Body / Glass: Window beltline seals, also known as "fuzzies"...

[Corley]

Here are some of the options:
http://stores.restorationspecialties.com/-strse-Belt-Weatherstrips/Categories.bok

What I was wondering is if there is a more modern type seal that would work well on the '54 Starliner? The originals have only the fuzzy part against the window, inside and outside. Some of the more modern types use a lip seal that keeps water out of the door better.

Also, the last time I bought the clips for these, they were declared as unobtainium, and I cleared out stock at a couple of Stude vendors. Are they still unavailable, or are they now back in stock. The fastening is the biggest issue with using a modern seal, is there a different type of fastener (clip) that works well, or a different method (screws, rivets, ???)?

Mine are too far gone to even get measurements off of them to order new original type beltline seals, anyone know the height?

Thanks in advance

PS As most know, my car is not a restoration, rather I'm reclaiming it from scrap, and not attempting to remain "stock" in any way.

[Commander Eddie]

As far as I know Studebaker International has lots of the clips. I just did a '50 Commander and a 62 Lark and they sent me all I wanted.
As for using more modern materials, I am not sure. Perhaps someone else here on the forum can answer that one.

[53 stude mod]

on my 1953 c coupe i had so much trouble with the clips on what i call the cats whiskers on the the door windows
i got good advice from my brother in law who said i should use 3m double stick tape . it worked great and made the job easy
hope this help... 53 stude mod....have a great day.

[Corley]

I wondered about using adhesive or double sided tape, but was concerned it might fail when the top of the window frame slides by it. Good to hear you have success, I may try that method then. Perhaps that and a couple rivets or screws at the ends would be pretty secure. I still wonder about a more modern seal on the outside, with a lip to do a better job of keeping water out. BUT, that might catch on the upper frame more easily, huh?

As for what you call those things, I used to call them "cat's whiskers" too, but when searching the inet for them, that didn't yield much. "Felts" seems to yield the channels, and "window seals" seems to get lot's of other stuff, many wing window seals, but not the beltline seals. "Fuzzies" did pretty good at yielding hits, but I don't know what the magic term is that would bring up exactly what I want without searching through the pages.

Of course searching for the clips is like searching the earth for diamonds, unless you have an exact part number. Trouble is, Studebaker part numbers don't seem to be known by the world at large, so it's back to the vendors with those. You know those clips are probably about $.02 each if you can get to the right source, but the vendors will want many times that, still if they have them. Time spent searching is also money I guess, but this cheap old CASO doesn't count his time any longer...

[53 stude mod]

I recently sold my 1953 c coupe and the window clips went with it. My experience with those clips after hours of trying
would rub on the window and could scratch them. Try the 3m double stick tape it even gives you a better finished look
I didn't have trouble finding the clips when i bought them but can't remember who i got them from 53 stude mod.....

[53 stude mod]

p.s I gurantee the the 3m tape won't need anything to hold it on and won't fall off this stuff is great..sorry for the double reply
53 stude mod

[johnod]

Isn't that tape kind of thick?

[53 stude mod]

not as thick as those little clips that are sold for that purpose. The finish look with the tape is a lot better. belive me
I spent hours and hours trying to make those clips work and they rub on rhe glass. Try it you will like it...53 stude mod

[Corley]

Maybe I don't understand what you are talking about (3M double sided tape). Is this the stuff with a bit of foam in between the two sides? Or is there some other type you are referring to? I'd be concerned about the foam stuff, as I'm not sure it's even water proof...

[Corley]

Bumped this thread to see if I can get an answer on what type of 3M tape was used for the "cats whiskers", er, eh, I mean "fuzzies", oh oh, I mean, "window seals", no, "beltline seals". Oh crap, you know what I mean... Them things that go along the bottom of the windows that roll up and down (or in my case the windows that hum up and down, thanks to the Suzuki electric window operators I installed).

[jg61hawk]

Installation of the clips and the cat whisker shouldn't be real hard. Try this: Put the clips all in the holes with the window stop down so the window is below the door line. Let the clips be open wide. Now lay the cat whisker in the opened clip. Now take screw driver and press the clip closed.

I went crazy for a while trying to line up the clip, the hole, and holding it all together until the above dawned on me.

[Corley]

Good idea, if you can get the clips closed up tight. Hadn't thought of doing it that way, live and learn. Thanks!

[Jerry Forrester]

Try this: Put the clips all in the holes with the window stop down so the window is below the door line. Let the clips be open wide. Now lay the cat whisker in the opened clip. Now take screw driver and press the clip closed.

Friday I removed the passenger door glass and regulator out of Buttercup. The regulator arms were twisted and the track on the bottom channel of the glass was warped. I removed the inner and outer fuzzies with a 2" putty knife. They are in good shape so I'm going to reuse them. Each one was missing two clips. I have some clips in stock so I did what jg61hawk said, put the clips in the hole then install the fuzzie and secure the clip with a screwdriver. But then I removed the fuzzie and placed the ball of the clip in a 7MM socket and I used a small hammer to bend the teeth down tight into the fuzzie. You do this and there's no way the clip will ever touch the glass.
I straightened up the regulator arms and the glass's channel, got everything back together and it's all working good. Happy Boy.