56 door rebuild

[Don B.]

I'm rebuilding the doors on my '56 driver. It's pretty obvious that any past rebuilding was done without much regard for duplicating what GM designed originally... ie, aluminum rivets were used to attach the front window guides to the posts - no screws. Although they are on opposite sides of the posts, do the screws that attach the weatherstripping share the same holes with those screws that attach the front window guides to the posts?

What I'd like to see is a detailed illustration of weatherstripping attachment at the post and at the end cap area (rear of door). The weatherstripping that was on the car had no facility for the use of screws to attach to the post - it was glued in place. My end caps do not have a hole in them and attach using a single screw (each) into a 'toggle' and there are no metal clips. The door weatherstrip was in a least two pieces - one long one around each of the door bodies and a short one up the front of each post. From what I see illustrated, this should be one long piece of weatherstripping.

I want to order replacement parts, but don't understand how metal clips (the angular ones) are used with the weatherstrip since there were no examples on the car and I have yet to see a detailed illustration of all this. The 53-62 Corvette Service Guide doesn't show that much detail and the illustrations are not identified as to what year is shown.

Can any of you guide me to a source that will have this information.
tnx, Don

[Gary C.]

Re: 56 door rebuild

Don, take a look at the info in the AIM Section F sheet 13 for weatherstrip attachment. Sheet 12 shows end cap and retainer. Gary....

[Don B.]

Re: 56 door rebuild

Thanks for the reply, Gary. Page 13 shows some things of interest to me, but not much about the post and how the weatherstrip attaches to it. In the Service Guide, section 1 (body), page 15, there's a nice illustration of how the weatherstrip attaches to the post of a door of some unknown year. Mine wasn't like this - no screws and just a piece of weatherstrip glued up the post. I even checked the post PNs just to be sure they were 56-57 and they are. You can understand my confusion due to this illustration and the fact that parts distributors (like Corvette Central, etc.) offer the screws for this type of installation. In addition, the AIM illustrates the front window channel liner being riveted and screwed to the post which leads to the assumption that the holes in the post are there to accommodate both the channel and the weatherstrip. I doubt this is the case since the post is too thin to have screws from both sides using the same holes. [In my case, neither post has any threaded holes for the channel - maybe drilled out in the past to handle the rivets used.]

The AIM section F, sheet 12 has a nice illustration showing how the end moulding, its retainer and bent metal clip are assembled. What isn't shown is how the metal clip interfaces with the weatherstrip. I'm assuming that the clip is used to hold the end of the weatherstrip against the door in some manner. Can you enlighten me? My vette didn't have the type of end moulding retainer shown. I assume, due to its shape, that this type of retainer slides into the end moulding and the whole assembly is held in place by a sheet metal screw.

I'm probably making too much of this whole thing and should just rebuild the door to my liking since the car is basically driver quality and not professionally shown.

BTW, do the windows in a '56 completely disappear into the door when rolled down??

tnx, Don

[Gary C.]

Re: 56 door rebuild

Don, sorry missed the door post liner question. The door post liner top two attachments are rivets and the lower attachment is a #6 Phillips flat head screw.Attached is a photo of the door end weatherstrip retainer which is held on with the same screw that retains the door end cap. Gary....

[Don B.]

Re: 56 door rebuild

Thanks, Gary. The pix is helpful as is the info you sent regarding the rivets and screw.

According to what I've seen in the AIM, there are 3 rivets and two screws holding that front window channel liner to the post. I have a feeling that my posts have been drilled out beyond accommodating a #6 screw. I'll end up doing some non-stock rebuilding, I'm sure.

As for the clip at the door rear: What is its purpose? In a way, it looks (from the picture you sent) as though the clip may be protecting the weatherstrip from being loosened by door closures.

Can you believe all this is the result of my wanting to just rechrome the posts?

Don

[Gary C.]

Re: 56 door rebuild

Don, you could fill the enlarge holes with JB Weld and then carefully redrill for the #6 screw after it cures 24 hours. There are a total of three (3) attachments; two (2) rivets and one (1) screw, not two screws. The clip under the door end cap is as you state to retain the weatherstripping, otherwise it'll come lose and fall off. Gary....

Don, what VIN is your '56? Slight differences in the buttons for 56's before 8/8/56. Good description in the 5th Edition 56-7 Judging Manual.

[Don B.]

Re: 56 door rebuild

VIN is 4127 which puts the car in late August '56... according to the Birthday Book, it was built 8-22-56. I think it may have been earlier. Some of the engine related items, including the block, are dated in June 56.

I forgot to ask you: How is the weatherstrip on the front of the posts on your car held in place. I assume that you have a '56 or '57 according to the pix.

Don