#1  
Old 11-23-2020, 03:22 PM
92GTA's Avatar
92GTA 92GTA is offline
Ultimate Warrior
 
Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 1,068
Default Tips to restore & preserve NOS rubber?

After more than 3 years of looking, I finally scored an NOS set of headlight surround cushions for my 69 Firebird

When I receive them, I'm curious what is recommended to thoroughly clean them then to coat them in to moisturize/preserve them, and how to store them? It may be 2-3 years until I install them. They appear to still have remains of that mold release that turns white'ish like you see on old radiator hoses.

I was thinking just warm soapy water for cleaning, but for storing I have no clue. I know I need to be careful of chemicals the rubber may absorb which would swell the rubber. Suggestions? I'm thinking archival butcher type paper to store them in so nothing will react with the rubber surface like a plastic bag may.

Thanks!

__________________
1969 Pontiac Firebird
  #2  
Old 11-23-2020, 03:41 PM
geeteeohguy's Avatar
geeteeohguy geeteeohguy is offline
Ultimate Warrior
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Fresno, California
Posts: 5,313
Default

Plastic bag will be fine, suck the air out of it. Keep them out of the sunlight, stored in a cool dry place. Helped a friend restore his '67 GTO about 9 years ago....used new NOS body mounts, etc. he had bought in 1978 and sealed in a plastic bag. They were perfect. Still are. The new, reproduction ball joint and tie rod boots he bought rotted and fell off the car before they were 6 months old and the car hadn't been driven yet. We ended up washing the original boots in kerosene and re-using them. The poly control arm bushings are now rotted and have fallen out of the car after a few years, so he is about to install NOS Moog rubber bushings that are 40+ years old. The poly bushings went maybe 200 miles. Old rubber is high quality and will keep if taken care of. Keep it sealed and ozone won't get to it. New rubber is terrible and starts to fail from the minute it leaves the mold.

__________________
Jeff
  #3  
Old 11-23-2020, 03:54 PM
92GTA's Avatar
92GTA 92GTA is offline
Ultimate Warrior
 
Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 1,068
Default

He never wiped them in any kind of oil to store them in the plastic bags?

Thanks for the feedback!

__________________
1969 Pontiac Firebird
  #4  
Old 11-23-2020, 05:07 PM
GT182's Avatar
GT182 GT182 is offline
Ultimate Warrior
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: New Castle, Delaware - Member of POFC
Posts: 8,833
Default

Use silicone. The spray can kind if they're installed. If you don't install them and keep them in the house where they aren't out in the weather, they'll be fine.

Back when I was a kid my stepdad took our 64 Star Chief to a garage for oil changes and other work. The mechanics were brothers and they'd spray all the rubber parts with silicone to protect them.... tires included, inside and outside. And it worked great. I do the same with my GTO and it still works fine.

__________________


Gary
Get in, ShuT Up, Hang On!
Member of the Baltimore Built Brotherhood
MY GTO built 4th Week of March 1966
"Crusin' Is Not A Crime"
Keep yer stick on the ice.
The Following User Says Thank You to GT182 For This Useful Post:
  #5  
Old 11-23-2020, 05:18 PM
Stuart's Avatar
Stuart Stuart is offline
Moderator
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Minneapolis
Posts: 7,938
Default

There's a German product for car rubber treatment that works very well, called Gummi Pflege. Local auto parts stores probably won't have it but you could check with BMW or Mercedes dealerships; You can also buy it from Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/s?k=gummi+pfl..._ss_ts-a-p_2_5

The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Stuart For This Useful Post:
  #6  
Old 11-23-2020, 05:47 PM
dataway's Avatar
dataway dataway is offline
Ultimate Warrior
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Saratoga NY
Posts: 8,921
Default

BTW ... if you use ANY silicone of ANY kind ANY where near the shop where you will be painting you will regret it for the rest of your life I know that's a lot of "ANY" ... but I'm serious, there are probably paint shops that will fire you if you bring any silicone into their shop.

It's an outstanding product to protect things because it is extremely difficult to remove, which is why it's a nightmare in a paint shop. You can touch something with silicone on it and then touch 10 other things and they will all be contaminated. Get it on bare aluminum ... forget ever painting it, even on steel it's a nightmare, I don't think you can even burn the stuff off. I think silicone products are even banned from the entire grounds of OEM production facilities.


Last edited by dataway; 11-23-2020 at 05:56 PM.
The Following 4 Users Say Thank You to dataway For This Useful Post:
  #7  
Old 11-23-2020, 07:26 PM
Half-Inch Stud's Avatar
Half-Inch Stud Half-Inch Stud is offline
Ultimate Warrior
 
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: BlueBell, PA or AL U.S.A.
Posts: 18,457
Default

Have had a couple 69 Birds and re-used the Original black surrounds on both. They looked spectacular.
.
Thing is if they are good now, they will likely stay good in them plastic bags.

I did not ever use silicone spray (no WD-40 on my property).

I used vaseline jelly, and perhaps 0000 steel wool for oxides and paint spray. I believe the Surrounds have a SMOOTH GLOSS finish and the 0000 steel wool would be counter-intuitive. So don't use the steel wool unless there is paint to remove AND you tried it on the underside to see the effect. They might be Smooth Semi-Gloss but the
point is they are not dull, Matt. or Satin and we all can imagine 0000 steel wool should attack the gloss.

I probably used a Box-cut Stanley blade to remove paint from 68 LeMans Front Bumper Fender filler, but those rubber parts are dull, matt and soft.

The Following User Says Thank You to Half-Inch Stud For This Useful Post:
  #8  
Old 11-24-2020, 01:35 AM
Greg Reid's Avatar
Greg Reid Greg Reid is offline
Ultimate Warrior
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Palmetto, GA. USA
Posts: 16,163
Default

https://www.amazon.com/303-30313-CSR.../dp/B00KN0UOEE

__________________
Greg Reid
Palmetto, Georgia

  #9  
Old 11-25-2020, 08:16 AM
Cardo's Avatar
Cardo Cardo is offline
Ultimate Warrior
 
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Charlestown, In.
Posts: 1,667
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by dataway View Post
BTW ... if you use ANY silicone of ANY kind ANY where near the shop where you will be painting you will regret it for the rest of your life I know that's a lot of "ANY" ... but I'm serious, there are probably paint shops that will fire you if you bring any silicone into their shop.

It's an outstanding product to protect things because it is extremely difficult to remove, which is why it's a nightmare in a paint shop. You can touch something with silicone on it and then touch 10 other things and they will all be contaminated. Get it on bare aluminum ... forget ever painting it, even on steel it's a nightmare, I don't think you can even burn the stuff off. I think silicone products are even banned from the entire grounds of OEM production facilities.
It certainly is banned from the entire site. NO silicone (outside of RTV in the Industrial Truck Repair shop) allowed anywhere on company property - same for WD 40 or anything else similar due to the water based paints....same result. And the paint departments are in entirely separate buildings. Strictly Forbidden! They actually come through and spot check our tool boxes every so often for this sort of "contraband". Serious stuff.

__________________
"I know just enough to keep me here, but not enough to get me out"
  #10  
Old 11-28-2020, 10:59 AM
68ragtop's Avatar
68ragtop 68ragtop is offline
Ultimate Warrior
 
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Green Bay, Wisconsin
Posts: 4,323
Default

I have a pair of roof/window seals for the 78-81 t-top Trans ams. (F body) I ordered them from my local GM dealer about 18 years ago. No clue how old they were by that time, but I opened one of the boxes about 5 years ago & was saddened to find it was a bit hard & seems to have permanently taken the "in box" shape. Not sure they can be saved & I never even bothered to open the other side, but Its likely safe to say its the same way.

I restored a Chev Monza Spyder about 12 years ago & bought some NOS GM seals. They were really , really stiff. I soaked them in marvel mystery oil for several days & it worked. Well, at first it did anyway...... As they dried they went back to what they were & started to crack where I formed them into the designed shape. Sadly those went in the garbage can. I feel these F body seals I have will have the same fate, but I have continued to store them just in case there is a good way to bring them back.

__________________

68 GTO 4-spd Convertible
78 S/E Trans am L78, WS6 Auto
78 S/E Trans am W72, WS6 Auto
79 10th aniv W72 Trans am
80 Indy pace car Trans am
89 Trans am GTA
  #11  
Old 12-01-2020, 10:48 PM
Sport69 Sport69 is offline
Chief Ponti-yacker
 
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Alexandria, Pa. USA
Posts: 522
Default

I used Mothers VLR on mine. I sprayed them down liberally and just let them set for about ten days. I kept checking on them, flipping them, and spraying them so more. In the end it softened (re-hydrated) them up real good, and then I wiped them down. They cleaned up very nice.

__________________
Cholesterol Bad Adrenaline Good
Do it till your eyes bug out!
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 07:43 PM.

 

About Us

The PY Online Forums is the largest online gathering of Pontiac enthusiasts anywhere in the world. Founded in 1991, it was also the first online forum for people to gather and talk about their Pontiacs. Since then, it has become the mecca of Pontiac technical data and knowledge that no other place can surpass.

 




Copyright © 2017