Body Lock Pillar Diverter Water Strip

[Ervin Schlepp]

I did not realize until the first NCRS judging of my 1970 454 convt. that I did not reinstall the passenger side body lock pillar diverter water strip. This item is shown on sheet B9 of the 1970 AIM as item 13 part number 3974085-6 which is secured in place by two rivets item 7 part number 3828470 and item 50K cement.

My question is does anyone know of a source for this strip other than a parts car or does anyone have a drawing or sketch of the part? Also does anyone know the rivet demensions?

Any help would be appreciated.

[john38706]

Re: Body Lock Pillar Diverter Water Strip

paragon. 4241k is the number

[Joe L.]

Re: Body Lock Pillar Diverter Water Strip

John-----

Paragon #4241K is for the body lock pillar weatherstripping kit. As far as I know, it does not include the water diverter strip. Paragon, as well as other suppliers like Dr. Rebuild, etc, do have available the water diverters for 74+ model Corvettes. However, I don't think that anyone currently reproduces the pieces for 68-73.

[George Romano]

Re: Body Lock Pillar Diverter Water Strip

I thought '74 was the first year for this part. Am I wrong??

George

[Ervin Schlepp]

Re: Body Lock Pillar Diverter Water Strip

Joe:

I just finished calling Paragon and as I suspected and you correctly stated the 4241K Paragon number is for a weatherstrip kit not the water diverter that I require. Is the 74+ unit you referenced a completely different part? Sounds like I am going to have to find some one with a parts car. My fear is that since the AIM shows that the part is installed with cement and rivets that the part maybe destroyed removing it. If I could get a drawing and make one it would probably be better. The left side (divers side) is intact and appears to be approximately 3/4 " wide by 5 1/4 " long have two rivet holes. It appears to have two layers or a varied thickness. It is hard to tell since it is painted. I wonder if it appears to have two layers because both right and left side units are installed on top of one another and that is why I am one piece short. I guess I need somone to let me see their car or send a photo of this area and the installed strip.

Thanks for the correct evaluation of the Paragon part number.

[Ervin Schlepp]

Re: Body Lock Pillar Diverter Water Strip

George:

The part numbers I originally posted are directly from the 1970 AIM so the feature, if not the exact part, was used in 1970. I have the drivers side installed, but as I said in my second post I am missing the passenger side which is the same part. I am wondering if the 1974+ part is the same or similar? I do not have a 1974 AIM to look at and get the part number or see the pictorial view. Perhaps someone can assist with that.

Thanks,
Erv

[Joe L.]

Re: Body Lock Pillar Diverter Water Strip

George----

By "74+", I am referring to "1974 and later".

[Joe L.]

Re: Body Lock Pillar Diverter Water Strip

Erv-----

The 74+ parts are different. However, it might be possible to disassemble and use a portion of the 74-77 diverter for the earlier applications. That's just a guess, though; I don't know that for sure.

The installed thickness of the diverter strips, measured at a point midway between the rivets, is approximately 0.2". So, if your driver's side strip measures about this, it is as it should be.

I think that it would be possible to fabricate a diverter strip from a piece of appropriately thick and flexible plastic material. There is a curvature to the strip, but with a relatively malleable, low heat softenable plastic and a heat gun or hair dryer, I think that one could reproduce this part very accurately.

[george romano]

Re: Body Lock Pillar Diverter Water Strip

"However, I don't think that anyone currently reproduces the pieces for 68-73."

That was the sentence that threw me Joe! LOL

George

[Harmon C.]

Re: Body Lock Pillar Diverter Water Strip

Take 73 off the list they didn't have one that I know of but I added a 74 one on my driver.

[Ervin Schlepp]

Re: Body Lock Pillar Diverter Water Strip - THANKS

Joe:

I am not at home where I can look at the drivers side water diverter strip, however I remember it being about 0.2" or so thick. I guess this eliminates both pieces being on one side. I thought the piece was made from metal. It makes sense that it would be made from plastic or fiberglass to conform to the curvature of the door jam at this location. I will take a better look at reproducing one this weekend.

If anyone else has input I would appreciate it.

Joe I have been reading and responding to postings prior to this and decided to see what help I could get on what has been a difficult part search. I have seen your and others responses many times help a fellow Corvette restorer and you have once more provided great input to the problem at hand.

[george romano]

FWIW

I looked at an original, unrestored 75 last Friday, and the water diverters were made of metal, not plastic. There is a strip of rubber at the rearmost part of the diverter where the water comes down toward it, and there was dum dum under and around it to seal it up. I have never seen one on a pre-74 car. Not saying it doesn't exist, but I've never seen one from the factory. I suppose anyone could buy one from the suppliers and install it on any shark. It will work, and my old set of rusty seatbelt retractors is living proof of its necessity. I can't find any reference to it in my 72 AIM (again, it doesn't mean that its not in there! ), and there are no holes, or evidence of holes under the sill plates of my 72.

If anyone has concrete evidence to prove that they were used on pre 74 cars, please let me know! I'd love a set on my car, and DocRebuild has them in stock, but I don't want to add them if they're not supposed to be there.

George

[Wayne W.]

Re: FWIW

There were some on certain pre 74 cars. They were fiberglass strips about a half inch wide. Glued and maybe rivited, I dont remember.

[Harmon C.]

Re: FWIW

I have installed the 74 + style with dum-dum under the sill plate with no rivets and they do help keep the water off the seat belts. They can be removed for judging. Lyle

[Reba Whittington]

Re: Body Lock Pillar Diverter Water Strip

For some strange reason, GM did not install a water diverter strips on 1972 and 1973 Corvettes. This fact has always amazed me since the water problem was discovered mid-way through the 1968 year. After seat belts had retractors added in 1972, there was even more need for them as the reel sat (and rusted) in a puddle of water under the seat. The 1974+ pieces will fit; I have them on my 1972.