The rubber squeegee that goes between the glass and the outer skin /trim was completely shot. I could not find a replacement so I made an improved version. I ordered 1/16" EPDM rubber sheeting from a place called Rubber-Cal (picture 1). I got 6 feet to span the tailgate (comes in 3' width). I cut a 54- 3/4" by 2" strip for the seal (picture 2). I also cut a strip of sheet metal the same length from a piece of shed roofing (picture 4) which has a perfect angle bend to form the rubber like the original was made. The left edge of the red box is where I cut it, just above the first bend below the peak. Remove the inner panel and outer trim including old rubber stuff. In order to get to the trim nuts, you need to fool the system by closing the latch with the gate opened down and rolling the window up. Have help holding the glass level! It is easy to lose the glass if you go too far. The nuts are accessible through slots in the inner panel. After getting the trim nuts and trim off, roll the window back into the gate. You'll need to pull the handle to pop the latch open again. In picture 3, I took the glass out to treat the rust with paint and to regrease the rollers (recommended but not necessary). Close the gate and raise the window all the way up. Lay the rubber strip with the carefully cut straight edge just against the glass resting on the glass track gasket. Be sure it is centered left/right. Bend the rubber down, use an awl to poke a hole where the screws go and put the screws in with a washer (pictures 5 and 6). Don't squish the rubber out by overtightening. Cut a chamfer on eack end to follow the end seals (picture 7). I cut the sheet metal as shown in picture 4 with the red box, just under the peak, and flattened the slight bend with a hammer. The short edge is used to bend the rubber from the upward slope of the outer skin to being level. I forgot to take a picture of it without the trim but all that you need to do is line the bend up with the top edge of the door sheet metal, make holes where the screws are, and rescrew both down. Picture 8 shows the metal strip before painting so it is easy to see. Some black paint on the sheet metal to match the rubber and reattaching the trim with the window trick as before to reach the nuts and it's done (picture 9). Not so much as one pine needle can sneak by into the door now. I used the same rubber material to make new splash guards in the engine compartment at the front frame corners. I bought the fender well upper A-frame rubbers but this material could also do those.
Oh cool! Now I know I can replace it on the tailgate I'm putting on my '86 Olds, thanks a lot for the info, the seals on my car look like a beaver got after them.
Not entirely sure what you meant by that question, but the tailgate on my '86 Olds Custom Cruiser has a mysterious hole and dent in it, either someone tried to pull the dent with one of those punch-pulls, or someone shot it with a .22, not sure which. Plus it's pretty well worn out, hinges, latches, motor track and window motor, 350k miles on a chassis will do that to anything. I've got a 1989 Olds Custom Cruiser parts car with a lot of good parts, like the tailgate, so I'm swapping it onto my '86. I need to swap most of the doors on my car, the bottoms of my doors are rotted out, the seals are shot, that's why I was grateful for the improvised replacement. I'll send you a PM with better shots of the rust and whatnot if you like, Kimphall, though you may find that my car is in worse shape than your '68 Ford.
Excellent write up. This is the kind of thing I joined this forum for. I'm planning to tackle the tailgate on my '68 Country Sedan this winter, and hadn't located replacement weatherstripping yet. Now I know what to do if I can't find the pieces I need.
