Even though the door weatherstripping on my '51 Starlight feels reasonably soft and pliable, the car still gets water on the carpet right at the front door seam whenever the car is in the rain or during a serious car wash. There are also a couple of irregularities in the rubber (like shallow divots were sliced out) near where the leak is happening at the front of the door, so it's looking like the only way to know whether the seals are the problem is to change them.
Now I'm wondering how involved it is to be able to remove and install the new weatherstripping. There is very little clearance between the front of the doors and the cowl where the rubber is mounted when the doors are swung open. The current weatherstripping is very possibly glued into the channel at some points, so I'm thinking the old seal may come out in pieces and require some cleaning of the channel before installing the new rubber. But there doesn't appear to be enough room for that to be done between the door and the body cowl. I imagine a lot of times the rubber is changed when the doors are off the body shell during a restoration, but will I have to remove the doors to do the job right? Or does anyone have any handy tips?
Also, where does the sill seal go? I don't see any place for it on the door or on the body, unless it goes under the sill plate. I need some advice.
Thanks.
Now I'm wondering how involved it is to be able to remove and install the new weatherstripping. There is very little clearance between the front of the doors and the cowl where the rubber is mounted when the doors are swung open. The current weatherstripping is very possibly glued into the channel at some points, so I'm thinking the old seal may come out in pieces and require some cleaning of the channel before installing the new rubber. But there doesn't appear to be enough room for that to be done between the door and the body cowl. I imagine a lot of times the rubber is changed when the doors are off the body shell during a restoration, but will I have to remove the doors to do the job right? Or does anyone have any handy tips?
Also, where does the sill seal go? I don't see any place for it on the door or on the body, unless it goes under the sill plate. I need some advice.
Thanks.
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