How is everyone attaching the rubber seal on the underhood air deflector? Originally they were stapled on, but I don't think my office stapler will work. I thought about making a bending die to form staples from wire and use the existing holes. I would think pop rivets with a washer on them would work, but might not look very good. I can't imagine an adhesive that would hold them on for very long. Ideas?
Thanks, Mark

 

I reused the holes and used the 3M black adhesive. No issues for 5 years.

 

Did you use both staples and adhesive? What did you use for staples?
Thanks, Mark

 

I used pop rivets, you'd really have to look to see them on an F-1. You could always paint them black if it bothers you.

I'd love to see the staplers they used on the line, for both these and the fender anti-squeak!

 

There is a rubber air deflector on 53 to 56 trucks on the underside of the hood. It slides into a C channel. Despite the C channel my 55 also had a staple on each end.

 

Ross, You are right, they would be hard to see and my truck is not exactly original anyways. I'm like you, I would like to see the stapler they used,
BTW, were the foam cowl to fender seals stapled on? If so, how did they do it without the staple cutting thru the foam. My trucks cowl to fender seals were stapled, but they were molded rubber like the '42-'47 trucks used.
Thanks, Mark

 

Abe, The '49-'52 seals were just stapled to a flange on the edge of the air deflector. The c channel would be better.
Thanks, Mark

 

I used the 3m weather strip adhesive on mine as well. No problems. Used it on the fender to cowl foam too.

 

 

You sound like you learned that through experience.

 

Were foam seals used at some point? If so, I'm sure the staplers had a depth setting.

 

I don't have a picture of the air defectors but I used this stuff, don't know what it is called unless caterpillar grommet. This is the clearance for the inner fender panel for the IFS.
TractormanBill

 

Trimlok -- see below. Perfect for that edge, not real resilient tho for a radiator seal.

 

Not on the air deflectors, although I have never seen an original truck with the foam cowl to fender seal like all of the repro parts suppliers sell either. But, I have seen several with remnants of a molded rubber cowl to fender seal.
Mark

 

Thanks guys for all of the replies. I think I will probably pop rivet them on. I was already planning on pop riveting my cowl to fender seals on. Since, like Ross said, you would really have to be looking to see the pop rivets anyways, I believe they would be the simplest route to go.
Thanks again, Mark