Secret experimental 1964 GX 455

[elagache]

Dear Bill and mid-60s Buick owners who prefer their cars to be as water-tight as possible.

A few shots from the forbidden zone LOL.  I also need a trunk seal gasket. Wheres the best (read cheapest) place to get one. Had good and bad luck with all the brands.
. . . . .

I've only had the door and tailgate seals replaced on Biquette.  I really have to do something about the windows this coming year.  I can't find any purchase made for the door seals so supposed the body shop came up with those when Biquette was being repainted in 2011.  I did buy the tailgate seal from OPGI.  No complaints after 8 years.  However, I assume OPGI gets their rubber from another manufacturer, so that should save you some "green" to buy it direct.

Cheers, Edouard 

[yachtsmanbill]

Thanks Ed... I still need to pull at the very least, the back window. Its already loose enough that with the special glass guy plastic pry tool, I can see the corners lifting. He (the GG-Glass Guy) said to not be surprised if the glass just pops out. I hope thats so; intact! I have a set of almost NOS window sweeps from my pals '65 chevelle. They are close and may need 1/4" trimmed off the front end.

Tomorrow, Pat has her pre knee replacement check up, followed by a C-scope. She's studying for the test right now ;-((. This came up due to a positive gene test for Lynch Syndrome. I'd suggest everyone here looks that up. Its a mutated gene that attaches itself to the cancer genomes. She a BC survivor and the last C scope proved pre-cancerous polyps. Now its a scope every year.  Please be pro-active guys! Cancer sucks and this is a biggy in research. This came up during a routine lab test for the knee job and now needs to be addressed before the job on December 9th.

https://www.google.com/search?sxsrf=ACYBGNRiRTSEBykuNdZ1D2nGjIV9IICqUA%3A1575248748490&source=hp&ei=bGPkXZetG43-tAWYoJbgAw&q=lynch+syndrome&oq=Lynch&gs_l=psy-ab.1.0.35i39j0l3j0i131l2j0l4.5593.7072..9924...2.0..0.117.560.0j5......0....1..gws-wiz.....10..35i362i39.2GEVLoh3zYE

So today, I finished the shop work for a few days. I managed to drill 168 3/16" spot weld holes in the floor panels and deburr both sides. Thats a lot of chips! Cleaned the shop and shut her down. That was after clearing 2 inches of slush off the driveway this morning. It was about 50 lbs per 1/2 shovel so I tried the 8 hp snow blower to a pluggage event. I ended up using the blower as a plow and clearing our 12 x 100 foot drives thusly. Its been flurrying all day and now its 20F and windy. Hopefully the blower will work tomorrow morning before we go.    Bill

[option B9]

  Hi Bill,Eduardo and mid 60's A body fans. I purchase most of my rubber products from Steele Rubber Products in Denver NC. www.steelerubber.com or 1800425-6088 . They are a manufacturer of all types of automotive rubber products.
   If you are looking for moulding clips, screws, bolts, fasteners, springs, rivits , cotter pins, weatherstripping, harness straps and whatever else you may need .
Restoration Specialties & Supply Company in Windber PA . www.restorationspecialties.com is the place to get it. I've been buying from them since 1983.

                                     Tony 

[yachtsmanbill]

Thanks Tony.. After looking at the leftover pile from my 1972 XGS, it appears that the unused trunk seal (Sofseal?) is the same for 1964 to 1972, according to the PDF from  Restoration Specialties & Supply Company. I still need to look in depth for the rear window clips (screw on type) that secure the window trim. The whole bottom row was wasted due to crud entrapment which also lead to the window leaking. Typical stuff there. Window has to come out for rebedding and to get at those clips.

How about the 2 x 3 trunk floor plugs? I need one and know that I saw them for like 4.00 each. The OEM floor had TWO and the new floor has THREE. I only need one. Plus I need FOUR One inch (?) trunk side drop off snap on (plastic?) drain plugs. The only way to get the old ones out were to take a wood chisel and shear them with a hammer.
 
Personally, it wouldve been better if GM had worked on the body cavity drains a bit more. Water, debris, and lack of ventilation killed a lot of these cars. Even in 1975, I could hear an inch of water sloshing around inside my 1970-1972  GS's doors.  Thanks, Bill

[Dr Frankenbuick]

Bill, That trunk filler panel is the same as the one made for the Pontiac 64-65 GTO if you wanted to change it.  It looks like it could go either way? Goodmark and Sherman makes one for the 64-65 BOP A-body now. Ames had about the only one available for a 64-65 GTO that fit my 65 GS when I did this.  I can't seem to cross the numbers for the 64-65 Chevelle with the BOP model, but it is $100 vs $200.  They look the same, but..........

 

[yachtsmanbill]

Hey Dr. Frank... Thanks for the pics! Doesnt look too involved to change that one. If mine were any worse, I'd probably have that on the agenda. The pic shown is before a JB weld repair with the glass in, which after the glass is out, I may do with steel. Either a repair, or change the whole valance.

On resembling the chevy part, Ive found a bunch of stuff that "looks" the same, but...   Sometimes I wonder about what GM was thinking when they stamped the generic parts like this. Hmmmm?

Did you take the glass out in one piece or 3,000,000? I hate glass work!   Bill

Goodmark chevelle is 79.00 and Buick Skylark is 259.00  No mention about 2 door HT or 2 door post; just listed as "coupe". Couldnt find a Sherman unit and AMD sells repair corners at 59.00/side. Any thoughts on this???

[Dr Frankenbuick]

Bill, here is the Sherman: https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F333418478635. The complete panel replacement disturbs a lot of different areas. There are an unimaginable amount of spot welds. Getting it just right or good enough for all takes some fiddle time. A partial repair should be easier. The filler from Ames fit very well and it wasn't more then $100 back then. I'd be tempted order the Chevelle part and BOP to compare them. Then send back the the expensive one if they are the same? I used the piano wire method around the window to cut it out in one piece.

Steve

[yachtsmanbill]

AHHGGGGGG... more spot welds!!! Me thinkst Ill repair whats there. Im always afraid of losing alignment taking panels out. That turns into a ton a jacking and clamping to get it back where it belongs. Then the dang glass doesnt fit! The repair runs about 6 inches in either corner.  However, thanks for the link!

Did you run a wire on a battery charger to make it hot, or do it cold? Guitar string? Ive been considering buying a cutter for this job; I guess Ill try it old school first eh?   

Theres the wire, hot wire, special futility knife blade, and these two novelties. I have a really sweet variable speed Dremel oscillating flush trim cutter that this blade will work on. Thoughts or ideas?   Bill

[Dr Frankenbuick]

I'd say the larger the surface area of the cutter the more likely it will get stuck and cause issues. I think that stuff gets stickier as it is heated. We took out the front and back glass cold with my son on the inside and me on the outside.  I had him follow me around the window well with the a few strands of the wire wrapped around his glove. I tried to keep the wire low in the well and not touching the glass as I pulled it around the window. I don't remember any particular difficulty other then cleaning it off the glass once out.  It may have been a guitar string because there are some stringed instruments here and some replacement strings?   

[option B9]

 Hi Bill , I have a windshield removal tool that you can use. I can drop it in a box and mail it out to you, and when you are done just send it back. 
                                                               
        Tony.

[WkillGS]

.....The complete panel replacement disturbs a lot of different areas. There are an unimaginable amount of spot welds.....

Oh, yeah, that's an understatement!

Here's another company that make channel repair pieces:
http://www.beldenspeed.com/rust-patch-panels

@ $40 each +shipping, it may be a sufficient choice if you just need one piece.

[yachtsmanbill]

Wow Tony! Thats an incredible offer! Can you post a pic of the tool? If its reasonable $$$ I wouldn't mind buying one myself, but since this is a one time use (!) it may just be as easy to borrow yours. You can rest assured it will be returned within a day or two. The window/channel job is the next on the list after the trunk floor.  Barring any unforeseen problems, that part should just about get wound up in the next few days. Its all prepped and ready to lay down today. Ill PM you with shipping info and pay the USPS both ways!

Walt... Belden is one place I didnt look, but YIKES! What a site full of info and how to. I just spent an hour going through it (at a glance!) and after the glass is out, Ill have a better understanding of exactly what I'll need. Looking at the top pic I posted, it appears the channel is solid from the sail panel joint up. That'll get me started into the headliner job for sure. Heck, Ive never had the back seat out yet. The front was out for a rug wash (its a gonner!) so thats gonna take me into THAT job as well. After the trunk job (the major work!) the rest of this is pretty much straight forward. "Almost fun stuff" LOL...

Thanks again for the input guys! Looking forward to getting some paint on this guy and ripping some gears!  Bill

[Jimbo]

I've used the first one you posted years ago with no damage. My brother had one when he worked in a glass shop.

[Dr Frankenbuick]

Guy here does it himself with fishing line here.

[yachtsmanbill]

The fishing line (100# test!) seems OK, with fresh urethane sealant. Im wondering just how hard 55 year old stuff will be? Was that even urethane back then?  I still have the upper trim across the top to pull off, but today is gonna be trunk welding; I hope!   Bill