Weatherstripping care and restoration

[Bill Stoneberg]

I am pulling my windows apart on my Wagon and m finding out that Nobody makes replacement rubber for the back vent windows.<P>How do I make what I have soft and supple so it will seal again ? Its as hard as a rock and cracked a lot.<P>Thanks

[Rick Hoover]

Bill,<P> Try picking up some Lestoil household cleaner at your local super market and soak the the rubber in it over night or longer if needed. I usually use foil oven pans in the size we need. Afterwards, just rinse it off with water and wipe it dry. I've been saving and softening rubber parts for years in doing this. Try a sample part once and let me know what you think.<P> And no, I don't believe those vent rubbers are available either.<P> Rick

[Bill Stoneberg]

Hi Rick,<BR>Well I have looked all over for Lestoil down here. Must be a Northern item. My grocerie or hardware stores don carry it. <BR>Any other Ideas ?

[Guest De Soto Frank]

Bill,<P>How 'bout Wal or K - Marts ?<P>I know what you mean about not being able to find stuff for wagons ;<P>I need a gas tank for a '59 Edsel wagon, and nobody's "re-popping" those animals!<BR>(Though I might have a prayer that a Ranchero tank would be available; but, noooo.)<P>If you get your rubber out intact, would Steele be able to replicate ?

[Guest]

The trouble with having a rare rubber part duplicated is that the demand will be so small that the unit cost will be prohibitive, what with tooling and set up costs. How many people are out there restoring Buick woodie wagons and for that matter, how many Buick woodie wagons are still out there restored or left to restore?<P>I haven't seen Lestoil in years. Like other cleaning products, they must be superceeded every few years just to keep the public hyped up to buy their NEW product. I cannot remember who produced Lestoil, but for some reason I do not think it was one of the big two, Lever or P&G. ~ hvs

[Bill Stoneberg]

I have a friend who has sent his front vent window seals to Steele. They came back with a note saying "thanks but no thanks". <P>If there is no demand for the front seals, the backs will be even less as they were a one year version.<P>I am afraid I am out of luck at the moment but still searching. Clorox is the manufacturerer of Lestoil. I have no checked Wla mart or K-mart or Target but they are next on the list.<P>Howard, I was surprised, I am talking to 5 different people who are restoring various years of Buick Station Wagons. Once they found out I was restoring one, they either had comments or questions. But there can't be many left, after looking in the BCA roster I only saw under 100 cars from the post war woodies.<p>[ 03-19-2002: Message edited by: Bill Stoneberg ]

[Rick Hoover]

Bill and HVS,<P>I was surprised to read where you guys could not find Lestoil locally. I would had never thought of it as something only sold here in our area. Now Bill, I'm wondering how you knew it was made by The Clorox Company? I had to go look at the bottle myself for that. Frank had a good idea as for where to look for it. If you're not able to find it, e-mail me a shipping address Bill and I'll send you a bottle to try. I always have several bottles on hand.<P>Rick<p>[ 03-19-2002: Message edited by: Rick Hoover ]

[Bill Stoneberg]

Rick,<BR>Search engines are amazing things. I did a search on Lestoil and manufacturer and after reading how well it cleans vinyl siding, I finally saw the Clorox site.<BR>I was hoping to find where to mail order some. I am going to check the marts tomorrow.<P>I will let you know how I make out.

[Guest]

You can purchase a 28oz container of lestoil for $3.39 online. Go to: <A HREF="http://www.fortwaynegrocery.com/front.qhtml?thislevel=154" TARGET=_blank>www.fortwaynegrocery.com/front.qhtml?thislevel=154</A> <P>....gotta love the internet!

[Guest Roadmaster]

So could I clean or rub Lestoil on my rubber weatherstripping and window rubber and it would help maintain it in good condition? Use it like a preservitive/maintenance for rubber on my 50 Roadmaster?

[Guest]

I'm surprised that nobody has mentioned the old trick of wiping the window and door rubber down with brake fluid which is specifically designed to preserve rubber, some old-time collectors swore by it and I've seen 40 year old cars with the rubber like new.

[Guest]

Will the brake fluid restore or just preserve the rubber?

[Rick Hoover]

I remember friends using brake fluid on their tires in order to make them shine back many years ago. It was the Armor All of the time I guess. However, it is not the same in affect as it's use in wheel cylinder rubbers. In time and with continued use of it exposed to air, it will dry out the rubber compound and the rubber will start to crack. The other thing to consider, is using it near the paint of your door jams. There are to many other better products on the market to use today.<P> Roadmaster, The Lestoil will clean and keep your rubber items soft with regular use, as well as bring hard rubber back to life. It's the best product to restore hard rubber I've seen yet. Give it a try.<P> Rick

[Bill Stoneberg]

Well folks,<BR>I have spent the past week looking for Lestoil. I even stopped on my way to Alabama this past weekend. (That made the wife mad, she didn't see why we stopped at grocery stores in a lot of towns much less Wal Marts)<BR>I am about to give up the ghost on this. I checked the online grocery listed above and they need a miniumum order to ship.<BR>I am willing to make a trade for some Lestoil. I am sure we have things in Texas that you cant get up north. I know there are KK's but they seem to popping up all over.<BR>Anyone like "Peanut Patties" or "Moon Pies" ?

[Rick Hoover]

Bill,<P> There's a couple bottles heading your way tomorrow!<P> Rick

[D Binger]

Hey Hoover,<P>Hope you ask for the "Moon Pies"<P>Dan

[Bill Stoneberg]

Moon Pies are great.... Chocolate and marshmellows covered in a sugar coating. Just the thing to eat when you have another 150 miles to go and its already past midnight.<BR>Dentists love you too.<P>Dan, I will be glad to send you a few to try <p>[ 03-29-2002: Message edited by: Bill Stoneberg ]

[Rick Hoover]

Oh boy, get a load of this!<P>Bill, do me a favor and please send him some. He has e-mailed twice now asking if I liked these Moon Pies you are talking about and if I didn't, could I Fed Ex them overnight to him instead. Now I can see what HVS is going through. <p>[ 03-29-2002: Message edited by: Rick Hoover ]

[Bill Stoneberg]

Rick,<BR>I will be glad to send Dan some Moon Pies but I dont need to Fed Ex them.<P>They are not nearly as dainty as KK's. <P>They have the shelf life about as long as your everyday cider block.<P>Dan, If you will E-mail your address, I will make sure you get your fill of Moon Pies.

[Guest]

Bill ~ Send them to me and I'll see that Dan gets them and an RC. You can't have a moon pie without an RC. They learned me that in school in North Carolina 50 years ago. That an KKs. At this point, that may be the only learnin that has remained from my school years in NC. <P>PO Box 2660<BR>Cheyenne, WY 82003<P>~ hvs <P>Do you think we had better have a thread limited to discussions of moon pies and RC as well as KKs? Don't wanna hurt nobody's feelins with all this foolishness. <p>[ 03-30-2002: Message edited by: hvs ]

[D Binger]

Bill, <P>You have to remember that Howard is the guy that will bring you a dozen doughnuts and by the time they get to you he has eaten 4 of them. The Moon Pies would be better revieved at Hoover's Shop. DO you want the address?<BR>If by some slim chance I did get any by way of Howard, I would enjoy <B>IT</B> very much.<P>Dan

[Bill Stoneberg]

At least you get a couple. They weren't <B>ALL</B> gone.<P>When I send some Howard's way, I will make sure that I send enough for both of you.<P>I am off to East Texas, home of the Moon Pie stores today. Should my hunt be sucessful you will see them soon.<P>And don't worry, when I get my Lestoil, I will gladly send something to Rick for his kindness.<P>As far as moving this thread, why ? I enjoy reading about KK's as well as cars. Kidding around about KK's, Moon Pies, etc. is a lot of fun.<P>As the great Texas poet Kinky Freeman once said "You shouldn't take life too seriously, you will never make it out alive."<p>[ 03-31-2002: Message edited by: Bill Stoneberg ]

[Guest]

Bill ~ Binger sure makes a lot off fuss over 4 little doughnuts, doesn't he? I'm going to Denver tomorrow and if he doesn't start showimg a little more respect to his elders, I might skip KK altogether. <P>I was just joking about creating an exclusive KK thread. There have been a couple of guys on here who have voiced their objections to this KK stuff on some of the automotive threads. Just getting in a little dig for our side. ~ hvs

[Bill Stoneberg]

The Lestoil came from rick today. Thanks a bunch. <BR>HVS and Dan, I found some generic Moon Pies while shopping this week. I will get them to you soon. I got enough for both of you. Both Chocolate and Banana. I tried one to see if they were as good as I remember them.