1957 Door rubber

[Lionel]

Could anyone helip me the correct position of the short rubber seal that fits on the very top of the door and just below the windscreen. It’s about 12 inches long and L section. Doesn’t appear to make contact with the body and is more of a channel ?

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[56White]

Yes it channels water from the gap where the door meets the fender to the drain holes in the door sill.

 

[Lionel]

Yes it channels water from the gap where the door meets the fender to the drain holes in the door sill.

Hi, is the hole the one on the radius of the door just above the top hinge ?

 

[paul5456]

Yes

Hi, is the hole the one on the radius of the door just above the top hinge ?

 

[doug7740]

Could anyone helip me the correct position of the short rubber seal that fits on the very top of the door and just below the windscreen. It’s about 12 inches long and L section. Doesn’t appear to make contact with the body and is more of a channel ?

Lionel,

In 1955 water leaks were encountered around the dog leg trough of the door hinge pillar. Service Letter 1143 was published to correct this condition by adding a secondary weather strip.

Attached is Service Letter 1143. I also attached a section from page 12 of the July/August 1974 Early Bird magazine which discusses the rubber weather strips that are attached to the vertical portions of the windshield posts on the later Thunderbirds.

doug7740
1955 Thunderbird

 

[Lionel]

Lionel,

In 1955 water leaks were encountered around the dog leg trough of the door hinge pillar. Service Letter 1143 was published to correct this condition by adding a secondary weather strip.

Attached is Service Letter 1143. I also attached a section from page 12 of the July/August 1974 Early Bird magazine which discusses the rubber weather strips that are attached to the vertical portions of the windshield posts on the later Thunderbirds.

doug7740
1955 Thunderbird

Doug,
Thanks very much for your help. I have just renewed all the rubbers on the hard top and the rubbers on the vertical pillars as shown on the diagram.

The service bulletin shows exactly what I need to do. Our 57 was restored by the previous owner who had fitted the rubber on the dog leg completely bypassing the drain hole resulting in the water being pooled and leaking into the car. I didn’t realise the holes were meant to be drain holes !!
Thanks again for your help.
Cheers Lionel.

 

[doug7740]

Lionel,

Looking at the attached article from the July/August 2015 Early Bird Magazine, it appears that the 55 - 57 Thunderbirds will always leak.

doug7740
1955 Thunderbird Blue

 

[Lionel]

Thanks, a good idea as we get some heavy rain here in New Zealand.

 

[Ames]

Could anyone helip me the correct position of the short rubber seal that fits on the very top of the door and just below the windscreen. It’s about 12 inches long and L section. Doesn’t appear to make contact with the body and is more of a channel ?

I am curious too about this, I attached them on my car according to some instructions that I received when I purchased them, but I am not sure if I did them correctly because they seem to do nothing as far as keeping water out. Pictures of placement would be awesome.

 

[Lionel]

I am curious too about this, I attached them on my car according to some instructions that I received when I purchased them, but I am not sure if I did them correctly because they seem to do nothing as far as keeping water out. Pictures of placement would be awesome.

Hi, check out doug7740’s post earlier in this thread Fords fix is somewhat primitive but fairly self explanatory, I have placed mine as per their service letter. The 57 appears to already have the hole literally punched in the door. I think it just kinda like acts as a channel. If you can’t open the attachments let me know and I will try sending you a picture of my positionin.

 

[Ward 57]

Yes, my'57 has a hole punched at the front inside corner to drain into the door and out the bottom and the weather-strip forms a 'dog leg' directing any water to that hole.