[gearhead]

I got a '67 300 sedan; not sexy, but it'll make a mean sleeper; anyway, the car spent most of it's life in CA; worst rust is around the front/rear glass--that makes it leak, so as you can figure the floor/trunk has rust.

Anyway, I just got done welding a new panel for the front glass channel; fixed all the holes around the cowl. Came out A-1

But, to my horror, thus far I find nobody that makes a repro piece for the trunk to back glass; the only pieces I find are for coupes. I've tried YO, Orig. Parts, and Gold Eagle, Chicago Muscle.

This is a major drag. Getting the piece from a yard may work, but I doubt it's likely I'm gonna get a good rear glass channel that's 32 years old---since that the part of the panel that's bad on mineis usually bad on most cars.

Mine is so rusty it looks like swiss cheeze; Can I get away w/ welding new metal over the existing channel surface? The problem w/ that fix is it moves the lower molding clip forward about 1/16". Logic tells me if I clip the verticle moldings about 1/16 or so (so I can move the bottom forward), I may be able to get away w/ a 2nd layer of metal over the existing channel--but of course I'll have to bondo the hell out of it to give it a new lip that looks rigt; anyone done this?

Anyone know where to get a repro piece for a '67 SEDAN?

Or, (my last resort) anyone know of a source for used metal that really is "rust free"--I've had good and bad experiences w/ wrecker yards, and frankly, their idea of "rust free" is frequently not what I'd call rust free.

 

[RT]

Try Desert Dog. Thet have a web site, but I can't find the adress right now, try a search, or maybe someone can post the link.
Rich

 

[Tedster]

I read about a problem similar to this is an old issue of car craft or hot rod. They had similar swiss cheese rust in their window channel and they used the POR 15 puttty to fill the holes. I guess this stuff is a cross between bondo and that liquid steel 2 part epoxy stuff.

The nice part about it is that it applies like bondo, retains all the rust preventative properties of POR 15, dries rock hard yet can still be sanded like bondo.

I'm not sure on whether or not they applied the liquid POR in the channel before applying the putty though.

------------------
Ted Stojkovski
(formerly Skunkynuggets)
(so add about 300+ posts)
Syracuse NY
Team Chevelle #172

 

[gearhead]

thanks guys.

I have the POR paint and the epoxy putty; I just don't believe it can really contain rust like that or seal out water. Plus, so much of the metal is squirrly (not yet rust through, put near it) it just seems to good to be true that the POR paint or putty would really work in the long run. I do realize everyone says it will work.

Anyway, it may be my only choice.

 

[CFR]

gearhead try SUNDELL AUTO SPECIALTIES (724) 794-6827 IN SLIPPERY ROCK PA. ask for norm they have a big selection of rustfree sheetmetal. They nice people and will go out of their way to help. Their prices are fair too.CFR.

 

[Bob Tiley]

I bent a new piece from sheet metal and cut out the old one and welded in the new piece. My section was only about 12" long that needed replacing.

 

[dude67]

Gearhead,
I have the same problem with my 67 2 door. The panel that I am going purchase the panel that fits between the rear glass and the trunk. This panel pinch welds to the sub-structure at the window angle, and spot weld along the rear channel that the trunk seal fit into and on the sides next to the pillars I just cut it off. The sub-structure is in tack. On the front window angle, did you buy the 2 piece window channel kit from OPG? I want to buy this kit. Keep some notes I would like to know how it turns out and what you did.

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Thanks In Advance!
John Corbin
67' Chevelle Malibu Sleeper
San Antonio, Texas

 

[gearhead]

Yup, that's the piece on the rear-- is yours a coupe? If it is, the panel is easy to find; if it's a sedan, maybe you'll have better luck finding an aftermarket panel--I've tried many places, and all say it's just not made. Bone yards want around 250+--if you can find one that has it--seems sedans are just not what they stock.

As for the front, I did order both pieces, but the ads are deceptive; one piece forms half the windshield channel and terminates about an inch up the dash metal, around the speaker gril; the other piece is the entire windshield channel (which welds to the dash) as well as the exterior surface that butts up against the vent cowl.

Since my dash metal was fine, all I needed was the other piece--the channel was bad and so was that exterior piece.

As for notes:

Be real careful taking the old channel off; you need the structure under it intact in order to get proper alignment of new piece; I used a chisle/hammer and used snips to cut away old piece as I went to be sure I could see what was happening.

My channels were rotted real bad around the corners, so to repair I had to take off the pilar covers (i got used ones from bone yard--one was great the other was not)--that meant having to take off fenders, since its only way to get a pilar cover screws--plus I had rot around the cowl which was covered by fenders, so they had to come off.

This makes it a pain to align the new channel, since I put everything back together to make sure the channel lined up right before welding.

I treated all exposed surfaces w/ POR 15. I drilled holes on both sides of channel for welding--I don't have a spot welder, so this technique is like (called?) plug welding--you just shoot wire into the holes--makes for a good weld w/ minimal grinding.

To hold the channel for welding, I used screws, which I later took out.

Be sure you don't attempt any of the above if your dash is out; the top of the dash is welded to the channel and attached to the dash assembly--if you have the dash out, then remove the old channel, the top of the dash will not be secured, and you may have alignement trouble w/ new channel.

W/ channel welded, I Por 15'd it--then fixed the corners by cutting new sheet metal to fit--used POR's epoxy putty to finish it.

The cowl holes where easy to fix since they dont' show, so getting a good job is easy


You also have to get special stud screws for the reveal moldings; there's a place on Long Island where I got mine--let me know if you need #; this week end I try to put these screws on--it could be a pain, since I need to put the glass at the finish height, w/o sealing it to be sure the screws are set right when all is said and done.

The only thing I didn't like about the new panel is that the vent cowl piece (the one over the wiper rods) isn't perfectly flush in towards the middle; it's definately the manufacture of the panel, as fit is perfect every where else. But I can live w/ it considering how bad the original was.

Anyway, good luck. Let me know if you have any other questions.