Dave here with Dusty's '50 GMC.
The reassembly is progressing slowly but surely...Dusty and I put in an
hour or two every evening after he comes home from baseball practice or a
game, and if homework is done.
We experienced an unfortunate mistake that we'll warn other about. When we
replaced the original rubber side vent rubber gasket with a new one (Jim
Carter's Truckparts), we opted for the better rubber OEM type rather than
the cheaper foam. Fitting it into the side vent area was a bitch, as you
must work it in between the open vent and the body metal, without tearing
the rubber or damaging the metal.
We got it in finally, and nicely in place. Layed in a thin line of 3M
Weatherstrip goop, and closed the vent to hold it in place while it dried,
pulling the interior handle to the closed position, against the resistance
of the new rubber, until the vent was seated.
Then we noticed a dent, an inward depression, right in the middle of the
vent door, where moments before the flawless newly painted surface was flat.
Apparently the new rubber is thicker, and the vent actuating handle is spot
welded to the inside of the vent door in that one place, or at least that
point accepts the most stress. Upon pulling the handle closed, the vent door
stopped at maximum compression of the new rubber and the attachment area was
allowed to continue flexing inwards, pulling in a new, unfixable depression.
The only way to correct this would be to strip and refinish the vent door,
an unacceptable chore at this point in the game.... Damn!
Lesson: If new rubber seals are seated by pulling in against then (like
this vent door), beware of point of attachment buckling inwards due to
thicker rubber.
Can't even get behind the dent to massage it out, ala "Dent Wizard."
We live and learn, and hopefully share the lessons....
Dave Destler
oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959
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