I am sorry I have searched the forums for answers but can only find other people asking the same question. Can you buy anywhere replacement rubbers for the tailgate of my 74 Caprice wagon? I have restored all the meyal parts buy need new rubbers to protect all my good work/
Not trying to bum you out, but I'd have to agree that'll be a very hard find. I don't think there's a single clamshell owner who wouldn't love to get their hands on some fresh tailgate rubbers. Personally, if I had a pristine tailgate rubber, I'd make a mould and have a rubber company churn out some new ones. That would benefit the global clamshell community a lot I would think!
If there was any money to be made in doing this, it would likely already have been done. The problem is that the "global clamshell community," of which I am one, consists of about three people, relatively speaking. I realize, of course, that it's more than that. But as compared to what the "normal" size market needs to be before someone will decide that they can make reproduction parts for an old car and turn a profit doing so, the size of the clamshell-owners market is way too small. Even if you can find NOS rubber for the rear-ends of these cars, it's likely to be just as dried and cracked as what's on your car as it's still 40-ish years old. I HAVE heard of people using rubber made for other cars, such as Ford wagons, that IS reproduced, and making it work. But I don't know which particular Ford car.
I remember a thread here with used weatherstripping of a Ford Aerostar that could be used for the clamshell vertical weatherstrips.
Well personally, and I meant it literally earlier, I wouldn't be needing any kind of profit. A favor maybe, or something like that. I'm a modelmaker/prototype builder, so making a mold from a pristine set wouldn't be too hard for me. And I know (of) a few local companies that can fill those up with rubber. We've made quite some prototypes of rubber products. The only downside I'd suspect is the weather and UV 'proofness' of the mostly 2 component rubber that's used for low pressure casting.
That's interesting. Here's a site that appears to sell all the new weatherstripping you could ever want for a Ford Aerostar, although in checking closely, it appears that all that is available is door and window channel weatherstripping. http://www.andysautosport.com/weatherstripping/ford_aerostar.html
...try these cats... http://www.restorationspecialties.com/Catalog-PDF.html im not saying they have it....but theres a good chance you might find something close enuf !!!
