Roof rail and trunk weatherstripping replacement

[Steve W]

I bought my 68 Coupe deVille 11 years ago, and even then it had dried out, brittle, crumbling weatherstripping around the roof rail, where the door glass meets the roofline of the car. (I'd have to use masking tape around the driver's window everytime I washed the car!). I was a bit apprehensive about doing the job, so I guess that's why I kept putting it off. But I finally got around to ordering the parts from Steele Rubber...and figured I'd do the trunk weatherstriping while I was at it too. Hey, why not? Ordered the weatherstripping, the adhesive, the adhesive remover, and a couple of the little rubber bumpers that go in the doors. (Oddly enough, and luckily, the rubber on the quarter windows, the cowl, and the vent windows is still soft and pliable, looks good, and doesn't leak.)

Parts arrived in a couple of days, and I installed it all today. I watched the Steele Rubber installation videos, because in my decades of owning classic cars, this is the first weatherstripping job I have ever done. (The tip about using a thin bead of adhesive and spreading it out and waiting for it to tack up prior to installation was invaluable!) 

The parts fit perfectly and were actually pretty easy to install. Getting the old weatherstripping out of the roof rail was a breeze, it was kind of crumbling out anyway...but the trunk wasn't so dried out and brittle, so getting that channel cleaned up was more of a task. I opted for the self-stick, 3M-backed trunk weatherstripping, and although a relatively straight-forward installation, it was a challenge when going around the corners near the hinges...very tight working space and difficult to maneuver around...but it came out fine! I actually climbed inside the trunk.  TIP: REMEMBER TO ORDER THE PLASTIC SCRAPER/PUSH TOOL THAT THEY SELL! Would have made it even easier! Luckily, I have a couple of things here that I made work.

Anyway...had I known it was this easy, I would have done it a long time ago! SO...I'm going to do the lower door weatherstripping next!

[Steve W]

And... I did the door to body weatherstripping yesterday. Clips all around the perimeter of the door simplified the install somewhat. I took off the interior door panels. Cleaned and detailed everything while I was at it. Pretty easy job all in all.

Closing the doors and trunk take a little more effort now, but I expected that. The rubber will break in over time. Took it for a drive today and it was so nice and quiet inside! Maybe I’ll take it to a drive through car wash and NOT tape the windows!

[Cadman-iac]

  Glad to hear it went well. I have done this on another brand of GM car from 1981, and getting the old weather stripping out of the roof rail channels was a royal pain to say the least.

Rick

[35-709]

"Maybe I’ll take it to a drive through car wash and NOT tape the windows!"

If you do a drive-thru car wash, it might help to turn the AC/heat blower on high while going through.  Creates positive pressure inside and helps prevent or minimize those annoying little water leaks.   

[Steve W]

After looking closely, I could tell the weatherstripping on the leading edge of the quarter windows was in need of replacement. The rubber looked ok, still pliable, but I could tell it was really compressed, so I thought, what the heck, I’ll renew that too! Plus the lock pillar filler (the part that locks it all in). 

Was pretty straightforward to install the weather strips..  but the lock pillar fillers took a bit more finesse. And the new quarter window seals are so much bigger, and provide a much better seal, than the old stuff I took off.

Glad I did it! The only thing left is the door glass channel in the wing window, but it’s still ok for now, and that job requires taking the wing window apart from the door...so I don’t know...that gives me pause.

[bctexas]

Hi Steve!  I am in the process of doing all the door weatherstrips on my '65 CDV, including the vent window surround.  This required removal of the vent window assembly.  It was a bit challenging but I have the passenger door almost finished.  I believe, if all you needed to replace is the front run channel liner, it would not be necessary to remove the vent window assembly.  You would have to remove the door glass of course.  I got the front run channel liner from Steele Rubber Products, and the part number for the '65 and '68 is the same.  There is one screw at the very top of the liner, and the rest just pushes into the steel channel.  You should be able to remove the screw and reach in through openings in the door to replace the liner.  I would suggest you carefully mark the position of all the adjustments before you remove the window to make it easier to reassemble.

As for the rear channel, Steele did not list a replacement liner.  They do list "rigid run channel" and the old description sounded like the rear channel liner.  But I bought a pair, and it looks like nothing on the car.  I called them, and was told that the part I had was for a sliding glass window.  One of which, unless I have missed something, a  '65 CDV does not have.  When I pointed this out to them, I got the equivalent of a shrugged shoulder, and was told I could return it.  Well, when writing the above paragraph I went to Steele's web site to confirm that the front run channels are the same on our two cars and lo and behold, they now list liner material for the rear run channel.  I find this the day after I finish struggling to get my window to work with the old liner.  Project now on hold waiting for the postman....  Oh, and they have rewritten the description of the "rigid run channel".  At least now it says it is for a sliding window.  Which '65 Cadillacs still don't have.  Go figure.

Happy Mototing!

[Steve W]

Bctexas, you’re a better man than me for being bold enough to take apart the wing/vent window assembly! I’ve never had to deal with removing a window either! Yikes! Just the thought of it pains me! LOL!

Although, if it were necessary on mine, I guess I’d give it a shot! Luckily, the rubber in the vent window is in remarkably good shape, although I have no idea why... the rest of the weatherstripping was dried out, brittle, shrunken and just falling apart.

I’m curious as to what a sliding glass window is on a coupe deVille!