TR2/3/3A TR3A Door Seals

[CJD]

I just received my new door seals. After opening the package I realize what came on the car when I bought it was not at all what was original...imagine that!?!

I wondered if anyone would be so kind as to post a pic or two showing how the originals should go.

Thanks,


John

 

[Don Elliott]

Here are the ones above the door on my 1958 TR3A - towards the skuttle. Don't bother fitting the seal along the bottom length of the doors. These seals are too thick and you won't be able to close the door completely. I have stuck little rubber bottons on the door bottoms to keep them from rattling on rough roads.

 

[CJD]

Great...thanks Don!

So it sounds like the fuzzy seal gets held by the interior trim panel. One of the short seals (shown in your picture) is under the A-pillar overhang. The lower seal you are referring to must be the long one that came in the package.

That leaves one short seal that came in the package un-accounted for. It is the same cross-section shape as the lower door seal, but is short like the A-pillar seal. Could it be a different shape for some years on the A-pillar?

John

 

[TR4nut]

Don't bother fitting the seal along the bottom length of the doors. These seals are too thick and you won't be able to close the door completely. I have stuck little rubber bottons on the door bottoms to keep them from rattling on rough roads.

Don-

I'm glad you offered up that advice - I'm thinking of deleting those bottom seals. Way too many car I've seen have scratched up thresholds from the clips gouging the paint. If I use anything, it will be attached with an adhesive, not those clips.

Randy

 

[Brinkerhoff]

Instead of using the clips , use 3M weatherstrip adhesive and glue them tight to the face of the door , inside of the clip position. I couldn't get the door to shut either until I did this.

 

[lbcs_r_fun]

Regarding the door bottom seals, the problem is the material that is being supplied today. It is less compressible than original. But, if you are undertaking a complete restoration, or you expect to replace your sills, you can do like we did and account for the thickness final compressed thickness of the door bottom seal. This way, the seals will be in place like original and I must admit they look very nice. Another method is to relocate the holes which retain the seal clips. If you have welding repairs to make on your doors this is very easy.
If ST didn't think they were necessary, they wouldn't have included them.

T

 

[lbcs_r_fun]

Way too many car I've seen have scratched up thresholds from the clips gouging the paint. If I use anything, it will be attached with an adhesive, not those clips.

Randy

Randy: Properly fitted door bottom seals should not scratch the paint! What often happens is that the seal comes off completely leaving behind the spring steel clips which do the damage.

T

 

[TR4nut]

Randy: Properly fitted door bottom seals should not scratch the paint! What often happens is that the seal comes off completely leaving behind the spring steel clips which do the damage.

T

Agreed, but quite often tired doors with a little sag do show those scratches. And a friend of mine has a beautiful 3B with no door sag, but unfortunately those little clips have scratched the period (Amco? diamond pattern) threshold plates he put on. Not much clearance there I think.

 

[Don Elliott]

What's the problem with leaving off the door seals that run along the bottom of the doors. I have never lost any points at judged TRA or VTR concours shows because these we not installed.

If you're like nme, we don't drive our TRs in the snow or slush in the winter, so none of that needs to be kept out. During summer driving, we don't drive in the rain if we can avoid it, so water (rain puddles) will not get inside. We always drive with the top down so if it rains, it won't be coming in a bottom door seal - it will come staright down from above.

On cold nights why do you need door seals when your driving with the top down anyway ?

Is there something I'm missing ?

 

[CJD]

Don,

How did you do the rattle bumpers?

John

 

[Don Elliott]

I used two types. You can try the felt pads that you use on the bottoms of the legs of your kitchen chairs so you don't scratch the kitchen floor - or - you can use the transparent soft vinyl "bumpers" you use on your patio door when you slide it open too fast. ZBoth are sticky on the back side and place them - one per door - down under the bottom of the door on the vertical flange bit, just in line below the door handle.

 

[CJD]

I think I'll give it a try...

Thanks!

 

[CJD]

Just a follow-up for anybody interested.

Got the doors put on yesterday, and Don is 100% correct. The new lower seals are a waste of time. Just for my own edification I tried the doors with the lower seals, frontways...backways...and even shortened them. The doors absolutely will not shut with the lower seal installed. I even tried forcing them closed, to the point of almost bending the doors. No luck, at least with the seals I got...

John