The Ford Barn

Patrick brophy · 07-13-2021, 10:12 AM

I am still working on the body work on my 1957 Thunderbird. I have been working for what seems like a long time on the fit of the fender skirts. It got so bad that I bought a new set of skirts thinking that would solve all my issues. It did not. After several weeks of many adjustments I have them as close as they are going to get. Now my questions are. When the gasket was put on the old set of skirts it appears that it was both stapled on, and also glued on.
Can anyone give me any suggestions on how to mount the gaskets to the skirt now,as I do not have the extremely heavy duty type of staple gun needed, and would anyone know what type of glue was used for this procedure.
Last, am I to assume this was all done prior prime and paint, as the gasket would be painted also?

dmsfrr · 07-13-2021, 11:15 AM

I don't believe the rubber strip between the skirt and fender was painted.
(although on light colored cars it might look better that way)

Weatherstrip adhesive to hold them on to the skirt would be a safe guess.

With existing staple holes in the lip of the skirt you can use small diameter stainless(?) wire to replicate the staples. Just poke it thru the holes and molding, snip to length and bend the ends over with needle-nose pliers.

Or... don't put the staples in at all, less chipped paint spots for rust to form.

paul2748 · 07-13-2021, 08:02 PM

I did what dmsfrr mentioned. First I used weatherstrip cement to hold it on and then used staples. I made the staples out of SS wire. I little tedious to make the staples, but it is working out.

Patrick brophy · 07-14-2021, 06:57 AM

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

I have a new set of skirts,they have not been "prepunched" for staples as
the old set was.
I will need to drill a lot of small holes.
Do they make a product that they use for this purpose, I don.t want to use a product that fails over time.when I working on the old set of skirts I had to pull the old gaskets off.After more than fifty years I had scrape the old gasket and adhesive off with a razor blade.
That's the kind of adhesive I am looking for.

07-13-2021, 10:12 AM	#1
Patrick brophy Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2021 Location: Alabama Posts: 169	Thunderbird fender skirts I am still working on the body work on my 1957 Thunderbird. I have been working for what seems like a long time on the fit of the fender skirts. It got so bad that I bought a new set of skirts thinking that would solve all my issues. It did not. After several weeks of many adjustments I have them as close as they are going to get. Now my questions are. When the gasket was put on the old set of skirts it appears that it was both stapled on, and also glued on. Can anyone give me any suggestions on how to mount the gaskets to the skirt now,as I do not have the extremely heavy duty type of staple gun needed, and would anyone know what type of glue was used for this procedure. Last, am I to assume this was all done prior prime and paint, as the gasket would be painted also?

07-13-2021, 11:15 AM	#2
dmsfrr Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Abq, NM Posts: 3,607	Re: Thunderbird fender skirts I don't believe the rubber strip between the skirt and fender was painted. (although on light colored cars it might look better that way) Weatherstrip adhesive to hold them on to the skirt would be a safe guess. With existing staple holes in the lip of the skirt you can use small diameter stainless(?) wire to replicate the staples. Just poke it thru the holes and molding, snip to length and bend the ends over with needle-nose pliers. Or... don't put the staples in at all, less chipped paint spots for rust to form.

07-13-2021, 08:02 PM	#3
paul2748 Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Midland Park, NJ Posts: 3,980	Re: Thunderbird fender skirts I did what dmsfrr mentioned. First I used weatherstrip cement to hold it on and then used staples. I made the staples out of SS wire. I little tedious to make the staples, but it is working out. __________________ 48 Ford Conv 56 Tbird 54 Ford Victoria

07-14-2021, 06:57 AM	#4
Patrick brophy Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2021 Location: Alabama Posts: 169	Re: Thunderbird fender skirts Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) I have a new set of skirts,they have not been "prepunched" for staples as the old set was. I will need to drill a lot of small holes. Do they make a product that they use for this purpose, I don.t want to use a product that fails over time.when I working on the old set of skirts I had to pull the old gaskets off.After more than fifty years I had scrape the old gasket and adhesive off with a razor blade. That's the kind of adhesive I am looking for.