Drip Rail Trim Removal - '65 D100 Sweptline

[swaneyelliot]

Hello everyone. Since these are the couple of months, we don't have much rain here in WA State I thought I would do a little sanding and painting on the old truck handed down when the parents passed. I have a couple of questions. This is just a start, so I will not be removing the glass. I am having trouble removing the chrome trim from the drip rail in the front of the cab, above the windshield. The screws are terribly rusted and now stripped. With the windshield in the angle is difficult to get at them. Any suggestions?

Also, after I do get them removed and get the drip rail area cleaned down to the metal, what type and how do I use seam sealer? It appears there are different methods.... paint epoxy, sealer, more paint? I have never done this before and there are plenty of differing suggestions on the internet.

Thanks for any help, ideas, suggestions, or thoughts!

Elliot

[Wildergarten]

Hello everyone. Since these are the couple of months, we don't have much rain here in WA State I thought I would do a little sanding and painting on the old truck handed down when the parents passed. I have a couple of questions. This is just a start, so I will not be removing the glass. I am having trouble removing the chrome trim from the drip rail in the front of the cab, above the windshield. The screws are terribly rusted and now stripped. With the windshield in the angle is difficult to get at them. Any suggestions?

Also, after I do get them removed and get the drip rail area cleaned down to the metal, what type and how do I use seam sealer? It appears there are different methods.... paint epoxy, sealer, more paint? I have never done this before and there are plenty of differing suggestions on the internet.

Thanks for any help, ideas, suggestions, or thoughts!

Elliot

If it's original, pop the glass and replace the rubber. It's worth not getting rust into the cowl. You'll spend less time and do less damage than fighting to get those screws out. That chrome drip rail is very hard to come by.

Absolutely use a seam sealer on the drip rail. I'd chisel out all of the old stuff. Sandblast if you can but get down to clean metal. Use a 2-part epoxy primer. Caulk with Sikaflex 1A polyurethane or Boatlife polysulfide (even better). Both take paint. Let it cure fully (both sealants use atmospheric moisture to cure). Prime again, and paint.

JMHO, YMMV

[swaneyelliot]

Thanks was able to remove trim without damage. Now to figure out sanding around the windows. Really can't remove front glass (truck has to stay outside), maybe rear, but will need to find a supplier or the rubber gasket.

[Wildergarten]

Thanks was able to remove trim without damage. Now to figure out sanding around the windows. Really can't remove front glass (truck has to stay outside), maybe rear, but will need to find a supplier or the rubber gasket.

https://www.steelerubber.com/

[swaneyelliot]

Thank you. I guess I might as well ask, rubber on the door windows was replaced a few years ago so I am ok there, but the door seals are gone and when it starts raining water just runs in. Any recommended shops for the seals around the doors? I have noticed that there are a few out there. Thanks again for the help. Elliot

[Wildergarten]

Any recommended shops for the seals around the doors?

To my knowledge, Steele has just about everything you might want, in both kits and singles. It does take time to dig through their site.

[swaneyelliot]

Been a while since I have been on here. Thank you.

[martincom]

As Wildergarden suggested, remove ther windshield. If the glass is still good, cut the weatherstrip apart to reduce tension on the glass.

Replace the drip edge screws with stainless steel.

I sourced nearly all the rubber for a sweptline from Restoration Specilaties.

[mnwebb]

Anyone know what size and head type screws were used on the drip rail trim? Also, any suggestions for the 3 seam clips? Thx!-W

[PwrWgnDrvr]

Anyone know what size and head type screws were used on the drip rail trim? Also, any suggestions for the 3 seam clips? Thx!-W

Originally they were zinc plated phillips head sheet metal screws, probably 6 GA. Replacing with stainless looks nice if you don't care about the galvanic reaction from the dissimilar metals.
Close matching seam covers can be made from an extra piece of trim.

[Wildergarten]

Originally they were zinc plated phillips head sheet metal screws, probably 6 GA. Replacing with stainless looks nice if you don't care about the galvanic reaction from the dissimilar metals.

If one is worried about electogalvanism, the drip rail is stainless too. That galvanic reaction requires water as an electrolyte. If one beds the trim with a caulking compound it can inhibit that reaction in locations where there is direct contact between metals. My only decadal experience with bedding compounds is for marine applications. The material we used was a product called Dolfinite, currently available at $111/quart. At that price, they should sell it in tubes.

https://www.pettitpaint.com/products/va ... -compound/

The only likely candidate in automotive products I can conjure might be windshield sealant. The reason one would not want to use a product like Sikaflex is that one would never be able to get it apart non-destructively. It's excellent cured in the gutters before installng the trim.

[mnwebb]

Wow - Never considered a reaction could take place.

If zinc is used all should be ok...no reaction? Also - what length do you all think those screws were..1/4"? Should I be concerned about water getting under that drip rail trim and rusting the drip rail down the road?

Thx!

[PwrWgnDrvr]

I've pulled a lot of that trim off and every one was rusted bigly underneath.

[Wildergarten]

I've pulled a lot of that trim off and every one was rusted bigly underneath.

Dodge never bedded any hardware. Gaskets in places, or pads like on door handles, but nothing to seal trim, badges, lettering... anything.