Attaching Rubber to Fender Skirts

[LaJa]

People:


We're having trouble attaching the rubber "bumpers" to the fender skirts of my '66 Bonneville. Does anyone know the proper way to do this? Is there a specific tool that can be used, or is there a special procedure?

Any help or ideas of who might be able to do it (I live in Greensboro, NC)would be appreciated. - LG

[Larry]

I have asked around and can't find anyone who knows what "bumpers" are. Are you referring to the beading that runs along the surface of the shirt where it meets up with the body?

If so, I do not know if there were special fastners, but have seen this pop riveted to the skirts, usually with a thin flat washer between the rivet and rubber.

Depending on where these "bumpers" or the beading came from (reproduction?), I would think that the supplier would have the answer. Places like Steele Rubber Products or Metro Molded Rubber are usually very helpful to the hobbyists, even if they did not buy from them. Might be worth a call.

Please let us know what you find out about this.

[LaJa]

My apologies, Larry:


"Bumpers" is incorrect, I meant the rubber seals, or gaskets, or weather stripping, whichever term you prefer. They should measure about 1 1/8" wide for the '66.

I've been told that all you need to attach them is adhesive, but my car guy tells me it's not that simple (on top of that, we can't find any seals specific to the '66, so we're going to try the '67-'68 seals, which are 1.25" wide).

I'll let you know what we find out. Thanks! - LG

[Larry]

Your friend's idea of adhesive sounds like a good one, although I don't remember seeing that done before. Most of the old skirts I remember had some sort of staple here and there in the seal.

I have done a lot of looking around different forums and the general consenses seems to be to use something like a 3M adhesive. Most report good results.

If your skirts fit very snuggly in the wheel openings, the need to hold the rubber in place is minimal. The only problems I see might be on the very ends where the rubber may want to come loose (if the adhesive isn't holding well). I would put a small rivet there if it became a problem.

To use slightly wider rubber, I assume will just mean some rubber hangs over on the inside, so no problem there. A so-called Ford "restorer" in our town used to put fender welting on the skirts... boy, did they look bad!