Door stabilizer brackets before reconditioning.

Driver's side door restrainer attachment to the body (door pillar). Nobody home. This is a brutally challenging area to repair and involves removing the door.

Picture 1

Picture 2

Picture 3

Picture 4

Picture 5: The driver's side door opening is in poor condition, having rusted under the old door seal. There are some (pictures #3 and 5) areas where the rust has gone through. This car is generally unrusted and these areas are anomalies. This should be repaired before the rust spreads.

Reconditioned window track metal was rusted (as they usually are) it was blasted and painted before new felt was installed.

Installing new trim sealant.

As with some other cars this vintage, extensive use of sealants was used to fill in gaps when technology was not able to produce precise fitting parts. All the old sealant (a substance similar to what we use today and call strip caulk) was complete solid and lost adhesion. A similar product (used to seal electrical installations against weather) was found and used (ball right of picture)

Steve applying strip caulk to trim strip fasteners. This had not been done when these trim strips were previously removed-failure to renew sealant will allow water to enter the doors and inner fender area.

4/15/09: New ears installed onto door post-this is an improved design over original but has the same look, feel and function.

New restrainer in place

Prepping door post for restrainer repair

Restrainer fitted in new bracket