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Door plastic

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N

Norton47

Jedi Warrior
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Next project, window regulator and window tracks.
Got everything apart, there is this water curtain stuff. Of course it's kinda torn up. How important is this? What was it designed to do? Keep water that comes past the waist seals off the interior mechanisms?
This was also captured under the aft track lower bolt and the other piece under the window lift mechanism. Are the lower ends supposed to be fastened down or just hang down, covering the mechanisms?
Thanks
 
The water curtain is really a vapor barrier designed to keep the moisture from getting into the door panels and causing them to warp. It is very important and should be repaired correctly while you are in there doing all of the other work.

It should not be loose and should look like this when you get finished:

Paint Shop 070 (Custom).jpg
 
It's not my work, Bill. Al at A&E Auto Body used a plastic material that he actually heat shrank onto the door to seal it and to prevent it from coming loose. The body panel must be completely clean and free of any grease or dirt before attempting to do this. He then trimmed it neatly to what you see in the picture before replacing the door trim panels.
 
I just ran into the plastic inside the doors while I was salvaging a mechanism from a rusted out shell. It is not on the outside but inside the door cavity, but inside mounted as you say, beneath the 4 screws for the window mechanism and also in the window track. Mine tore out so I don't know how it is supposed to fit.

The alternate method of mounting a sheel between the door panel and the door serves the same purpose and much easier to install.
 
Thanks Guys
That is a sweet job Paul.
I know American cars had the plastic between the door inner shell and the door trim pad (inner panel). Just like the Brits to use 3 pieces where one would do.
I will although I doubt that it will look as nice as Pauls.
 
It's not how good it looks as much as how well it works. Take your time and you'll be fine. When I was in the business, we used to use weatherstrip caulking (by 3M- in strip form, better known as Dum-Dum) and made an outline of the area to be sealed on the door. Then, using the door trim as a template, cut the plastic (hardware variety for storm windows) and attach it by pressing firmly against the strip seal and the plastic.

That method was used for many years before heat guns were used and will work just fine. Just make sure all of your adjustments are done prior to sealing it all up.
 
Thanks Paul
Years ago when I worked a helper in a body shop, the cars had a kind of paper stuck down the same way. Plastic should work much better. I have got the new tracks in, I used some I got off Ebay and riveted the old units brackets to them. Came out nice, however the window regulator is wore out. When letting down the window it use to shudder and do a sudden drop. The regulator shaft and it locating hole are quite worn and the brackets bent allowing the gears not to mesh well. I beat every thing back into position and peened the metal around the winder shaft and it works. Hopefully will hold until a replacement part arrives.
Thanks again
 
I have the old regulators that were taken out of mine in case you run into a supply problem. As you can see, I replaced everything in mine when we had it apart, even though the parts weren't worn much at all. I just wanted to get it done once and for all.
 
Thanks for the offer Paul. You can contact me at zenorm@comcast.net
I would be interested, though it across the country shipping. Please let me know. I'm Mark by the way.
Thanks again
 
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