Kind of getting to the end of my 56 and have a few questions.
1. I install the reverse tilt type hood hinge. Do I still use the latch? Seems like I was told not to but don't know why.

2. The rubber strip that goes between the cab and running board. Any
tips on how it is installed.

3. The weatherstrip on the door. Installed it on the passenger side but now it
doesn't close all the way. Anybody ever trim it down? Should the door be
adjusted first?

4. One last silly question but on the rubber bumper that goes between the front
fender and the running board. Does the fender washer go on the inside of
fender or the outside? I would think on the inner part by the tire but
I think I have seen pictures and it is supposed to go on the outside.
Just want to be original.

 

Delzell,

#1. you still need the hood latch. You do not need the safety latch.

#2. There are "skirt hangers" that attach to the bottom of the cab. The rubber skirt attaches to the hangers. (illustrated in mid-fifty catalog)

#3. There has been lengthy discussions on this one in the past, try a search.

#4. I can,t help with as I didn,t use the rubber spacers.

I,m glad your reaching the finishing stages.

 

BB Ford answered #1
#2- There is the skirt that Wayne mentioned. I used the rubber piece that attached to the shirt and simply use small screws with nuts to fasten it. Some guys pop rivet it on, but I found the rivots don't hold well and it's a pain if you want to remove the rubber strip for any reason.
#3- The original weatherstripping never fits. I used an aftermarket smaller type weatherstripping. They say you can adjust your door so it will close and put the truck in the heat, after a month or so, the weatherstrip will start to give, allowing you to close the door. Sorry, too ridiculous for me. I tried it 3 times and finally gave up.
4- I used the spacers but placed them between the running board and fender. It's suppose to cushion the fenders when flexing.

 

1. Yes, you need the latch and the front crossmember that contains its receiver.

2. Most of the finished trucks I have seen don't have that rubber seal at all. Those who do have it usually use the screws like imlowr2 mentioned.

3. Many threads have been written on weatherstripping the doors. Yes, you need to have the doors fitted and gapped before you install the weatherstripping and that operation is easiest with the doors off the truck. I got tired of going through the hassle of re-rigging the doors, so I developed a way to gap and rig the doors once, then repeat that setting after the weatherstrip is on the door: https://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gal...&albumid=27817

A lot of folks have trouble closing the doors after installation and the strip requires trimming on the back side to make it smaller. That makes for big problems when you attach it with the weatherstrip adhesive, which is messy and very difficult to remove from finish paint without damaging it. The smaller cross section stuff available presents similar problems and seems stiffer. Mind you, a few people had no big problems and say that the weatherstrip just needs to "relax" some, like imlowr2 said, and everything closes swell.

I tested some aftermarket stuff that I like (yes, Ed, another commercial): https://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gal...=90700&width=0
It is a very soft hollow bulb type, covers large gaps, squeezes to almost nothing for close fits and has adhesive tape on the back, so installation is really simple. I ran it on my passenger door for two years with excellent results. I haven't finish painted my truck, so it's not on the doors yet.

4. I don't run the rubber bumpers at all and filled the holes in the fender where they attach. All that attachment did was to tear out the fender. The support isn't required and frame flexing just causes the fender and running board to go opposite directions, causing the damage. But, if you run them, the washers go on the inside of the fender and running board with the rubber in contact with the paint on both.

 

Hi,

On this 56 I installed a set of Dennis Carpenter door seals and of coarse the doors were no where near closing. Took them off and trimmed them, I did this in the winter so when spring rolled around I took it for a ride and it was like I left the weather strip off (trimmed too much).

So got another set,went to my local PPG paint dealer and bought a can of adhesive remover (worked great), removed doors again, installed weather strips but this time I used rubber coated clamps between the door and cab for a day and now they close like they were made for this truck (this is the first time one of his sets have ever worked for me).

Chuck