Date:         Tue, 23 Apr 1996 13:19:57 -0700 (PDT)
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         "Thom Fitzpatrick" <thom@calweb.com>
Subject:      Re: Body Rubber

And Raul Barreras thus wrote:
> 
>  I hear different opinions about body rubber. I would like more, if you
> don't mind spending a couple of minutes answering this plea. Of the 4 major
> vendors, which sells the best? I'm referring to BFY, RMMW, WCM and Wolf. West.
> 
>  Fit and quality are the a major consideration since I don't want rust; and
> then price, of course. Although, don't mention the prices. I have the
> catalogs (at last!). Your opinions are taken in high esteem. If you wish,
> mail direct to me. Thanks!

I got some of my rubber from West Coast Metric and some from Wolfsburg
West.

The West Coast Metric windsheild seals look like crap, and they leak.  There
are all kind of extranneous marks on them, not a very clean mold.  The
Wolfsburg West ones looked a lot nicer.

The seals for the doors are WAY too stiff.  The seals on my 42 year bus are
much more pliable than these things were out of the box.  Makes the doors
very hard to close.  (WCM) 

The door rubber had problems, too (the frame parts): the piece that the window
frame sits on is not wide enough, so the frame does not seat well (WCM)
THis caused a lot of problems (and paint damage :( when I installed the
window frames.

The piece for the engine compartment seal was hard as a ROCK!  I have an
NOS one, which is a bit beat up, but for its age is a lot better than
the one I paid $$ for!

In general, West Coast Metric's rubber seems much stiffer than the factory
stuff. 

Also, the knee-banger piece they sell for around the steering column
support is only 1/2 as long as it it s'posed to be.

Thom
--
> Useless advice #986:  Never sit on a tack.
Thom Fitzpatrick 
thom@calweb.com - http://www.calweb.com/~thom
Keeper of the Barndoor Bus Page: http://www.calweb.com/~thom/barndoor.html