hard top to sides weather strip alternate (1 Viewer)

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swelltimes

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Location
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When I bought my 77 FJ40 in September, the fiberglass top was held on with a few bolts, and two eye hooks drilled through the top, clipped into the spots that mate with the windshield clips when it's resting on the hood. I was missing most of the weather stripping that goes between the top and the sides.

Inspired by a number of threads on the forum like FJSnoozer's hard top weather stripping project, I worked on an easily found, low cost alternative to that strip.

Using a 2.25", 16' long piece of Frost King "garage door bottom seal," from Home Depot, I was able to make a pretty close approximation of the original seal. I think the Frost King part number is G16.

I pulled the top off, and after drilling out the rusty bolts and tapping the threads, cut the weather stip to fit, and used some contact adhesive to secure it.

Hit some rusty spots on the sides with a wire wheel and POR-15 before I put the top back on, and sealed up the holes from the PO's eye hooks with marine RTV before I can do a more complete fix.

The top mounted up fine, and aside from a rusty and nearly dead windshield cap, I now have a great seal around the whole top. I was worried the seal may have been a touch too thick, but it compresses down to nearly the same width ast the scraps of the OEM seal I have.

The garage door seal was ~ $18 at Home Depot, and I bought a small punch to cut the holes out for the bolts. Pictures below.
weather strip old top.jpg
old top mounted.jpg
frostking.jpg
 
That is great you found an affordable seal. I will be pulling my top off (1962) and this summer/fall will be dealing with new seals and I definitely don't have money for an expensive kit. Thanks for the tip and hopefully this will work on my older top as well.
Kyle
 
Hi, I've read several posts to alternate weatherstripping. How has this held up? Any updates, or other information?
 
Shoot, the stuff that City Racer LLC offers looks great!

@1969newbeefj40 my weatherstripping has held up great, to the extent that I'll likely use that solution again when I put my top back on to the sides once I finish the refurb.
 
That is great you found an affordable seal. I will be pulling my top off (1962) and this summer/fall will be dealing with new seals and I definitely don't have money for an expensive kit. Thanks for the tip and hopefully this will work on my older top as well.
Kyle
@corleykj did you ever end up trying that weather strip alternate?
 
When I bought my 77 FJ40 in September, the fiberglass top was held on with a few bolts, and two eye hooks drilled through the top, clipped into the spots that mate with the windshield clips when it's resting on the hood. I was missing most of the weather stripping that goes between the top and the sides.

Inspired by a number of threads on the forum like FJSnoozer's hard top weather stripping project, I worked on an easily found, low cost alternative to that strip.

Using a 2.25", 16' long piece of Frost King "garage door bottom seal," from Home Depot, I was able to make a pretty close approximation of the original seal. I think the Frost King part number is G16.

I pulled the top off, and after drilling out the rusty bolts and tapping the threads, cut the weather stip to fit, and used some contact adhesive to secure it.

Hit some rusty spots on the sides with a wire wheel and POR-15 before I put the top back on, and sealed up the holes from the PO's eye hooks with marine RTV before I can do a more complete fix.

The top mounted up fine, and aside from a rusty and nearly dead windshield cap, I now have a great seal around the whole top. I was worried the seal may have been a touch too thick, but it compresses down to nearly the same width ast the scraps of the OEM seal I have.

The garage door seal was ~ $18 at Home Depot, and I bought a small punch to cut the holes out for the bolts. Pictures below.
View attachment 761154View attachment 761155View attachment 761157

How many packs of this did you need to do the entire roof? Thanks!
 

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