Gaskets: Unobtainium!

[blueticker17]

What are you guys doing to get the old gaskets that are no more? If you cannot find them how are you "restoring" the ones you have? I have all the rubbers/gaskets for my 45 but I do not know how to get them back to new, black and rubbery! There has to be some trick to put some life back into these gaskets... there are many more difficult/rare vehicles to restore that are at primo car shows and auctions. My 45 is going to be in better than new condition and all that is missing is a few fasteners and gaskets that dont look a million years old. Help!
Thanks,
Rick

 

[rockcod]

What gaskets are you referring to?

 

[blueticker17]

Hardtop gaskets
Taillight gaskets

 

[a.greenspan]

... I do not know how to get them back to new, black and rubbery! There has to be some trick to put some life back into these gaskets... there are many more difficult/rare vehicles to restore that are at primo car shows and auctions. My 45 is going to be in better than new condition and all that is missing is a few fasteners and gaskets that dont look a million years old. Help!
Thanks,
Rick

If your gaskets are chapped and dried out there is no chance to get them back to new.
Try to find used gaskets which are better than yours and spray them with amor all or other rubber care fluids .
The other option is to let them build new, there are some factories which can do that in premium quality but`s not cheap that´s what clubs of other rare vehicles do if they can`t find them any more.
Send some pics of your gaskets please.
Cheers
Peter

 

[mderrick]

i have a place that can recreate gaskets.. let me know i can model them and get some prices together. it would be good to get a group buy to help carry the cost..

 

[Eco 45]

SOR still had hardtop gaskets for the removable tops last time I ordered.

 

[3_puppies]

owens export had taillight gaskets. I bought some a while ago.

 

[nuclearlemon]

if they're not in hideous condition, i douse them with westley's bleach white and scrub with a nylon brush, then spray or soak with a good rubber/vinyl protectant.

 

[65swb45]

I'm just using plasti-dip tool dip to fill in the cracks and separations in mine, then trimming the excess off once it dries.

For some reason I just can't seem to bring myself to install my NOS gaskets until I absolutely HAVE to!

Did I ever tell you about the time the corner glass right behind my head blew out of my 45 on the highway because the weatherstrip was SOOOOOOOOO dry that I could move the fixed window up and down half an inch!

A month or so after I had purchased a replacement glass from Toyota and force fitted an FJ40 corner window weatherstrip into the 45, I was cleaning out the bed of the 45 for a camping trip and found the blown out window sitting in the front of the bed! WOW!

Good times.