78 olds rear quarter window outer seal

[ED78CUTLASS]

I am looking to replace the outer 1/4 window seals on my 78 Supreme. It has the wide chrome trim with the seal on it. The ones I have found in Junk yards are worse than mine. This is like looking for parts for a dinosaur. Does anyone make these in the reproduction market yet? Are there other years that will fit the 78? I am interested in what other owners have done in the past without replacement parts.
Any info is greatly appreciated.
Ed Maldonado

[88hurstolds]

No one makes them that I know of, the last NOS pair I saw sold for $250 earlier this year.
You might be able to fashion a new rubber seal from a rubber seal supplier. Try to find something close and improvise.
Your other option is to approach a company such as Steele Rubber and request the item. They might be interested in reproducing these if there's a market for them and you're not the only one I've seen looking for them.

[ED78CUTLASS]

Thanks 88hurstolds.
I will check out some catalogs that carry universal type cross sections similar.
Trying to get reproduction seals (Steele Rubber) seems expensive but it may be worth a try if the demand is high. At this stage, I do not know enough fellow Olds members to back me in such effort.
I have played around with some urethane and silicone formulations at work and may attempt to cast one or rebuild the current seal.
Ed

[88hurstolds]

Sounds like you have a great strategy.
It sucks they don't make aftermarket parts for the 78-80 A-body's.
You're definitely not the first I've heard say that, I've thought about reproducing some parts myself but lack the start-up capital at the moment.
The demand is definitely there though and there are ways to get the word out.

[ED78CUTLASS]

We will see how it plays out. I am getting ready to replace the vinyl top and will pull the trim with the seals. Hopefully they are not as bad as I imagine them since the steel backing tends to rust out.
A few years ago when the seals started to go bad placed a bead of the black urethane window weld from 3m. Now the urethane is starting to degrade and rust is breaking through the seal.:icon13:

[88hurstolds]

You have a nice ride there :icon14:

[ED78CUTLASS]

Thanks.
I will post some pics when I get a chance.