Yellow Weatherstrip Adhesive

[Raymond W.]

The 1973-1974 TIM (pg. 13) notes that excess glue (yellow in color) is the norm. I had heard that the 3M Super Weatherstrip Adhesive Yellow, Part No. 051135-08001, is not by itself the correct shade of yellow, and in order to achieve this, the adhesive needs to be mixed with brown paint, thus creating a mustardly shade of yellow. Can anyone speak more specifically to this from their own experience/success. What brown paint did you use? What proportions of paint/adhesive did you mix? Is there anything that could be referenced that would compare to the mustard color results looking to be achieved? Is the area of this excess glue around the entire weatherstriping of the door? Thoughts/insights to any and all of the above questions would be welcomed. Thanks.

[Michael H.]

Re: Yellow Weatherstrip Adhesive

Ray,

I'm glad someone brought this up. I was told recently that the original color was a bright yellow and the correct color was the same as the bright yellow that came out of the 3M tube. That couldn't be further from correct. The original material was a lot closer to clear/transparent than it was to being any color at all. If anything, it had a very slight transparent brown/yellow tint but was absolutely nothing like the 3M bright yellow. The problem is, the older these cars get, the more brown/yellow the adhesive becomes so any 30 year old car that you look at today will not have the same amount of color or transparency. Brand new cars, especially those that were painted a light color, showed almost no adhesive at all because of the lack of color. The 3M company does (or at least did) sell an adhesive in a quart can that was just about dead on accurate. This was applied with a brush to the surfaces of the body before the w/strips were installed. If I can find the info on the 3M product, I'll post it.

Michael

[Patrick H.]

Re: Yellow Weatherstrip Adhesive

I'd love to see the info.

FYI, my Sunfire Yellow 72 has really obvious brownish tint to the adhesive. My Bridgehampton Blue 71 does not appear to have the adhesive as "obvious" but I think the darker color hides the adhesive to some degree.

Patrick

[Michael H.]

Re: Yellow Weatherstrip Adhesive

Patrick,

The color of the adhesive on your car is similar to the color on my 66. I'll try to get a pic but it may be too dark in the garage to show up properly. I've watched the color of this particular spot of adhesive change and get darker over the last 20 years that I've owned the car.

[Michael H.]

Scan of Tan Adhesive *NM*

[Raymond W.]

Re: Yellow Weatherstrip Adhesive

Michael,

This topic was brought to my attention first at a Chapter Meet here in CT. The need for further clarification became even more evident after reading the following notation for 3M Brand Weatherstip Adhesive in Doc Rebuild's 1953-1982 catalog, Vol. 29, pg.111..."The Yellow color is authentic for early models". I've got time and will do some more research before I attempt to replicate the "sloppy look" of the weatherstiping adhesive around the doors. I'm interested in seeing what you can find out from 3M.

Ray

[Michael H.]

Re: Yellow Weatherstrip Adhesive

Ray,

I have to wonder if Dr Rebuild is refering to the cars of the 50's? I suppose it's possible that they may have used something that was yellow but I know 62 and later did not. The pic that I posted shows the color, which seems to match almost exactly, the color that Patrick posted. (it also seems to match exactly the saddle interior in the car) Both pic's show the tan color, which is exactly what the original semi tan/clear turns into after 30 or 40 years. It's much less transparent now than it was when new. I don't know how to describe it more accurately but I will try to find the product information from 3M.

If new cars would have had bright school bus yellow slobbered all over the door jambs, buyers would have rejected it. I bought a brand new white 64 coupe and I only remember what looked like a brushed on mostly transparent coating that ran along each side of the weather strips. It was almost not visible unless you got close.

[Dick W.]

Re: Yellow Weatherstrip Adhesive

3M offers/offered a brushable weatherstrip adhesive, when properly applied, closely matched what the OEM's used. I have searched the online catalog from 3M and several suppliers. I cannot find it. You might go to your local paint jobber and get him to look it up in the print catalog. Hopefully it is still available. It comes in pint cans and has about a 1" brush. You applied a tack coat to the body and and another to the weatherstrip. Waited about 10-15 minutes and stuck them together. You could be as slopy or as neat as you desired.

[Michael H.]

Re: Yellow Weatherstrip Adhesive

Dick,

Sounds like that may be the same 3M product that we used years ago. Does it look somewhat transparent with a slight brownish tint? I remember using it from quart cans but I believe it was also available in the pint can that you describe. Worked very well and looked accurate.

[Jim Klug]

Re: Yellow Weatherstrip Adhesive

I think what you are looking for may be called Pylow bond (spelling is a guess) a lot of car and plane MFR used it and it gets brown with age.
Jim

[Dick W.]

Re: Yellow Weatherstrip Adhesive

Michael it was as you describe. Somewhat transparent, not the bright yellow of the "yellow death" in the tube. I just went and looked at a car that I did 7-8 years ago and the glue is somewhat lt brown or tan. I do not know if they still make it or just do not have it in their online catalog. I live quite a few miles from my paint jobber, and for the things like this, I usually have to be the one that uses the catalogs. Good parts countermen are sorta like "hens teeth", far and few between. It's bad when you have to tell the counterman where to look for numbers, who the vendors are, and sometimes give up and look up the numbers for them. At one of the local jobbers they have given me my own login and password so when I go in I can lookup, bill, and pick my own orders. Sad state of affairs when an old Hillbillie has to do this.

[Michael H.]

School Bus Yellow

Thanks Dick. I've spent the last few hours searching my records and also the internet but haven't come up with anything for a part number from 3M. Also searched for the "Pylow Bond" from Jim Klug's post above (thanks Jim) but can't find anything on it, even using several different spellings. I'll try to learn more tomorrow. I'm sure there's a 3M or paint supplier near here. It was about 15 years ago that we ordered this but I would have to think it's still available today.

I know exactly what you mean about finding your own parts in the book. I eventually became better at reading the parts book upside down at the local Chevrolet dealer than the parts man that they had. Made him mad because I usually found the correct number before he did.

[Dick W.]

Re: School Bus Yellow

It used to "frost" them even more when they figured out that I could read the old paper price books upside down quicker than they could normally. And especially if you caught one in an "error" on the discount. Caught the parts manager at the local F..d dealership giving me a "discount" that ended up being more than list. He would get his calculator out and go to work. Swear that it was the best he could do. Will not even speak to me since I called his hand. I never have, nor will I ever in the future pay list prices for parts.

[Joe Maldino]

Re: School Bus Yellow

Jim and Michael... Pliobond is a contact cement similar to the 3M product.
It is a yellow / tan color and semi transparent when spread thin.
I don't know if it will produce the correct 'look'...
I found it online at Aircraft Spruce.

Hope this helps - Joe




Pliobond

[Dennis C.]

For what its worth...

...I found that the NAPA "clear" weatherstrip adhesive came pretty darn close to my perception of the original color of adhesive. The 3M yellow death, I feel, is not even close.