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1971 Cutlass S Coupe - Post Car - Roof Rail Weather Stripping
Hello and THANK YOU all for this great resource on Oldsmobiles!
I'll keep it short - My Cutlass, 1971 Cutlass S Coupe, posted car has no weather stripping around the roof rails and down A pillars and I need to get some to prevent water and wind noise. Are these glued on with Weather Strip adhesive or do they fit into a track of some sort or clipped in? I see no screw holes or places for plastic/metal clips. Any good resources to find what factory weather stripping was? I have the chassis manual and nothing about it in there. I know I can call steel rubber too but, with my luck, I usually get the rep who has little knowledge and then confusion sets in.... Figure I'd go to the experts here first.
The repro places make new post door weatherstrips....Metro Super Soft and probably other brands. These are a 360 degree weatherstrip that goes on around the whole door...not separate pieces like a regular non-post car which uses one w/strip on the door shell and another w/strip for the roofrail. How well do the repro strips fit and seal?? That I can't tell you yet but they are really your only option if your originals are dried out and shrunken/cracking or missing.
As far as method of attachment - the repro Metro brand post couple door strips use a combination of push-in pins and glue to attach. The push-in pins are used where there are holes in the lower door shell and up around the window glass frame no pins are used so it gets glued on up there. You would probably want to use glue as well down on the parts of the strip that have the push pins.
I have a pair of the Metro repro post coupe strips here.
Last edited by 70Post; January 12th, 2021 at 09:49 AM.
Thank you for the insight - I have nothing at this point so you can imagine the water and noise.
Would you be willing to sell the repro's you have?
I just confirmed with Steel Rubber they don't carry the roof rail strips. I have the ones that go around the inside of the door, although look worn out. Definitely need the ones that fit the post door along roof rail since I have nothing at this point.
I just confirmed with Steel Rubber they don't carry the roof rail strips.
One more time, there are no roof rail weatherstrips on a Sport Coupe. This photo is a 1969, but all 68-72 Sport Coupes are the same. Note that there is nothing on the roof rail or the A-pillar. The weatherstrip on the door is the only rubber. You will note that there IS a closeout piece at the outboard edge of the headliner. Is this what you're looking for? The weatherstrip will seal against this. These are not reproduced, so you will need to find ones from a parts car if you need them.
I have the utmost respect for your knowledge on the subject and you pointing this out to me is exactly what I wanted. Thank you! To your comment "One More Time...", I apologize if I'm a record player and repeating past posts. I took the time and looked throughout these forums and inter web to research before inquiring and could not find that information, so I appreciate you chiming in (hence my ask for reference material or additional info). If I have at all offended or annoyed, I apologize.
So, if they aren't reproduced anymore and a parts car could be hit or miss, am I essentially SOL on these? Last question before I wear out my welcome.... what size A pillar covers do I need for the interior? I've bought two sets that say they work with my car - but they don't and I'm tired of trial and error and my wallet is thinning.
Again, Im grateful for the insight as it's the reason I'm here, to draw upon the experts knowledge - My warmest appreciation.
I guess if you don't have those trim parts now, you wouldn't know they were supposed to be there.
I guess Patton had pointed out that there was no roof rail on a post car, and you seemed to ask about it again. If you were really asking about the hard trim, then sorry. In any case, if you need those parts, you'll be posting a wanted ad. Good luck.
i don't have a post car so can't tell you what you need there. However, I would suggest posting some pic's showing what you currently have (rubber, trim and current fitment in door jam) and maybe someone that has a post car can chime in once they see exactly what is there. Also, depending on what work has been done to the car, the top of the door (door glass frame) may be sprung out or door needs adjusting. Just a thought. Good luck!
Ya'll are absolutely correct - I don't know what I need cause I can find examples of what I have. But a pic of mine would do some justice here. I'll get one and post and seek out your insight again. These post cars seem to be a whole new ball game. I'll get a pic out here in a couple days and post again. Thanks guys - I really do appreciate it.
I've got a 1970 post parts car. Here's a few photos that may help. Let me know if there's anything you'd like to see that I might be able to help with.
These are the plastic T shaped pins that fit into holes in the door seal, then clip into the door More of the pins
Then there's a slot in the door frame around the window. The seal presses into this. Not sure if it needs adhesive in this slot, maybe one of the other guys will know.
This is where the seal attached to the door fits up against the body. You can see on this old car the paint is worn where the seal had fit against it and rubbed over the years. Same area on the front of the door opening
2blu422 - Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! This is great. My car just came out of paint last week - while parked in my garage, a spring for my garage door blew and the new paint job was wrecked on one side from flying spring and cabling - back to paint shop it went. Should have back in a couple days and will compare mine to these pics so I can better understand what I need.
Thanks Joe. If FWPart needs both headliner windlace side strips then those shouldn't be too terrible to locate...decent used originals. BUT...they are long and can't be folded up to make a smaller box. They have a steel core inside the vinyl windlace and you would end up putting a bad bend in that. At the end of the day the shipping cost might be ridiculous although it's possible that USPostal Priority Mail International would be reasonable. Who knows? I can measure some side headliner windlace pieces here and try to find a shipping estimate.
Patton, I shipped some long trim in a tube last year and I'm pretty sure that came out cheaper than a box which surprised me. The tube was maybe 3" diameter.
John - Cool deal. You might check your stash for some windlace side pieces as it sounds like the OP may need them. I don't have any down here and up where you are you don't have the stuff that's been baked by the heat like down here. Down here these vinyl pieces are all gooey and deteriorated.
Ok, now you guys have me curious. Would one of you post a picture of the headliner windlace side strips you are referring to, off the car and/or maybe in place? Would these same pieces be on a wagon but of course shorter? Thanks, Rick
Thanks for your all's help in understanding what I had and the seal issue. Got some pics of mine and appears I lucked out and I have the door seal. They are aged and need some conditioning which I'll work to try to soften them up. I''ve included pics.
Any idea what seals I need on A-Pillar?
Any idea where I can get A Pillar covers for a post car? I've bought two sets already which "Claim" to fit, but are slightly too long. now, to find the right A Pillar covers
I posted on your "Parts Wanted" ad and will say the same thing here to anyone looking to sell a set to you.....Post coupe Abody metal A-pillar covers are not the same length as non-post Abody metal A-pillar covers. He needs a set that is known to come from a post coupe. I'll check a wagon here locally to see what length those are.
EDIT AND ADD: I added a couple pics of the moldings to your "Parts Wanted" thread...shows the different lengths
Last edited by 70Post; January 17th, 2021 at 11:07 AM.
I know this post is a few months old but wanted to revisit and say Thank You to all who contributed information and helped me with both my weatherstrips on my Cutlass and also for the pillar covers. I found the correct weather strips that went on real easy. They're little stiff, but are conforming quite nicely as the weather gets warmer here. John also supplied me with the proper pillar covers that I was able to sand and repaint and they fit like a glove!
Really happy with the way it all turned out. Pillars are covered, no water leaks with the weather stripping around the door and all is well with the world. Again, I just wanted to say thank you to not only John, but the whole group who contributed to expanding my "novice learning". Appreciate all of you.
January 12th, 2021, 08:24 AM
