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How to replace the front fender A-Frame seals

Started by Daryl Chesterman, March 13, 2019, 09:18:07 PM

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Daryl Chesterman

I would like to replace the inner front fender A-Frame seals on the 1959 Deville that I am working on.  The originals look like they were "stapled" in place with a large wire, wide staple.  How does one accomplish this job and still have it look like a factory job?  There are also some filler pieces of masticated rubber on the bottom of the radiator shroud that are held in place in the same manner.  Does it take a special tool to accomplish this job?

Thanks for any help!

Daryl Chesterman

The Tassie Devil(le)

I use a pair of pliers to replicate the staples from welding wire, and insert these, and bend the ends over.

In a lot of cases, the replacement part will come with staples that will fit the application.

Bruce. >:D
'72 Eldorado Convertible (LHD)
'70 Ranchero Squire (RHD)
'74 Chris Craft Gull Wing (SH)
'02 VX Series II Holden Commodore SS Sedan
(Past President Modified Chapter)

Past Cars of significance - to me
1935 Ford 3 Window Coupe
1936 Ford 5 Window Coupe
1937 Chevrolet Sports Coupe
1955 Chevrolet Convertible
1959 Ford Fairlane Ranch Wagon
1960 Cadillac CDV
1972 Cadillac Eldorado Coupe

Daryl Chesterman

Thank you for your reply, Bruce!  When I have looked at buying the seals, there has been no mention of also supplying the staples, so, I just assumed I would have to supply the attaching hardware.  I hadn't thought of using welding wire for that purpose, but it makes good sense, because it is a bit stiff, yet bendable.

Daryl Chesterman

1959Fleetwood

Hello Daryl,

You also can buy the correct staples from Restoration Specialties, Windber, Ohio. Check out their online catalog at page 35.

Matern Harmsel
CLC15331
Matern Harmsel
CLC # 15331

1941 Cadillac series 6227D
1953 Cadillac series 6237
1959 Cadillac series 6029
1969 Chevrolet ElCamino

59-in-pieces

Daryl,
This issue has been brought up in the past, and you might want to search for it - lots of good info there - Pics.

However, the original staples were S/S and once back in the OEM days to now they are often very brittle.
See you can buy replacement staples - S/S in some places, and others I do not know.

The replacement seals do not come with pre-punched holes - you will need to locate them on your own,
I removed the inner wheel well and used squeeze clamps to hold the seal in place - after the old seal and staples had been removed - while drilling through the inner liner with the same size bit as the existing hole - through the rubber seal.
Make sure you note on which side of the seal the flat part of the staple is, and  where the legs went trough and were bent over.

Also, I used a body dolly (anvil) on the flat side of the staple and a tack hammer on the leg side of the staple to bend over the legs securely.

Hope this and the previous posts are of help to you.

Have fun,
Steve B.

PS - I have a request to make of you.
Please take the best pics you can of the bottom of the radiator seal.
Do you have AC - if so the fan shroud can be removed along with the bracket that screws to the bottom of the shroud with the seal, and staples.
S. Butcher

Daryl Chesterman

Thank you, Matern for the "Restoration Specialties" source for the staples.  The website does not give any dimensions for the staples--can I assume they are the correct size, or do I need to call them?

Thank you!

Daryl Chesterman

Daryl Chesterman

Thank you, Steve, for your help!  I will do some searching of this website for more information, but, I find the search engine for this website to be difficult to use, even when I know I have seen something on it and want to find it again. 

Please find posted below, some pictures of my fan shroud.  The car I am working on does have AC, so I hope you find these useful.  If you need some different views, or close-ups of some area or side, please let me know.

Daryl Chesterman

59-in-pieces

Daryl,
Thanks for the pics - very helpful.

Here are a couple pics:

- A bag of after market staples (S/S) which are very close to the desired width needed to replace the original staples - they can't be perfect to OEM but close enough.

- The various sized hand clamps (based on clear reach) I used to hold the new rubber seal directly over the location of the original seal (once it has been removed, along with the old staples), so that as you drill through the sheet metal - from the opposite side - (through the existing staple hole locations), the new rubber seal will have exactly the same hole size and locations for mounting.

Have fun,
Steve B.
S. Butcher

Daryl Chesterman

Steve, I was able to find many references to the staples and the splash shields when I did a search of this website.  Lots of different ideas on how to best accomplish this task.

Daryl Chesterman

59-in-pieces

Daryl,
Yes there are a number of ways to mount the seals - shields.
And the choice is yours - BUT - I urge you not to use pop-rivets, and paint them black to hide them - the horror.
I know I am a fanatic, and the lengths I've gone to make my work as close to OEM as possible.
Some who know me say I am too often obsessed with areas that nobody will ever see.
My answer is - But I know.

Thanks for your time, and my self justification speech.

Have fun,
Steve B.
S. Butcher

Caddy Wizard

Reusing the existing holes in the sheet metal and new SS staples is tedious, but the end result is rewarding.  It ends up being very correct and one should be proud of that...
Art Gardner


1955 S60 Fleetwood sedan (now under resto -- has been in paint shop since June 2022!)
1955 S62 Coupe (future show car? 2/3 done)
1958 Eldo Seville (2/3 done)

Daryl Chesterman

Steve and Art, I can assure you that I will be using the stainless steel staples to attach the seals, as tedious as it may be!  I, too, like to do things as near to OEM as possible.

Daryl Chesterman