Installing Window Weather Stripping

Weather stripping is what keeps you warm, cool and quiet while cruisin' in your ride. On the assembly line, the factory sealed the side windows of most vehicles with two types of insulation. The outside is usually sealed with rubber against the glass, and the inside is sealed with what's commonly called "fuzzies." These pieces are similar to short hairbrushes that also rub against the glass as it goes up and down. The fuzzies mainly function as dust insulation and a support for the glass to keep it from rubbing on the metal door. Here's a quick overview of how to install these critical pieces on a 1964-72 GM A-body.


Each piece of front and rear side-window glass receives the same insulation. The process is basically identical for each area and no adhesive is required. Reproduction weather stripping is available from most GM A-body restoration suppliers, and kits normally come with enough original-style screws to do the whole installation. In this case, we had to drill new holes in the door to mount the insulation. This might not be necessary for your application, but be prepared to drill if necessary. Also realize that the door panels must be removed. To further facilitate the install, loosen the window stops at the bottom of the doors so that the glass can drop down far enough for you to fit the pieces and drill with them in position.

Removal
Use this door-handle/window-crank removal tool, which is available at any auto parts store, to remove the handle C-clips. This will prevent damaging your door panel with a screwdriver or other improper tool. Unscrew all the retainers holding the armrest and door panel in order to remove the panel. To access the rear windows, the back seat will have to be removed from the vehicle. Basic tools required are small and large Phillips-head screwdrivers, a ratchet with a 7/16-inch socket and a drill with bit assortment. Basic mechanical skills are a prerequisite too.

Plastic Clip
If your vehicle has a manual-remote rearview mirror, here's the key to removing the finger control from the decorative mount. After removing the retaining screws, pull out the assembly from the panel and check the backside where the control passes through the mounting plate. Usually, the control is secured to the plate with a metal clip, which needs to be removed. In this case, GM in their infinite wisdom fabricated the clip in plastic, so caution is required. (These clips are most likely no longer available.) We carefully removed the clip with two fingers—not a tool—so we wouldn't demolish this '69 Buick GS's 30-plus-year-old clip.

Window Snubbers
This vehicle doesn't have lower window stops in the doors, so we removed the window snubbers from each end of the top of the door to provide additional movement of the glass. Most A-bodies have lower stops that can be removed to allow the glass to drop below the top edges of the door, which makes removing and installing fuzzies a snap. This critical space is needed for drilling (if necessary) and makes inserting the new screws much easier. The snubbers are retained by a single 7/16-inch bolt, and the snubber can be easily removed through the various access holes in the interior doorskin.