Wtf new gaskets?

[Irishspring46]

I replaced my weatherstripping on my driver door and body, now the door is hard to close and my top of the door gap is off. How the hell can gaskets ruin my door gap? This car is all original and the door gaps were perfect beforehand. My door pins are fine and my latch is fine

 

[78Delta88]

Source of the weather stripping? Even .5mm thicker over stock multiplied over several inches adds up.

Double check your install. And double check (compare) your replacement stripping with the old. Somewhere in there you have added to the thickness and door won't close properly, as noted.

 

[Clone TIE Pilot]

Aftermarket weatherstripping does not fit as well as the discontinued OEM weatherstripping.

 

[Irishspring46]

Source of the weather stripping? Even .5mm thicker over stock multiplied over several inches adds up.

Double check your install. And double check (compare) your replacement stripping with the old. Somewhere in there you have added to the thickness and door won't close properly, as noted.

Yeah but even weatherstripping can change my door gaps?? Like I slam my door closed and my door gaps are off. I just took it off and they are good now

 

[Rocknrod]

Yes there have been a few complaints about that subject:

Mythbusters, G-body style. Door Weatherstrips Fit Any 2-door G-body. Busted!!!!

GM lower door weatherstrip/seal, p/n- 20008188. This is the RH side, and should fit any 2 door g body. This was a quote from a recent for sale ad for a 78-80 Olds A-body weatherstrip (which fits nearly all 78-87 A/G Elky/Cabby, 78-81 Malibu, and 78-80 Regals as well) basically saying this...

gbodyforum.com

Door Weatherstripping

Anybody ever get door weatherstripping for your GP and it was right? I bought a set from Metro which was supposedly for the Monte and the GP but it isn't correct. The ends are too fat. I couldn't even close the doors. If you did. could you please point me in the right direction for the...

gbodyforum.com

 

[pagrunt]

The material used on the repops are different than the OE's. Not sure for the reason for using a different foam rubber composition unless it's what the older cars used & just cheaper/easier to use what they have on hand. If these cars were Vettes or Muscle Car era cars the foam rubber would of been redone several times until they get just right.

 

[Clone TIE Pilot]

Yeah but even weatherstripping can change my door gaps?? Like I slam my door closed and my door gaps are off. I just took it off and they are good now

I had the same issue using aftermarket seals. Aftermarket upper roof rail weatherstripping seals ok but aftermarket lower door seals don't fit well at all. With aftermarket lower door seals the end pads are not molded to the correct factory shape and lack molded in reinforcing plates that prevent ripping like the OE door seals use.

 

[Ribbedroof]

Like everything else in the world it’s all about the money. To spend the time and money to make them just like the OE will raise the price point to where the majority of people will not spend the dollars that it would cost for the finished product.

Add to that the fact that they’re having to reverse engineer them not produce them from an OE in-house generated drawing It’s a miracle that there as close as they are

 

[78Delta88]

The original OEM were open cell foam very spongy. Not sure of durometer, never tested one.

If the newer is stiffer it won't crush down. If using closed cell it will trap air, and further won't crush down. This could be causing the discrepancy.

 

[oldsofb]

This may not count since it's different cars, but Haff Rod's (who did a beautiful resto of a 78 Cutlass Salon over here) YT channel has been covering his extensive 55 Chevy build. In one of the videos he mentioned putting in his door weather strip (new). He said that when installing new WS don't freak out about the door gaps and alignment. After the door has sat in the closed position for a week or so, the rubber will start to relax and the fitment will return.

Does this count for GBody's? Not sure. Incorrect end pieces won't fix themselves if that's the issue.

I despair when I read these WS threads, because I'm going to have to go through this myself eventually.

Hutch