Roof Rail Seals

Dobie Gillis

Dobie Gillis

Well-known member
I'm in the process of replacing all the door and window seals on the '55 Merc and have run into a snag. Being a 1 year only part, nobody repops the roof rail seals. They insert into the roof rails above the side windows and extend from above the vent windows to the upper corners of the quarter windows. Mine are 66 years old and surprisingly still pliable but are distorted and tattered. So my question: has anyone found a suitable substitute for them and if so where did you get it? The same seal would also fit a '55 Vicky. The 56's were different in that they have the flippers over the front side windows.
 
JeffB2 said:
Maybe call this place they have things other vendors do not carry https://www.restorationspecialties.com/
Click to expand...

Thanks, Jeff but I already checked with them; no dice. I ordered a set of seals for a '51 Vic today off eBay to see if I can adapt them. They won't be here until prolly next week. Strikes me as strange that somebody is reproducing 1 year only seals for a '51 but not for a '55. I'm pretty sure Ford sold more '55 Victorias than '51s, but maybe I'm wrong. It's happened before...:confused:
 
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TravisDM said:
Hope you can make those seals work. Update us
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I will update when I get the seals. Right now I think they got hung up on a barb wire fence between Indianapolis and my house. I ordered them on 5/10 and the last tracking update from USPS says:

"May 15, 2021

In Transit, Arriving Late

Your package will arrive later than expected, but is still on its way. It is currently in transit to the next facility."
 
Dobie,
I replaced the roof rail weatherstrips on my '55 Vicky with ones from Restoration Specialities. It was 10 years ago, but checking back I found the part number was 55VIC, which I think they still sell. Unfortunately my Vicky still leaked a little bit after fitting them. I think it was my own fault, being an extrusion and not a moulded strip you have to shape them above the vent window and I think I shaved off a little more than I should.
Chris
 
Dobie Gillis said:
I will update when I get the seals. Right now I think they got hung up on a barb wire fence between Indianapolis and my house. I ordered them on 5/10 and the last tracking update from USPS says:

"May 15, 2021

In Transit, Arriving Late

Your package will arrive later than expected, but is still on its way. It is currently in transit to the next facility."
Click to expand...
That was 5 days ago. Deliveries are slower around here either.
 
I'll have a look. I contacted Concours Parts about '54 Vic seals which would be the same as a ''54 Merc. They said they would not work for a '55 Ford or Merc but I'm not sure they know. The '51 Vic seals are too wide to fit in the rail. I've been looking at Steele Rubber universal seals. They show the shape and dimensions on their website. A couple look promising but not an exact fit without modification.
 
Update. I found a universal seal at Rubber the Right Way that works even though it's not the same shape as the originals. It's a "D" shaped hollow extrusion with peel and stick backing. The sticky side fits in the rail channel with a little tucking with one of those nylon trim tools. I'm a little leery of peel and stick but the adhesive is really aggressive on these so I'm hoping they'll hold. If they start to come loose I can always glue 'em with trim adhesive. I hope this helps someone else with a '55 Vic or Merc needing roof rail seals.

https://www.rubbertherightway.com/extruded-rubber-seals-peel-n-stick-15692-ctg.htm
 
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