Topic: Strip caulk (butyl) vs Rope caulk

[svo2scj]

Charles,

The Original Caulking Cord Ford used at the Dearborn Assembly Plant 68-73 was Ford Part # AB-19560-A dark gray. Like all NOS Ford parts the production date means everything. Note the AUTOLITE box in the picture. This tells us the item was made prior to 1972. The box SVO2SCJ  and Jeff reference is a totally different part # made years later. NOS parts produced within 5-10 years of vehicle production are identical to assembly line parts in nearly every application. NOS parts often get a bad rap by uneducated individuals who must believe all service parts were made in the 80's & 90's? Remember DAP assembly line parts and service parts all came thru the Wood Haven ( largest facility of its kind in the world) parts distribution center as the cars were built. All Dearborn Assy sheetmetal was primed at Wood Haven. Same fenders were shipped to DAP as service fenders wrapped in Ford paper to be shipped to dealers.  No difference from Ford service parts and assembly line parts when they left Wood Haven. Real date code correct nos Mustang parts are a rare find today ,however it does not mean real assembly line service parts are not still available. If and when Ford parts division made the call to make a new supply of say fenders rather than obsolete them often new tooling or upgrades to tooling resulted in parts that would work but not exactly to original assembly line specs. I laugh when I see experts say Ford never serviced a correct 69 or 1970 Parking parking lamp or back up lamp. They sold thousands in Autolite box's, but not in 2005.

Hay Bob !  (Thanks for clicking on my photo)   LOL   Now that Jeff has us REALLY LOOKING at pictures I hope Bob's info above helps any that go to lengths to get things right.    Have a look again (in the lower corner left of the drop cord handle).    That was the last of the early caulk I had and it only made it 80% around after using under the shaker trim, front fenders.

I always say restorers are like "forensic pathologists" we can detremine the cause of damage, repair (read incorrect repair) and life of a car by the parts replaced/missing.  It will be interesting if the "next generation" of collectors will be able to ID a car that has been restored to very high levels.  MAYBE if there is still interest the hobby and people get past the first photo hit of Google 2069 some will find the finest cars don't have reproduction parts on them.

Mark
P.S.  The way it is going I better remove the "points" from my Autolite housing and install a Petronix's or (just like the Model T of today) no one in "2069" will know to file and reset the points that have festered over in corosion!

[PerkinsRestoration]

Your correct, not the sticky butyl 3M. Also , the strip caulk is applied before the fender is installed rather than after the fender is installed. I believe there is a one point deduction in the 69-70 Mustang/Boss class MCA 2017 rules per fender if applied after installation.

[svo2scj]

This one my favorite photos (before and after) as we found the SCJ in the junkyard in AZ.  (BLOB OF CAULK)


After



Mark
P.S. I haven't looked at these photos in 7 years!  So lazy I didn't want to take new photo under the cover.

[CharlesTurner]

So this is a box of the 3M stuff that I've had for a while.  Kind of given up using it.  Have bought other boxes and they look the same when I get them.  The strips are kind of flattened and the paper is hard to remove.  When I try to pull a strip off, it is stuck to another strip and gets stringy when I pull on it.  Have I just had bad luck and gotten crap batches?  I remember using 3M strip caulk in the 90's and don't recall it being so difficult to use.

[CharlesTurner]

Recently found some strip caulk, Norton brand, 82760.  It's a deep black, comes in nice well formed strips that don't stick to each other.  When I try to stretch it apart, it breaks and doesn't get all stringy like the 3M stuff.  It measures nearly the correct spec (Ford called out .19" in assembly manuals).  Unfortunately, I believe this strip caulk is no longer available as I tried searching on the web.  I bought 2 boxes, so this will most likely be my go-to stuff until I find something better.

[J_Speegle]

This one my favorite photos (before and after) as we found the SCJ in the junkyard in AZ.  (BLOB OF CAULK)

Think the worst example I found was a 69 Deaborn car where about 4-5" of the strip fell off the fender during installation and formed itself to the inner fender panel almost to the bend in the inner edge.

Here are a few examples of the product on 65-66's

As dum-dum to cover the open hole in the rear edge of the quarter panel




To seal the gas tank to body




Strip of sealant that somehow became detached during the installation of the fender.

[J_Speegle]

Did go out yesterday and visited about a half dozen paint supply houses locally.  Looks at the 3M and other brands of rope chalking and found that 3M (from what was available locally) was likely better than the other brands I looked at. It was tackier that what I recall but lost this as I worked some together to form bigger "ropes"  but still not the same. In general the other brands all had a shinny outer surface (3M didn't) just laying in the box. Product might improve if I introduce some dry graphite to the mix if I was forced to use some of those. 3M was the most expensive of the brands, not a big surprise. Others were as low as 50% of 3M's price.

None on the shops I visited were currently carrying the Norton brand will have to check north of me maybe next week. Unfortunately allot of the places I already stopped at have other branches north of me so I don't hold out hope they will have any Norton in stock.

[CharlesTurner]

I bought a box of the Eastwood stuff, haven't received it yet.  Pics on the Eastwood website show it looking a lot like the Norton stuff.

That old 3M stuff on page 1 of this thread looks just like the original I have found.  Too bad it's hardened up, although it can still be used, just takes extra effort to heat it before using.

[preaction]

I have a box from AMK  purchased 20  years ago which is gray and slightly tacky.

[CharlesTurner]

I have a box from AMK  purchased 20  years ago which is gray and slightly tacky.

The AMK strip caulk would be perfect if it came in black also.

[jwc66k]

Did the factory use a "grease gun" type applicator?
Jim

[CharlesTurner]

Did the factory use a "grease gun" type applicator?
Jim

Not for the caulking used at the fenders and gas tank.  The caulk behind the door weather-shields may have been applied with a gun, although I have seen globs of strip caulk used to seal where the window regulator shaft section sticks through the door shell.

[J_Speegle]

Did the factory use a "grease gun" type applicator?
Jim

Don't believe so. You can sometimes find a small wad of the stuff under carpet, underlayment or tossed in a back corner of a door or quarter panel where it was dropped or tossed

[markb0729]

I bought a box of the Eastwood stuff, haven't received it yet.  Pics on the Eastwood website show it looking a lot like the Norton stuff.

That old 3M stuff on page 1 of this thread looks just like the original I have found.  Too bad it's hardened up, although it can still be used, just takes extra effort to heat it before using.

Did you get the Eastwood stuff yet?  Interested in what you think about it.

Mark

[CharlesTurner]

Received the Eastwood order, looks exactly the same as the Norton strip caulk.

I would much rather use this Eastwood/Norton style strip caulk.  It keeps it's form, is soft and pliable and not stringy/gooey like the 3M.

Would recommend to any of the parts vendors reading this that they may want to consider replacing the 3M product with something like from Eastwood.