Hot Rods Glass setting tape for body panels?

After some searching, I'm still not positive what would work best here, so sorry if it's been covered.

'51 Ford F1 (and the engine in my avatar). Just getting ready to assemble freshly painted front clip, and bolting metal panels to metal panels.

IIRC Ford used a nice oil/fabric based body welting between valance panels and fenders, but that seemed to hold a little moisture so not sure I'd want to use that again.

Would rubber based glass setting tape work?
Seems like 1/32" would be a good thickness? I want to keep my gaps to a minimum.

Any advice is appreciated, I want to get this right.

Thanks gents!

 

Why not use beaded fender welting? Or don't you want the bead?

 

Window tape is sticky on both sides, you could have a hell of a time pulling them apart without damage to the paint.

 

I plan on using Seam sealer tape or caulk on my GMC

 

If your talking about glass channel tape ( the kind you use to set a door glass) It is a like a felt/rubber tape, would work good, it dose not creep or bleed and as far as I know has no bad reactions with paint. Check first. Can be bought at an auto glass shop or CR Lauraence

 

Between fenders and cab, yes, that's the plan.
Between fenders and upper and lower valence panels, those need to fit flush with no bead between them.

 

Those fenders fit pretty loose against the cowl. Factory had a thick rubber gasket/trim.

 

To clarify, I'm referring to these panels below, I want to keep these gaps as small as possible, so the material should be thin. (not my F1, btw, haha):

 

Yeah good point, that might be an issue.

Tman good to hear from ya!! It's been a long time. I hadn't thought of seam sealer tape, although like pointed out above it would make future removal tough, if it ever came to that.

Yeah that's what I was thinking, as long as it's not toooo strong of an adhesive that would pull paint off if I ever need to take this apart in the future (doubtful, but ya never know).

 

I have used RV putty tape with real good results. Sticks real well and is water proof.

 

The glass setting tape would work fine I think. Buy the thin tape and double if you need it thicker. Only draw back is it's a bit pricey.

 

My 49 Chevrolet was built by someone other than me. It has what appears to be modeling clay between panels, washers, etc. I've never seen that before but it appears to work ok.

 

Can attest. I just spent $50 in just enough to do two vent windows and two door glass tracks.

 

My brother used this on his 37 Ford, but he got it for next to nothing at boeing surplus. I'm planning on using it on my 34.
https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/cspages/teflonantichafetape.php

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Why?

 

We've made thin rubber gaskets from roof vent rubber gaskets (yes for your house roof) for the bolt on parts on a 69 roadrunner - same thickness and worked really well. Do you have an industrial rubber supply shop nearby? that's an awesome resource for what I think was a fiber rubber or more likely an asbestos rubber material.

 

Beaded fender welting with the bead to the back side. Maybe thicker than you want.

 

What about pieces of inner tube...

 

possibly run a strip of black electrical tape on each side of the panels where they touch.If the parts are painted and sealed up properly it isnt really needed,if there is no paint on the surface,nothing is going to help in that area. harvey

 

Yeah glad to see you still around. I still have your # in my phone.

That is more than likely the seam sealer tape I mentioned.

 

That looks like pretty good stuff, and shouldn't hold water?

These mating surfaces aren't perfectly flat, basically pinched seams and spot welds, if you bolt them together with no protection I think the paint on the high spots would rub off and you'd get rust and squeaks. I'm guessing that's why henry used welting in these areas.

That's actually a good idea, but it'd have to be pretty thin. I'll look into it thanks! I have a pretty good lumber yard locally, they'd probably have it. I like the idea of rubber, it would last a long time, is cheap, and wouldn't retain water. The oil-impregnated cloth material that was original on these seemed to hold water after it became all dried up and old. Not that it rusted things out, but still, I think rubber is better.

Yeah too thick, I really want these gaps to be as thin as possible so they almost disappear from a distance.

Too thick, I think. Although a bike inner tube might be thin enough?

A material with a little thickness, and compressible, would help take up the highs and lows in the mating surfaces, which would hold everything together better and prevent squeaks. In theory. haha

 

We're going to Bonneville next year, (first time), we should meet up, would love to see your car!

 

Electrical tape made me think of self valcanizing splicing tape. Thicker than elec. tape, flexible , self adhesive but not to strong of a grip on metal. Different widths available.


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I used closed cell rubber on my ‘36 Ford. I didn’t want the standard fender welt look. It’s available in a variety of thicknesses and widths from trim suppliers by the foot. It will compress where your gaps aren’t perfect. In my case the rubber is black, and so is the car, so it gives the illusion that there is nothing between the metal panels.

You just need to make sure you get “closed cell”, and not “open cell” rubber. The open cell could potentially hold moisture and cause future problems.

 

We are not planning on having the roadster ready for next year but my new partner Tom needs to see Speedweek and learn some of the logistics. We may be helping some friends run however. We will either be camping at the Bend or KOA as usual. Yes, lets meet up for a cold one. May even break out the banner for a proper HAMBbq

 

It's white/ gray colored. I swear it's not seam sealer

 

The 3m stuff is gray

 

Geez! Haven't you guys heard of Dum Dum! Black or gray.

 

HAHA yes! I had completely forgotten about that stuff, I used to use it back in the '90s when I was a body man. Would it retain it's shape well enough to not spooge outwards from the 2 panels where there's a high spot? I think that's the nice thing about rubber, it will only go so far when compressed (laterally, that is).

 

It might be the gray strip caulk. Not seam sealer.