56/57 soft top cloth weather stripping

[Craig L.]

Hello and can anyone post some pictures or a really good decription of the cloth weather stripping that goes arount the rubber weather stripping on the soft top at the door opening? I have seen it once and can't remember if it tucks around the ends of each section or if it is just cut off even with the end. Also is it a sewn tube or just a piece of material. Boy, any help would be greatly apprecitated. I am trying to get ready for top flight judging in a few weeks.

Thanks
Craig

[Roy B.]

Re: 56/57 soft top cloth weather stripping

[quote=Craig Landon (29913);365249]Hello and can anyone post some pictures or a really good decription of the cloth weather stripping that goes arount the rubber weather stripping on the soft top at the door opening? I have seen it once and can't remember if it tucks around the ends of each section or if it is just cut off even with the end. Also is it a sewn tube or just a piece of material. Boy, any help would be greatly apprecitated. I am trying to get ready for top flight judging in a few weeks.

Thanks


It's tucks around , best way to say it! not sewn (glued) steel support is molded into the rubber not like repro's , if you have a repro header weatherstripping it's all wrong anyway . This was discussed before see tag
https://www.forums.ncrs.org/showthre...63152&uid=9387

[Gary C.]

Re: 56/57 soft top cloth weather stripping

Craig, would wrap the bowdrill material around the back and seam it in the crease of front exposed (area that touches the window top) piece. This way you will have a clear cut down the seam and can cover over the screw heads. As Roy points out the originals had a piece of metal with integrated fasteners in the middle of the rubber. The reproductions and later GM pieces used an external piece of metal. Gary....

[Craig L.]

Re: 56/57 soft top cloth weather stripping

Thanks Gary and Roy, I am still a little fuzzy as to what it should look like. Any pictures would be great. I was planning to glue the screws to the front plate so that they would not turn as I tightened the back nut plate. Boy, I've checked with all the guys I know and no one's car is correct in this area.
Thanks again
Craig

[Gary C.]

Re: 56/57 soft top cloth weather stripping

Craig, hold the weatherstrip like it's going to be on the softtop when it's on the car. You will have an angle that runs from 9AM to 6PM. An upside down and reversed "L". Start with putting the fabric on the vertical portion of the inverted/reseversed "L". Wrap the bowdrill fabric from the center seam of the "L", down the vertical and around over the top flat piece where the bolts come through to bolt to the top. Measure and cut the edge to fit into the seam back where the fabric starts. Do not complete press/glue the material in place at this time. This will allow you to have access to the screws/bolts to secure the weatherstripping to the softtop. After the weatherstrip is secured to the top the rest of the material can be fitted to cover the weatherstrip and trimmed to fit on the inside corner seam of the "L". This's the best description I can give you. Just play with it you get something that works for you. All you can do is ruin some material, no big deal. Have fun! Gary....

[Craig L.]

Re: 56/57 soft top cloth weather stripping

Thanks Gary, I think I've got it to the point I can play with it. I ordered some new cloth from Steel Rubber Products and that will help. If it doesn't come by the meet, then I will leave it alone until next year. Thanks again for your help.