White Dum Dum

[Mike M.]

Re: White Dum Dum

just finished using 3M fast and firm sealer # 08505. works great.mike

[Ted S.]

Re: White Dum Dum

Dick, I'm not so sure of that. The part number for it in the AIM is 466943 and it is the same stuff as use to seal the gas tank cover on a C1. My '58 is in the process of being disassembled and I just looked at the plates in my doors which are still in place and it sure appears to be "dum dum". According to the AIM it is used in various places on the door (i.e. around screws, front post, etc.) and as stated earlier it is the same part number that is used to seal the gas tank cover. I know the tank cover appeared to "dum dum' also. Hope this helps.

[Chuck S.]

Re: White Dum Dum

Mash it! Sqush it! Crumble it between your fingers!...If it has ANY indication of EVER being soft, then it's "dum-dum"; if it's hard as rock, so hard that it NEVER could have been soft, i.e. it crumbles into sharp-edged particles rather than a gooey cohesive powder, then its body seam sealer. Such tests on a C1 may be inconclusive because of the time that has elapsed, but you should get an idea.

I will go out on a limb here and say that "dum-dum" would typically not be used in any exposed location; only in areas where the underlying components' structure provides support in horizontal applications or between mounting flanges. Dum-dum is a sealant that is intended to be stuffed in the cracks between components. Primarily, it is intended to adjust constantly to any small relative changes between the components, and it remains pliable (well, maybe for 15-20 years). When it's fresh, it is very similar in composition of modeling clay, and therefore is moldable and has only slight adhesive characteristics. It could not be expected to support it's own weight for any period of time through its adhesiveness. If installed in an exposed area where it would be impacted by normal use, it would not stay in place.

Body seal sealer does just that: seals body seams permanently, dries hard, can be sanded and finished after curing. Typically it is painted body color or blackout during the paint processes.

[Ted S.]

It's not seam sealer nor was seam sealer used

on any C1 gas tank covers I've seen. It's still pliable. I know seam sealer since I used it in the body shop I used to work at many years ago. Again I'm looking at the metal plate that attaches to the door and the latch roller mechanism fits through the plate. This area of the door was not an "exposed" location as the door weatherstrip sits to the outside of the latch's location. Again just trying to help identify the "original" material type. Hope this helps.

[Christopher R.]

Re: Dum Dum

Just got out to the garage. My boxes of dum dum are as follows.

3M p/n 08568, strip-calk (gray)

3M p/n 08578, strip-calk (black)

The black stuff is currently listed on the 3M web site. Couldn't find the gray stuff there. My box of the gray stuff is 10-20 years old. Still pliable. Both boxes spell and label it "strip-calk." Sealer is different stuff.

[Gary Wilkerson]

Thanks Dick!! *NM*

[Dick W.]

Re: Dum Dum

Thank you Chris. I knew that you could get the gray at one time. I am not totally losing my mind, just a big part of it.

[Chuck S.]

Re: It's not seam sealer nor was seam sealer used

Ted, it sounds like your assessment is correct. I am unfamiliar with C1s so I couldn't visualize the application, but was trying to provide some guidelines from my own experience to help identify the material.

They wouldn't use "dum-dum" unless it was a part/component (or access to same) that was likely require replacement or repair during the lifetime of the car. The latch mechanism fits that description. If it was a "permanent" part of the body that would never be removed or replaced in normal maintenance, they would have used seam sealer.

[Ted S.]

I'm not trying to be obstenate, just trying to

make sure we identify the right stuff for Kenneth. It just seemed everyone was going down the path that it is seam sealer probably because Kenneth stated he was looking for "white dum dum" which I don't recall ever seeing. I've seen some light gray but not white.

I did a little more research in the AIM and the same part number was used in other applications for sealer as well. For example it was used in various parts of the windshield frame. It shows up where the header cover meets the outer windshield posts and it looks like between the top channel and the windshield rubber. I'd say it's either bedding compound or strip caulk (aka dum dum). Unfortunately I don't have anything that tells me exactly what part number 466943 was. I had a '60 recently and am currently working on a '58 that doesn't appear to have ever been "restored".

Just trying to help.