Drip Rail Seals or Sealer?

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BFH 429

BFH 429

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7173 Mustang Supporter Member
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Location
Northville, MI
My Car
70 Maverick Grabber w/351W & Toploader
71 Mach 1 w/ 429 & T56
Hi guys, I'm moving onto installing the bright work on the project and I'm about to do the drip rails.  I'm finding that no-one appears to sell "seals" for inside the drip rail where it meets the body. However, we noticed when these were removed them that there appeared to be old seals from the factory in there (obviously they were all dry rotted and falling apart).  They did appear to be seals and not globs of sealer - but was hard to tell because they were so far gone.  

So, question is - does anyone sell seals for inside the drip rails, or is this a job for Seam Sealer or Butyl?  

 
Marc, when Butch Jones did my car, I'm pretty sure he used a black body sealant for the drip rail to body. I know we used the foam strip between the two parts, but he then sealed all the way along between the rails and around the rear quarters. As I said before, I think he tightened the screws too much as I get a squeak at low speeds on rough roads. I tried to loosen the ones I could get to and that did lessen the squeaks a bit. Very annoying!

 
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Forget the foam tape, use the strip caulk. 
 

 
If you look in the NPD catalog they tell you not to use the foam tape. I did a bunch of pictures two years ago but i can never find the post so I cannot link it. I did use the 3-M strip calk two beads in the pics. My car leaked like a sive when brand new. First week I owned had inches of water in the back floor that destroyed my build sheet. It was roof rail leak.
I polished my trim 2 years ago and went back with the 3-M. I use it anywhere you need to seal water out it does not harden so flexes with the body. All the ups and downs and holes in the roof rails make it hard to seal mine has vinyl roof in there also. I got my new window seals from NPD made by Daniel Carpenter in USA they fit like original.
Where the trim hook over my vinyl roof I used some of the non hardening strip calk in gray that look like original since you can see some of that on a vinyl roof car. In the pics. My car never gets running water on it has not for 38 years now so would not leak anyway.
 

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Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs said:
If you look in the NPD catalog they tell you not to use the foam tape. I did a bunch of pictures two years ago but i can never find the post so I cannot link it. I did use the 3-M strip calk two beads in the pics. My car leaked like a sive when brand new. First week I owned had inches of water in the back floor that destroyed my build sheet. It was roof rail leak.
I polished my trim 2 years ago and went back with the 3-M. I use it anywhere you need to seal water out it does not harden so flexes with the body. All the ups and downs and holes in the roof rails make it hard to seal mine has vinyl roof in there also. I got my new window seals from NPD made by Daniel Carpenter in USA they fit like original.
Where the trim hook over my vinyl roof I used some of the non hardening strip calk in gray that look like original since you can see some of that on a vinyl roof car. In the pics. My car never gets running water on it has not for 38 years now so would not leak anyway.
 

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im glad i found this thread, i am nearing this part of my restoration as well and have been wondering about how to do it the strip caulk looks awesome to use

 
Talking of the 3M strip caulk, but off subject to this thread, when the front fenders are reinstalled, they too should be sealed along the top of the aprons. I never see this mentioned during assembly.  I'm sure many will already know this from stripping their cars down because the old factory sealer was a bit*h to remove, on mine anyways. 

And now back to the program......

 
After you have fitted the roof Drip rail and then the upper window frame rail, what adhesive (if any) do you use to hold the new rubber weather strip in place? 

Thanks.  

I have managed to import from the USA both the Black 3m caulk and the light Grey Caulk shown above, so thank you 

Carolina Mustang for the detailed information.

Mark  UK 

 
My roof rail rubber fit so good I did not glue it. Not going to be in rain and I do not wash with running water either. I have the Daniel Carpenter seals and they snap into the roof rail and stay put so I never glued them. I might in future pull the trim and get it anodized without gluing the rubber I can remove easily.

 
I am also getting ready to install Drip Assembly in week or so. I really appreciate the help from Carolina Mountain Mustang. I also have a Jim Osborn Reproduction of  Body Assembly Manual for 1971-1972 Mustang. It states to use (ESB-M2G150-A) Adhesive the  entire length of Retainer between Retainer and Rail. I will be using the 3M 08578 as shown in photo from CMM. Thanks again CMM for advise and detailed photos.

 
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