lead poisoning is really bad.
There are so many environmental hazard in our hobby.
People that worked with galvanized bolts absorbed zinc into their bodies (bad)
If you clean parts with gasoline or work on carburetors a lot you can absorb chemicals from the gas through your skin and damage your liver or kidneys.
Gasoline contains "Benzine" and if you read up about it , you see why.
The German name for Gasoline is Benzine. Dangerous stuff!
We used to use carbon tetrachloride for cleaning parts and that was even worse and they came out with Trichloethylene for cleaning parts and that was banned.
Safety Clean makes a good parts cleaner.
Be safe and use gloves!

Robert Kapteyn

[Dan White]

Thanks ordered some of the 3M Heavy Drip-Check Sealer from Amazon. $13.45 a tube.

[pbrown]

[QUOTE=Dan White;848937]I pulled off my Hawk's drip molding QUOTE]

Do you mean that you removed the stainless trim on the drip rail around the roof? Did it come off (and will it go back on) without getting beat up?

[Dan White]

Yes I removed the stainless, very very carefully and yes it should go back on very very carefully!

[RDWEAVER]

[QUOTE=pbrown;849269]

I pulled off my Hawk's drip molding QUOTE]

Do you mean that you removed the stainless trim on the drip rail around the roof? Did it come off (and will it go back on) without getting beat up?

Mine went back on slowly and carefully when you do the seam seal it is good to fill in the same as the factory did....but make sure you leave room for the stainless
to clip back over the drip rail, if you don't it is painted before you realize the mistake and harder to repair.

[Deaf Mute]

HAZARDS... I remember carbon tetrachloride fire extinguishers, they were a reversed tear-drop shape and were placed in metal holders on the wall. Just throw it at the base of a small fire & it would go out.
I wonder why I can't find them any more?

[Farrier1951]

So please tell me how you removed the drip rail trim. What tools did you use?
Jim

[Jerry Forrester]

Personally, I use the bottle opening end of a church key (old beer can opener). Wrap the wide part with tape to protect the molding from more scratches.

So please tell me how you removed the drip rail trim. What tools did you use?
Jim

[RDWEAVER]

Like Jerry said with a bottle opener with tape on it. Once you get it started you can use your fingers. The tough part is putting it back on without denting it.
It gets difficult around the corners and you will need to coax it a little bit but it will go back on.