Cutlass Convertible seal thread

[rich_e777]

I brought this up in the 2018 Meet thread and wanted to make a separate thread once I have something. 

 

Back in 2016 I talked to a Steele Rubber Products spokesman at a car show about manufacturing brand new Convertible exclusive seals for our Cutlass Verts. I wrote a professional looking email to them mentioning that I could get a spare set to them and would be willing to lend the research team the vert for a short period of time if needed. Today I received a response and they are sending the message on up to be reviewed, while its not a yes its also not a no either. Maybe if there were enough requests for the parts they might be more inclined to reproduce them, also if you guys come across any other rubber seal companies that seem like they could make the seals let me know and I`ll handle the correspondence.

 

 

[sean1991olds]

Maybe you can take a look here https://www.dixierestorationdepot.com/I bought some reproduction parts from them before - and they carry weatherstrips (looks like specific repro's of the originals). I'm not sure if they use a 3rd party, but maybe they could direct you to whoever they use.

[MemphisMan]

I brought this up in the 2018 Meet thread and wanted to make a separate thread once I have something. 

 

Back in 2016 I talked to a Steele Rubber Products spokesman at a car show about manufacturing brand new Convertible exclusive seals for our Cutlass Verts. I wrote a professional looking email to them mentioning that I could get a spare set to them and would be willing to lend the research team the vert for a short period of time if needed. Today I received a response and they are sending the message on up to be reviewed, while its not a yes its also not a no either. Maybe if there were enough requests for the parts they might be more inclined to reproduce them, also if you guys come across any other rubber seal companies that seem like they could make the seals let me know and I`ll handle the correspondence.

This is very encouraging.  Thanks for doing the leg work on this.  Do you have a complete set of good sample seals for them to use?  Also, I'll be happy to ask them if they reproduce the seals for our cars and that I'd be interested in buying a couple of sets if they did.

[rich_e777]

I have an A-pillar seal Galaxie500XL tossed in with a few other parts and I have all the seals still on the car. Thats why I volunteered them to use my car so they could see exactly how everything fit together. 

 

I would certainly buy at least 2 full sets if they made them. At the very least they could make some window sweeps so we dont have to cut most of an F-body part up.

[MemphisMan]

I have an A-pillar seal Galaxie500XL tossed in with a few other parts and I have all the seals still on the car. Thats why I volunteered them to use my car so they could see exactly how everything fit together. 

 

I would certainly buy at least 2 full sets if they made them. At the very least they could make some window sweeps so we dont have to cut most of an F-body part up.

I put the F-body sweeps on mine.  While they are the best alternative we have, they could be improved upon.  They seem to be rigid enough that they don't form to the shape were the triangle glass meets the window leaving a small gap on both sides of the vertical rubber piece between the two pieces of glass.  I bought new ones, so the rigidity I'm talking about is not due to age of the sweeps, just the thickness and type of rubber.

 

If we put a poll on some fb pages asking if people would buy new rubber sets if they were available, I'd be curious to what the response would be.

[Nas Escobar]

I have 2 sets of seals that I have stored up somewhere in a pile in my house. They're decent enough. My question is if they can make them thicker. I noticed with my Sebring seals, they had enough thickness to seal the water out but because they don't belong to the car, they leak from the corners where the bow is.

[rich_e777]

How many are there with 1st gens in the FB group that arent here? I could post there but I`d have to start another FB account, i deleted mine awhile back.

[Nas Escobar]

Who knows, who cares? Fuck Facebook lmao

[MemphisMan]

Who knows, who cares? Fuck Facebook lmao

The more we can show the Steele Rubber Products people that there is a demand, the increased possibility that they would manufacture them.  They aren't going to make them if they don't think they aren't going to make a profit.

[GabsOlds]

I am down for a set of seals, especially the windshield trim seal. But i don't do Facebook. Never have, and never will. 

[seadoopappy]

I'd certainly be interested in a set for a spare

[Imp558]

Maybe find out what they would consider a minimum order and prices? That would get the ball rolling. Rare parts are the kind of thing that people will likely buy extra and sell for a small profit as others filter through here.

[rich_e777]

Got a reply, who`d have guessed?

 

Terri Caldwell <tcaldwell@steelerubber.com>

To:Richard Davis

Apr 12 at 3:49 PM

Hi,

In reference to your parts request for the Oldsmobile Cutlass Convertible, our research and development team doesn't feel they can take on this project at this time. Please let us know if we can help you with anything else.

Thank you, 
Terri Caldwell 
tcaldwell@steelerubber.com 
(800) 544-8665  Ext 217

 

 

 

 

I`ll start looking into other companies, feel free to use "tcaldwell@steelerubber.com" to submit requests, its the one I got from their website. Maybe if the demand rose they`d rethink it.

[jiggity76]

I don't own a vert right now but still keeping that 90 vert that's a few blocks from my house on the back burner maybe.  I'm going to email them.  If anything, maybe it will help move things along for the guys who need these vert seals now.

[jiggity76]

I just emailed him.  I expressed my interest in their products and the importance of the current owners and members who need these parts. 

[oldmangrimes]

I'd buy a set of new seals.   I'd pay a few hundred dollars for a full set, the leaks in the heavy spring rains are really annoying and my home-made fixes don't help very much.   

[jiggity76]

Seems like you vert guys are always looking for good ones.  I hope they repop them.

 

A manager at work just bought a brand new Camaro vert.  I told him if he plans on keeping the car forever or for a very long time, start ordering anything vert related now and stock up.