"A" Post seal retainers

[mach2andy]

Having fitted my doors some time ago, it now looks to me as though they are going to have to come off again to fit the door seals. Or more specifically, the A Post seal retainers BD23653/4.
My car didn't have any of these fitted, but I have some which I did intend to fit, but I'm wondering if they are absolutely necessary?
Any thoughts?
Andy

[PeterCrespin]

My car didn't have any of these fitted, but I have some which I did intend to fit, but I'm wondering if they are absolutely necessary?
Any thoughts?

In hot dry climates, no. In “Hove, actually” yes.

If you have (or create) two self tapped alignment holes in the currently fitted hinge and body, you will be able to R&R the doors without the faff of realignment (assuming yoy left room for the seals).

[johnetype]

I tried to fit my door seals without the door seal retainers (because I'd forgotten they should be there after 30 years since I'd removed them) but there just wasn't enough "meat" on the door aperture to fix the seals to and then seal effectively which set me off wondering how it should be done until I rediscovered the door seal retainers and fitted them.

So, yes, based on my experience, door seal retainers are absolutely necessary.

[Jeff Cecil]

I fitted the seals with the doors in place. I dry fitted the seal and measured where the retainers would be when fitted to the car. I then glued the seal to the retainer on the work bench. After drying a day or so, I lowered the seal and retainer into the front of the door and riveted the retainer in place from the holes in the inner panel that they were originally riveted to. I glued the seal at the same time. Really fairly easy.

[mach2andy]

Thanks Jeff
To quote Taggart the Slim Pickens character in Blazing Saddles..."Now that is an eeedook idea"...

[Jeff Cecil]

One other note on my method was that I used a small drill to remove just a bit of the rubber of the seal through the holes to make sure the rivet didn't push the seal away from the retainer when riveted.

[Jeff Cecil]

I was asked by a local E-Type owner why I removed a bit of rubber from the seal before installing the seal retainers. So to clarify my installation, the seal retainers are normally riveted from the outside of the car with the "crushed" protruding part of the rivet on the inside, hidden by the interior panel. This leaves the "flat", or head part of the rivet sitting against the rubber seal. This was the factory method and left no pressure from the rivet to the seal. I riveted from the inside of the car, through the seal retainer, leaving the "crushed" or protruding part of the rivet against the seal. This may cause the rivet to push on the seal and eventually push the seal away from the retainer. So I hollowed out just a bit of the rubber from the seal through the retainer holes, so when the rivet was inserted and crimped, it would not apply pressure to the rubber glued to the retainer.

Hope this helps clarify my method.

[rfs1957]

As I had some pictures from querying these retainers with Andy Raynor at Hutsons, I thought I'd add some to this thread as an intro to the question I want to ask.









I had been alarmed at the prospect that there might have been a channel that had been "forgotten" when rebuilding my scuttle area, and was mighty relieved to hear that they were added later.

Has anyone got pictures of exactly where they were riveted ?

How many rivets ? And I can't for the life of me remember which trim panel it is that covers them up ?

Do they have to be body-colour, or are they effectively hidden by everything once the car is trimmed ?

Is their lateral (ie fore-and-aft) adjustment super-critical, or is it just a continuation of the same channel width that is apparent at the top, and then continues along the bottom of the door, please ?

(Ed - that's enough daft questions for 2023).

[Gfhug]

Will these help?



I’d suggest painting them body coloured as you can see the edges which are not covered by the rubber.
And about 15mm from the wing to the aft edge, but not an exact figure all the way from top to bottom.
Certainly not a daft question.

Regards

Geoff

[Jeremy]

Hey Rory, get some protection on that drop-dead gorgeous paintwork won't you? Cellaire foam stuck down with 3M 3030 (green) tape. Heaven knows how many chips and scratches that saved for me.

[rfs1957]

Abject apologies for failing to acknowledge Geoff and Jeremy for their helpful contributions.

Geoff, your rivets look like they came from the inside, something tells me that I know the originals were riveted from the outside, not sure why I think that - anyone throw any light on this ?

And on number of holes and positions ? Two would do the job on my car ...........

Jeremy's observations about protection I shall take to heart ..........

Wise words, and too late in one instance already !!!!!

[Gfhug]

Rory, as for rivets from inside, it would be difficult to get the rivet gun in place from outside, though not disputing your thoughts as these could well be replacements or what they did later on S2 vs S1. There are no holes showing to indicate they didn’t use the original rivet hole positions if they are new.
Hopefully the dimensions will help you decide how to place yours.

Now, go and wrap your car in cotton wool before Jeremy has strong words with you!

Geoff