1940 Headlight door rubber

[jbento]

Howdy!

Thanks to Bob, I now have all the parts I need to start putting my headlights back together again.

One thing seems a bit odd and troublesome though:

I have new rubber seals from Steele Rubber, but they appear to be nothing like the originals.  The originals seem to have no channels and a metal core, whereas the new ones have no metal core and a channel or "lip" on both sides.  This makes it tough for me to determine which way to install them.

In addition, it seems they are slightly too big for the headlight door.  Maybe by about 1/2 inch or so.

Has anyone else encountered this?  And if so, what is the work around?

Thanks!

Joe

[Don Boshara #594]

Same problem. My solution was not to use them, drill a small drain hole in the bottom of the housing behind the door and paint the inside with POR-15.

[jbento]

I guess that's one solution.

Any one else have this issue or have any other suggestions?

[Brad Ipsen CLC #737]

My experience has been the same as Don's.  The years and models for parts in the Steele catalog are not always correct.  The original rubber design for the rubber seal in 1940 must not have been all that successful anyway since most 1940 headlight buckets are rusted out in the bottom from water sitting in them.  You don't see this much in an almost identical bucket in 1939 because it had a inherent drain hole in it.  Most likely not by design for drainage since it was for adjusting the aim of the headlight and it was dropped in 1940.