Quarter window gaskets not quite like originals

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David Dickerson

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Just rebuilt my quarter windows on my 74 Duster and am finding that the new gasket doesn't want to seal tight against the body at the bottom edge. I measured the old gasket, and it appears to be wider than the new one. The fit was good in the frame but I'm sure water will get behind it and make its way down into the body cavity. Don't want to fill the gap with silicone. Bought a seal kit from Partsmix that has some of the other perimeter foam tape seal. They tell you to tuck the white foam strips in the kit under the flap of the gasket to help it seal against the quarter, but it won't even fit behind the new gasket. Considering cleaning up my old gaskets and reinstalling them, but then I will have a new set of useless gaskets. Finding out there is nothing like original equipment.
 
A friend that has a body shop feels the same as you.He hates repo parts because they never fit right.Unless he has no other option he will re-use the factory parts even if they are 50+ years old.When he did my 65 Belvedere,I ordered all new window gaskets.When the car was done they were in a box in the trunk.So I too have extras.
 
Not sure it will help but I replaced the gaskets on my 73 Duster quarter windows and found that i needed to make sure that i replaced and re-glued the 2 styrofoam blocks that sit on top of the channel that the bottom part of the gasket sits on. Those foam blocks hold up the bottom of the gasket and keep pressure on the side of the gasket to help it seal against the quarter panel. I`ll see if i have a pic of the foam blocks.
Just rebuilt my quarter windows on my 74 Duster and am finding that the new gasket doesn't want to seal tight against the body at the bottom edge. I measured the old gasket, and it appears to be wider than the new one. The fit was good in the frame but I'm sure water will get behind it and make its way down into the body cavity. Don't want to fill the gap with silicone. Bought a seal kit from Partsmix that has some of the other perimeter foam tape seal. They tell you to tuck the white foam strips in the kit under the flap of the gasket to help it seal against the quarter, but it won't even fit behind the new gasket. Considering cleaning up my old gaskets and reinstalling them, but then I will have a new set of useless gaskets. Finding out there is nothing like original equipment.
 
I am perplexed with these quarter windows. I put the original gaskets back on the frame and reinstalled the quarters in the car. It still seems like the rubber gasket will allow water to get between it and the body and run down in the body cavity. Even if the gasket pushes against the sheet metal, it still has a channel for the water to get in and will then dump inside the car towards the front of the window. All the mounting screw holes line up. I know what you are talking about with the foam blocks. The install kit that I got came with foam tape to install on the body under where the window frame sits. This will do the same thing that the foam blocks did. Could it be that this is how the factory did it? I took the car apart many years ago, so I can't remember how the gasket looked. Just doesn't seem possible that the factory would allow water to go inside and drain out the bottom of the rocker. Since the gasket doesn't go over the sheetmetal and only presses against it, this creates an opportunity for leaking.
 
I do have a pic that I will dig up for you when I get a chance. The tape won’t work as it is not thick (tall) enough to hold the gasket sideways against the quarter panel, that’s where the tall foam blocks come in. The original foam blocks that may still be there shrink up big time over the 40 plus years and won’t be the size they were originally. The factory knew that water was going to get in that area, that’s why there is that big angled splash shield just below that quarter windowQUOTE="David Dickerson, post: 1972014790, member: 52929"]I am perplexed with these quarter windows. I put the original gaskets back on the frame and reinstalled the quarters in the car. It still seems like the rubber gasket will allow water to get between it and the body and run down in the body cavity. Even if the gasket pushes against the sheet metal, it still has a channel for the water to get in and will then dump inside the car towards the front of the window. All the mounting screw holes line up. I know what you are talking about with the foam blocks. The install kit that I got came with foam tape to install on the body under where the window frame sits. This will do the same thing that the foam blocks did. Could it be that this is how the factory did it? I took the car apart many years ago, so I can't remember how the gasket looked. Just doesn't seem possible that the factory would allow water to go inside and drain out the bottom of the rocker. Since the gasket doesn't go over the sheetmetal and only presses against it, this creates an opportunity for leaking.[/QUOTE]
 
I am perplexed with these quarter windows. I put the original gaskets back on the frame and reinstalled the quarters in the car. It still seems like the rubber gasket will allow water to get between it and the body and run down in the body cavity. Even if the gasket pushes against the sheet metal, it still has a channel for the water to get in and will then dump inside the car towards the front of the window. All the mounting screw holes line up. I know what you are talking about with the foam blocks. The install kit that I got came with foam tape to install on the body under where the window frame sits. This will do the same thing that the foam blocks did. Could it be that this is how the factory did it? I took the car apart many years ago, so I can't remember how the gasket looked. Just doesn't seem possible that the factory would allow water to go inside and drain out the bottom of the rocker. Since the gasket doesn't go over the sheetmetal and only presses against it, this creates an opportunity for leaking.
quarter window.JPG
 
I am perplexed with these quarter windows. I put the original gaskets back on the frame and reinstalled the quarters in the car. It still seems like the rubber gasket will allow water to get between it and the body and run down in the body cavity. Even if the gasket pushes against the sheet metal, it still has a channel for the water to get in and will then dump inside the car towards the front of the window. All the mounting screw holes line up. I know what you are talking about with the foam blocks. The install kit that I got came with foam tape to install on the body under where the window frame sits. This will do the same thing that the foam blocks did. Could it be that this is how the factory did it? I took the car apart many years ago, so I can't remember how the gasket looked. Just doesn't seem possible that the factory would allow water to go inside and drain out the bottom of the rocker. Since the gasket doesn't go over the sheetmetal and only presses against it, this creates an opportunity for leaking.
quartersealing.jpg
These pics might help. Its hard to see the foam block in the pic above but you can see it on the left. You can see that its way thicker than foam tape.
This is a pic of the factory 1973 Body Service Manual and shows that the factory did seal that gasket to the quarter panel. I know the new gaskets are way softer and dont wanna seal like the new ones but they will work. Hope these help.
 
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