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Help needed - 1955 Buick door weatherstrip mounting and trans seal question


buick55

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hi,

i have a problem and dont know how to :(

i bought from CARS the door weatherstrip set for a 1955 buick 2dr hdtp (46R), article number DWS556 with clips and molded ends.

seems to be my doors do not have the holes for the clips (ok i can remove them from the strips) and it is also too long.n

i dont know which one (left or right on the picture) is for the driver and which for the passenger side and also which end of the strip reaches the A and B pillar.

only ??? over my head!

here some pictures...

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then i found a trans seal in a box from the pre-owner.

anybody knows at which postion that seal fits?

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thanks for your help...

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thanks, but this would be the last way for me...

cause i am from germany and dont want to spent another 150$ + shipping if the problem could be solved with these set.

the clips are not the problem, i can remove them, then its a normal strip set without clips and cement to the door ;)

and from CARS this set should fit my car model. its not too long, that was my issue, forgot that it goes up the vent window frame.

but i dont know which one is for driver and which for pessenger side and also which end should reach A and B pillar.

that my main problem, because in manuals and explosions i did not see these details.

Edited by buick55 (see edit history)
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CARS has their catalogue online, so you can look up the their part number to make sure of the application, but I think that the seal is for the rear, behind the torque ball. That's a common spot for the Dynaflows to leak. I have replaced the rubber door seals on my '56, and I don't remember clips on the them, though I think that the original was crimped onto the door bottom, but I used cement to hold it, and it hasn't been a problem.

Keith

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in the CRAS catalog i dont see where it directly fit.

that was also my guess, that the seal is behind the torque ball. but dont know if it fits on torque ball side or torque tube side?!

right now on my car i see such a seal at the torque tube.

yes my doors have also no holes for clips, only three at each end like you see on the pictures.

and they are also crimped onto the door bottom, i will also use additional cement there...

but still dont know which one is for whcih side and which end ends to which pillar :)

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hahaha :D

yeah ok i guess also its the seal from the torque tube.

so its sits in here, right?

post-102331-143142819833_thumb.jpg

ohhh your strip end looks different to mine.

i dont know what CARS sell for parts, but i have also the hood cowl from them. and its also a piece of sh**, a universal rubber part which not directly fits to the car!

i will check the strips tomorrow again if they will fit, otherwise i have to buy another set.

saw this on steelrubber a four piece set without clips. this should be the correct one...

http://www.steelerubber.com/door-weatherstrip-50-0440-72

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right now the seal in my torque tube seems to be with the flat side to the transmission and seems to be original with a metal ring where i dont know how to disassembly.

picture 1, this is how it looks like right know on my car:

post-102331-143142820024_thumb.jpg

i found these pictures in another thread, but dont understand anything written there, maybe my english is not good enough :(

i am really confused now...

picture 2, these seems to be like you mentioned with the spring side towards the transmission:

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picture 3, and this should be from a 1956, with the seal at the torque ball instead of the tube.

but this would not work i guess on my car...

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and here 2 pictures from my trans when i got the car, how it looks like right now after disassembling and what i got from CARS:

what i read in the other thread, that the silver retainer is also crap and will not stop leaking :(

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i have also no thin seal in this kit from tube to retainer, like you see in that auction here. maybe i need a new kit then, is that a good retainer kit to buy???

http://www.ebay.de/itm/300685120469?_trksid=p2060778.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

another topic, because i saw these pictures also in the other thread and was wondering my car drivetrain inkl spring mounting looks like the 56 version from the book.

but the diff housing looks like from the 53-55 picture with seprate cover. seems to be a mix from 55 to 56. is that normal or really not original on my 55 buick (maybe a change for the late 55)?

post-102331-143142820064_thumb.jpg

no the link is for the 2dr hardtop, the strips are a two piece version.

see the detailed picture from steelrubber. i think these strips are the correct ones for my car.

but i will go on to check this directly with steelrubber by mail.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]279781[/ATTACH]

sorry for so much questions, but i dont want to buy everything 3 times and also want to understand how it works correctly.

this restoration makes me feel really bad...

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First off, can I ask your real name? It's better than calling you Buick 55 :D

Ok, don't worry too much. You're doing fine. Your English is better than my German.

First. The picture one above is showing an original seal. There is leather sandwiched in between two pieces of metal, so it won't look the same as the modern replacement.

Picture two is correctly installed for your application.

The Steele catalog is good and they sell great products. Just make sure it is for a small series two door hardtop and you will be fine.

That thin gasket is very easy to make, don't order a whole kit just to get that. Heck, you can almost just silicone between the two surfaces and be fine. I don't recommend this, just saying I have seen worse.

It is true that the silver retainer isn't the best. BUT, you already have it AND you live overseas where shipping a new one will cost nearly as much as the part. Steele re-vulcanizes these retainers, so if you are ordering from them and you are worried about the silver one, maybe they will sell you one with a core. I would personally just use what you have and wait a few years for it to start dripping.

Like I said above, don't worry too much. These cars are fun to work on with their "crazy old technology" and once you get it going, you will enjoy the uniqueness of the experience along with the pride of knowing how it works.

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ohh no problem, my name is andreas :)

i should make a small signature...

first off all thanks for your time and you help. that means a lot to me an helps much.

yeah i have bought some products from steel, they look great and also fits great.

so i think i will order also the door strips from them.

ok i will make this thin gasket by myself, thats no problem.

if the silver retainer will work a few years, then its ok :)

my car has the original lever shocks.

but my whole rear axle looks like the 56 on the picture, only differnce is that i have the diff cover which you can demount.

seems to be on the 56 thats not possible.

and yes i cant wait to drive the car and enjoy it. i bought it in december 2013, it arrives in april 2014 in germany, i drove it about 500m ;) and then started the restortation...

next week the car goes to a friend for welding and painting. i think for the next 2-3 month.

then i have time to get all the right parts, sealing and painting the engine, polish all stainless parts and so on, many little things to do :)

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thanks mike...

the starting point is not what you see on the pictures ;) the car has had a poor body job with much bondo action and worse welding! no words for some things i found.

i dissambled the whole car and stripped the body and all parts to bare metal and cleaned underneath.

now i prepared the car with EP filler to prevent rust during welding and so on because the car goes now about 200 miles away from me.

cant wait to see it painted :)

ohh yes i have another question.

what is the best and/or easiest way to get the old seal out from the tube?

i think best choice is to renew it with the modern one now when the trans is out of the car.

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I have done this repair (torque tube seal) about five times with the transmission in the car. Definitely easier to replace while the transmission is out.

Somehow poke a hole in the old one and pry it out. Either a small screwdriver, awl or cotter pin removal tool is how I have done it in the past. It's actually harder to get the new one in straight than getting the old one out.

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today i change the tube seal.

for me it was a harder job to get the old one out (what a crap) than the new one in :)

jut a hint for all to get the new one straight and easy in.

use a 2" pipe in 6" length, that fits directly into the seal without damaging the rubber part, than you can hammer it a bit until it sits right.

but i think that will only work if the transmission is out.

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