Topics

121

Restoration / '68 window fuzzies - ordered Steele.....got Repops

« on: July 22, 2013, 03:53:19 AM »

I just received a set of interior and exterior window fuzzies from Steel Rubber Products for my '68 coupe with the deluxe interior and reveal belt line moldings. I choose Steele after researching peoples opinions on this forum and CRG. I am a little bewildered by what I received.  When I opened the shipping box, there was another box in side containing Repops brand fuzzies. There was no mention on Steele's website about then supplying Repops brand.

I thought, well let me check them out and see how they are. If they are fine, the Repops thing is not a big deal. I started out trying to test fit the exterior fuzzies that attach to the reveal molding on the quarter panel. The first problem I had is that the little tabs that fit into the reveal molding and then get bent over are not cleanly punched out. I can't pry then open. I can't even get a thin cutting blade under them to pry them up....... So I set those aside and tried test fitting the fuzzy to reveal molding on the door. I was able to pry these tabs up but the tabs are not centered like the originals. They are offset causing the fuzzy to sit to high and not rest properly on the reveal molding. You can see in my pictures how the original fits under the ridge on the top od the inside flange of the reveal molding and the Repop hits that ridge

Another thing that concerns me is that I paid top dollar for these. Steele's price was the most expensive of any reproductions I have seen. $180 plus $18 shipping. I just saw the same set of Repops on Ebay for $139 with free shipping under "Buy It Now." I wanted to check the price from Repops directly but their website is "under construction." Can anyone say what they paid for the same set of Repops.

So I guess the questions I am asking is....... why did I get Repops from Steele?

Has anyone had the same problems with tabs?

And did I pay too much?

Thanks...............Dave

122

Restoration / '68 wheel rear wheel opening molding correctness.

« on: July 02, 2013, 03:41:49 AM »

I had asked a question a couple of weeks ago about how to correctly position a '68 rear wheel opening molding on a reproduction fender with no molding screw holes drilled in it for reference. I got the answer I needed but now am wondering about a couple of other things. I was told the front edge of the molding should stop like this for a non Rally Sport.



And the rear edge should go all the way to the bottome of the opening like this.



My first question is this. The picture below is a '67. Look at the bottom of the forward edge of the molding and how far it goes down and how it conforms the the shape of the body. This is different from my '68 GM molding.  So is this a " '67 only " molding and wrong for a '68?






This is a picture of the rear bottom edge of my GM passenger side molding held up near my rear wheel opening. My quarter panel is a reproduction. The shape of the bottom of the molding does not match the shape of quarter panel here. In fact, when you put the molding on and line it up with the bottom of the opening, there is no metal behind the screw hole in the molding.

Is the quarter panel not shaped right here?



Thanks....Dave

123

Restoration / '68 Standard gas cap fitment problems

« on: July 02, 2013, 12:31:12 AM »

I am trying to find just how close a '68 standard gas cap should follow the contour of the tail panel.

I have a a reproduction tail panel. When I put my original filler tube and gas cap on, the fit was terrible. I attributed at least part of the problem to the fact that the flange on my original filler tube was out of whack. The angle of the flange to the tube wasn't consistant all the way around. I am sure the fact that the tail panel is a reproduction has something to do with it too.

I bought a new filler tube and gas cap from CHQ. The fit is better but the cap still sticks out a little at the top and about a 1/8 or 3/16 inch on the bottom. It stuck out a little on the sides but I was able to put a little pressure on the sides of the cap and bend it a little so that the side are fairly flush with the tail panel.

So my questions are:     Were these gas caps completely flush with the tail panel all the way around when they left the factory or did they stick out some?

                                   If they were flush, what can I do to get a better fit?

The attached photos are of the new cap. The second photo is from the top looking down. I could not get it to orient the right way.

          Thanks......Dave

124

Restoration / Remove trim tag or not ?

« on: July 01, 2013, 10:51:02 PM »

Just looking for a suggestion on which way to go with this. My '68 is at the paint shop now and the firewall is going to painted. My painter is asking me if I want to remove the trim tag to make sure there is no rust behind it, and then re-attach it.....I know anyone who has replaced a cowl has had to do this.

It would be nice to know it there was any rust back there and address it. My concern is re-attaching it with the right rivets and the right sealant inside and making it look like it was never off. Also, the tag is bent forward a little at the top and sticks out from the firewall.... more than a 1/16 inch but less than 1/8 inch. I could never straighten that without it removed.

My firewall wasn't rusty before the restoration started so I don't if there is a real concern for rust behind it or not. The attached photo is before any resoration started. AND I AM WELL AWARE OF THE FEELINGS OUT THERE CONCERNING MESSING WITH THESE TAGS.......My gut tells me to just leave it alone....but I am wondering what others think.

125

Restoration / '68 door weatherstripping suggestions

« on: June 23, 2013, 05:14:45 PM »

I am getting ready to order some of the weather stripping for my doors. I have a '68 with the deluxe interior and the wide stainless steel reveal belt moldings on the tops of the doors.

I am looking for some advise on what manufacturer(s) to use.

Right now, I am going to order:   The interior and exterior side window fuzzies (8 pieces)

                                                The three sided weatherstrip that goes around the sides and bottom of the doors.

                                                The u-shaped door jamb seal that attaches to the forward, top edge of the 1/4 panel.

I have read though many previous threads and it seems that Metro and Steele get the highest marks. And that nothing is perfect  (of course) and that they all some some short comings here or there.

On the fuzzies, I want to get what functions like and looks the most like factory original....and have the correct flat stainless steel bead on the interior pieces.

On the three sided piece around the doors, can anyone comment if the Metro "Supersoft Sponge" rubber is closest in appearance and feel to the original factory pieces?

On the u-shaped door jamb seals, they all sound about the same in their descriptions so I have no idea which to use.

                   Thanks......Dave

126

Restoration / Mold damage on vinyl - fixable ???

« on: June 12, 2013, 01:02:29 AM »

First off let me say I live in Florida, the humidity capital of the world. All of my 68's interior had been stored in New York for many, many years and my car has been here in Florida being worked on. A couple of years ago, I brought all of the interior to Florida. For a lack of a better place to store it, just put it back inside of the car.

I sent my car to the paint shop a couple of months ago and had to empty it. My space inside my house is very limited so I put the seats in what we call a Florida room. It is an enclosed room attached to the house. It has plenty of windows and ventilation but no air conditioning. And it gets plenty hot in the summer. I had the seats wrapped on old sheets to protect them.

I pulled the sheets off of my back seat tonight just to check it's condtion and I got a big suprise. The top of the rear seat back was covered in mold. Really bad! I cleaned it off with a wet rag and then some upholstery cleaner........but then I got a bigger surprise..............

The mold had left depressions, like pock marks or craters, in the surface of the vinyl. Like sheet metal would look like if it got pelted with steel shot.

For being 45 years old, these seats were almost in pristine condition. When I saw those depressions, I almost wanted to cry.

I haven't checked everything yet but I think the damage is limited to just this seat back only.

SO MY QUESTION IS......has this ever happend to anyone and were you able to fix it. I was thinking of putting it in the sun tomorrow to see if it might smooth it out.....I don't know if that's a good idea or not......or maybe I should apply something to it that would help.

ps.....even if I have to put my bed outside to make space, I am putting all my interior inside in the air conditioning till it goes back in the car.

127

Restoration / 68 rear wheel molding placement

« on: June 10, 2013, 04:18:04 AM »

I need help with placing of my 68 rear wheels moldings. My car has new repro quarter panels and outer wheelhouses which were installed a while ago. The joints where the quarter panel and the outer wheelhouses were welded together were bent down to far and have been corrected now. Now I am test fitting my original GM moldings to the wheel wells to make sure they fit together right.

I thought I marked my moldings pretty good when I took them off the original quarters but now I have my doubts as to which side is which. I know it should probably be obvious. I have attached pictures of both ends of one of my rear moldings and marked the ends A and B.

If someone can tell me which end goes towards the front of the car and which end goes towards the back, that will give me my answer.

There is another thing I need to figure out. You can rotate the rear moldings on the wheel well. There is no point on the car that corresponds to a point on the rear molding that tells you it is in exactly the right place. Not like the front. My original quarter panels are long gone for any kind of reference. I need a dimension from either the front or rear end of the molding to a point on the car that tells me exactly where they go. I looked in the AIM and it only gives dimensions for the front moldings so I am guessing the rears were put on my Fisher Body.

Thanks..................Dave

128

Restoration / 68 rear spoiler stud lenth needed

« on: May 25, 2013, 07:08:11 PM »

Can some one tell me if the four long rear spoiler studs on a 68 ( the ones that are on the forward edge of the spoiler ) all stick out the same length of if the two in the middle should stick out longer.

I only have one of the original four longs studs left in it's original position. That is one on the end and it sticks out one inch. Of the two in the middle, one is gone and the other is the original factory stud but I had to reset it more than 20 years ago. That one is sticking out an inch and a half. It's been too long for me to remember why I did it that way. I don't remember if I was trying to match the original length or that just how I happened to set it.

Anyhow, I am going to be replacing the missing studs and want to set them at the correct lenth.

Thanks......Dave

129

Restoration / Repro dash top installation dimension needed.

« on: May 25, 2013, 06:47:21 PM »

I had a reproduction dash top put on my '68 and am now having trouble getting my original GM dash pad to sit down in place. The dash pad is sitting about 3/8 of an inch too high where it meets the dash face.

I am trying to figure out if the problem is with the reproduction dash top, the way it was installed, or both.

I am attaching a sketch of the cross section where the dash top meets the dash face. I am hoping someone who has their correct fitting dash pad off can check the measurement I am showing on their car and verify if my measurement is correct or wrong.

 

Thanks....Dave

130

Restoration / Fiber optic rear deck pod mounting holes

« on: May 14, 2013, 01:44:04 PM »

Does anyone know or have the mounting holes diameters and spacing for the rear pod of the Vigilite (fiber optics) option on a 68? These are the three holes (one large and two small) drilled in the piece of metal between the rear package shelf and the rear window. That piece of metal was replaced on my car and the shop who did the work re-drilled the holes in the new piece but didn't get them quite in the right place. Off center and the pod sit a little crooked. I am thinking of plugging those holes and re-drilling them in the correct spot. I looked in the AIM which shows all the dimensions for the pods on the tops of the fenders but nothing for the rear. Maybe those holes were drilled by Fisher Body.

I  sure I can figure it out on my own but would like to see the dimensions if they are published somewhere.

Thanks.....Dave

131

Restoration / Wiper transmission rebuild necessary ???

« on: May 14, 2013, 02:40:10 AM »

I am wondering if my windshield wiper transmission is OK as is or needs attention. All of the three ball and socket joints are very free moving. All of the rivets are tight but there is no resistance to movement whatsoever. Two of the three joints have almost no play in the joint. Meaning when I try to move the ball around inside the socket, there is only the tinyest, barely noticeable, movement. The third joint however has some play. Maybe a little more than a 32nd of an inch when moving it side to side.

Is this normal and OK or do I need to do something about the joint with the play in it.

Should you use anything special to lubricate these ball and socket joints.

How about the rotating joint of the the wiper post. Does that need to be cleaned and lubed in any way. They rotate freely with a little resistance. I don't know if that is normal or not.

Thanks.....Dave

132

Restoration / 68 outside window fuzzies recommendation

« on: May 14, 2013, 02:06:21 AM »

Does anyone have a recommendation on where to buy the outside window fuzzies for a 68 that has the reveal belt moldings on top of the door and quarter panel. I would like them to be as original as possible in looks and function.

I am not sure if I should order both the inside and the outside ones. I just need the outside ones for right now. My original inside fuzzies don't look too bad. That's hard for me to know for sure though without holding them along side of new ones to compare. I am not sure if they need replacing.

Rick's sells kits with the outsides only as well as kits for all of the inside and outside. I looked at Steel Rubber Products and it seems you have to buy the inside and outside together. Steele's seem pretty expensive too. And that's OK if they are excellent quality.

Thanks,
Dave

133

Restoration / 68 repro doors - Problems with? Who makes?

« on: May 07, 2013, 11:24:09 PM »

I am faced with the possibility of having to get repro doors for my '68. I don't know yet if my original doors are candidates for new skins. I have looked around past forum posts and can't find too many good things said about the repros.

Are there different manufacturers for these doors or just one? Most of the posts I read with bad comments about them are a little old now. I was wondering if there are any new stampings out there that are better quality?

Besides just to fitting the door to the body, I am worried about all the things that attach to the door.....Exterior handle, lock cylinder, interior door panel, interior handle, deluxe interior grab handle, reveal molding on the top, window tracks and regulators, fuzzies, weather stripping, window guides, hinges, latch mechanism, etc. That's a whole bunch of mounting holes that have to be in the right place!

Can anyone who has used repro doors on a '68 comment as to how much trouble they with attaching all of these things.

Thanks,
Dave

134

Restoration / Solid subframe bushings at the core support ???

« on: April 12, 2013, 09:06:38 PM »

I will be using solid subframe bushings on my '68. I just ordered the kit containing the bushngs for all six body mount locations.

I have read though, that the solid bushings were not recommended to use where the radiator core support attachches to the subframe because the transmitted vibration could damage the radiator.

I am just looking for opinions on this. Has anyone actually ever had this happen to them? I have no problem buying rubber mounts for that connection if I need to. I don't want to though, if there is no good reason for it.

Thanks........Dave

135

Restoration / "68 Rear bumper mounting trouble.....hole to hole check dimensions available?

« on: March 29, 2013, 12:35:56 AM »

I had my original '68 rear bumper straightened and re-chromed. I have reproduction 1/4 panels and tail panel. I also have reproduction CHQ bumper brackets with the exception of the center bracket which is the original one to the car.

I am having trouble making the bumper fit right........ I can get it on the car but cannot get the driver side corner bracket hole to line up with the hole in the quarter panel. Also, I haven't tried it yet but it seems it would take a lot of bolt torquing to pull the two brackets that are between the corner brackets and the center bracket tight to the body

I guess the problem could be anywhere.....1/4 panel, tailpanel, brackets or the bumper itself...........Or maybe I am not doing it the right way.

Is there a correct sequence or procedure when mounting the rear bumper?.. ..Maybe a different way would give different results.......Should the brackets go on the bumper first? (how loose or tight?) and then the brackets to the body? Or the brackets on the body first (how loose or tight?) and then the bumper to the brackets? Or a combination of both? What should you tighten first and how hard should you tighten everything?

I also want to make sure the bumper was straightened correctly. The shop that straightened it said they had some sort of guide that they used to make sure everything was right.

Does anyone know of any published "check" dimensions for a '68 rear bumper? To be able to check if all the mounting holes are in correct relation to each other. To be able to prove that the chrome shop did it right.

Thanks.......Dave