The Official 356Talk Forum

All,
I'm looking for a better solution to hold the rubber on my door garnish rails. Some background: The car was a literal basket case, with bits and pieces of other cars thrown in the mix. We painted the rails we had, and they fit perfectly. However, the holes are a strange spacing. In the attached picture, you can see the backs of the rails, both are perfectly symmetrical, but the holes are not at regular intervals. (25 years ago I used aluminum pop rivets to tack on the rubber, but you can see where the rubber just pulled out from underneath). Next to the rails are the spring steel pieces available from Stoddard, and next to those are VW-intended replacement pieces (Thanks James Davies!). Both replacements have the bent part at regular intervals...

So, what to do? Drilling the garnish rails seems foolish, even if they aren't original. Does anyone have a similar car that can peek at the backs of your rails? Has anyone hand made a replacement wire?

Thanks in Advance
Nathan Kruger
51820
(march 1954)

Hello, I have just done this on mine, basically I lined up the rubber and the wire with the holes with the angle of the loop in the orientation shown, I used the 3 sharp tools shown to make small slits in the rubber, immediately adjacent to the 'sticky out molding' on the rubber (technical term), the angled loops in the wire are simply pushed through the slits and into the holes in the garnish rails which is all that holds the rubber onto the garnish rails. One of the easier reassembly things I have had to do, (unless someone comes back & says that's all wrong there upside down and inside out!!) just in case you are wondering I haven't cut the excess off yet!

I hope this & the pictures help.

V

Vincent
Thanks so much! Very helpful to see your rails and interesting that the holes are evenly spaced. I suspect I just need to make a custom wire for mine.

Does anyone know if the later cars had irregular spacing like mine?

KTF
Nathan

The other thing I might suggest is to use some contact cement (I used spray glue after masking off) on the rubber and door top just below the line of sight. The rubber will tend to pucker if you just use the wire thingies. (Another technical term) The glue keeps it all straight. In fact, I glued mine on first, and let it dry. Then it was a breeze to put the wire thingies in the holes. The rubber wasn’t moving around that way. If you’re careful, and mask well, you can’t ever see the glue.

Hello Nathan,
Inner Garnish Rail from 50134, January 30th 1953 delivery date.
My auto was an 1980s restoration, lots of “improvising”. Felt strips from an American auto were used as a buffer for the window. I would not recommend doing this.
Fabricating the spring steel holder will be a lot of tears.
I don’t know what to tell you, find some comfort in that I have the same problem.
Best Regards,
Al