IROC Wagon Project

[ssbrewskyaz]

Well this is where the guys in the Midwest have things a little easier when it comes to scrap picking. The rubber parts in Arizona just don’t exist unless it’s not originally from here.

I know that several folks have used the Dodge Caravan seal for the rear lift glass. Was wondering if anyone had photos of the finished product?

This is what the OE seal looks like.






These photos are of the upper endgate seal, at least that’s what I’m calling it. Would be nice to find one of these from the Midwest or North as the one I have has clearly seen better days.











Stay Thirsty my Friends. ...

 

[Longroof79]

Scott, (the most interesting man in the world...😉
Fortunately, the rear opening seal can be substituted using one from several different types of minivans, or SUV's. Someone said they used a trunk seal from a Malibu, another mentioned a rear hatch/ tailgate seal from a Ford Explorer.. and of course the Plymouth Voyager/ Caravan seal. I had one laying around that I ended up giving to a friend, otherwise I could have gotten you a pic of the profile.
Several years ago, Dixie Monte Carlo used to carry OEM rear hatch/ tailgate seals. I guess they went the way of the doe-doe bird, along with other OEM unobtainable parts.

I have an original seal that I pulled at the junkyard many years ago,(from a northern wreck) knowing that I'd need it one day... sure enough, that day arrived. Same for the tailgate hatch or beltline seal.
That will be the difficult one to find because there's nothing out there to substitute it with.
As you suggested, finding one from a northern vehicle that hadn't been overly exposed to the elements.
Even down here when you were able to find these cars in the junkyard, the weather stripping and interior plastics were weather beaten.

 

[liquidh8]

My seal isn't much better than that either, hopefully you can come up with something that works.

 

[ssbrewskyaz]

Well, I got after the Malibu a little bit today. I have two cars going at once so I need to chip away a little every weekend if I can. I have the trans out of the 63 SS because it started popping out of gear, of course, that’s never gonna do.


As previously discussed, I’m bolting every part I have for this wagon on it in hopes it will motivate me to get it done already. Seems to be working so far.


Today I donated skin to the left rear door assembly. Started out on the table installing the latch, figured out soon enough it’s actually easier to put the parts on with the door hanging on the car. I’m a little slow to catch on some times but they say that builds character. Maybe that’s why I’m referred to as a character.





The latch screws were painted body color when the cars came out of the plant. I like the extra detail and besides, I ain’t the plant.





Once the door was hanging I stuck in the little rubber doo dads and moved on to the handles and quarter glass.

Again as with the tailgate, there is an order to which this stuff goes back together. The latches go in first, then the handles, and then the quarter glass. Sure, you can do it in a different order but you'll be sacrificing time, brain cells, arm and hand skin to do it that way. I don't recommend the latter.





These are the little rubber nubs that mount the solenoid for the power rear quarter glass motors. Originally they had little t*ts on the end but proved to be no match for my pliers. Even with WD40 liberally applied, I ended up cheating on this step by drilling the holes two sizes larger rather than tempt fate on a thirty year old piece of rubber times three.









Of course no body gaps will be attempted until all the sheet metal is hanging. We all know this special task is reserved for quiet time.


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This had been bugging me for a while now. This is where the windshield antenna plugs into the car and then on to the radio through the antenna cable. Clearly it wasn’t going to work all covered in base/clear.


[URL=http://s1302.photobucket.com/user/ssbrewskyaz/media/OnLine%20Post/DSC02737_zpsf15zo57t.jpg.html]


It bugs me no more.





Well that’s a wrap for another day not at the office.


Stay thirsty my friends. …[/URL]

 

[Longroof79]

Nice to see some new progress, Scott.

 

[liquidh8]

Nice progress Scott, I was doing the exact same thing with my door latch screws. Can't wait to see this together!

 

[ssbrewskyaz]

Was hot today but not very humid so I pecked away again at the wagon. While working on the left rear door for the second straight weekend it occurred to me, there’s a lot of crap on these doors. Doesn’t seem like it but when you’re taking your time, it takes a fair amount of time.

Every part I hang on this thing gets me one step closer to driving it. I suppose that’s all the motivation I need at this point.

At first I wasn’t going to replace the lock solenoids. Then I decided, what the hell, I’ve replaced every other part, why wouldn’t replace these, so I did.





The solenoid on the left is the original rear door piece. The one on the right is a service part. Even though they look different where the rod attaches, the stroke is exactly the same.





The mount that comes on the new Solenoids is completely different so you have to use the brackets off the ones you’re replacing. The solenoids are exactly the same, it’s an easy swap. These are riveted in so it takes a drill to get them out and a pop rivet tool to put them back in. I suppose I could have used a ¼ 20 bolt and nut but my hands look like table scraps already.








This is what the boots on the new solenoids looks like. Don’t suppose they had a problem with water eh?





Started on the run channel a couple of weeks ago. I don’t care a lot for stress on something that’s supposed to be therapy so I did a little prework / prefit then proceeded to order a roll of nearly every GM run channel Danno Enterprises had to offer. Cost me $65.00 but now I have it all right in front of me instead of looking at a stupid photo and measurements. I’m a show me guy, I can figure it out if I have tangible stuff in front of me. Guessing sucks.





The good news for you all is I’ll tell you what I used. You can use what I used or figure it out on your own.





This is the joint on the left rear door at the vent window. It’s just a test fit.





This is the profile for the 1369. This is the run channel on the vent window side.





This is the profile on the NOS left rear door run channel I have.





This is the profile for the 1720. This profile is used for the top and forward edge of the glass.





This is the same profile on the one NOS left rear door run channel I have.





This is what the joint looks like between the two different profiles of run channel





This is what the joint looks like in the corner for the two identical profile (top and side) run channel.





The trick with the corners is to cut a slit across the run channel but not all the way through. Then you glue on the high density foam to strengthen the joint. This is what I used to make my corners. It’s a piece of pipe insulation made of high density foam which looks identical to what the Generals supplier used.





This looks like the cheap stuff from the end view but it’s the good stuff.





Here’s the part number. Homely Depot is where I picked this up.





I used a big pair of scissors to cut the thickness in half. You can’t have too much material wadded up in the corner. The object is to keep the run channel joint from splitting.





Here’s the glue you need to glue all this stuff together. This stuff is sticky! Don’t put the cap in your mouth dumbass.





Here’s the numbers. …





Cont. ...

 

[ssbrewskyaz]

Here’s the finished front joint. This will straighten out much nicer when the glass is installed. I don’t have the window sweeps (Cat Whiskers) yet, should be here next weekend at which point I can install the glass.





Here’s the finished rear joint at the vent. Again, this all straightens out when the glass is installed.





This is how I straighten NOS run channel for the front door.





This is what it looks like when I start. …





Thanks to Jim I can cross another project off the list.





Well then, that’s another day not at the office.


Stay thirsty my friends. …

 

[ssn696]

Us Wagon folks need to send you a couple cases of Dos Equis. You spent the money, did the research and shared the window channel data with the Forum. And the scabs on your hands give you street credit. Staying thirsty - need a straw?

 

[Longroof79]

Scott,
You did a great job bonding the corners of the run channel. I wouldn't have even thought of doing it that way. Thanks for sharing your great tip. Unfortunately, it's too late for me to do it that way. I think I also slit the channel in a way that it was still connected, and was able to cut a miter in the corners.

As for the window sweeps, I've purchased mine on Ebay, but Dixie Restoration Depot has them for the 4-dr and wagon. They're priced not too bad either.

Thanks again for sharing your knowledge with us all. You've been extremely helpful and instrumental in detailing your findings and procedures. This information will help many other wagon guys.
I appreciate all the great research and information that you've shared.

My hat's off to you my friend.
Cheers!

The car is coming along nicely.