Door weather strip

[porsche1914]

The Henry J I picked up has no weather strip around the doors. I sent for new stripping from Rudy and It's pretty obvious where it goes around the top, back, and bottom of the door but I am puzzled as to how to route it down the front of the door from the vent window down around the bottom of the door.
Any type of instruction, drawing, and or a picture would be a great help.
Thanking you in advance for any help or suggestions.
Don Holt #10019

[Fid]

Don, I checked the parts book and the shop manual and neither has a good illustration.  If it ever stops raining here, I'll back mine up and try to take a photo.

[porsche1914]

That sounds great, Thank you so much.
Don

[Fid]

I took photos of two of the Henry Js I have but  I can't be sure either one was done exactly right. One is the car that was built for Edgar Kaiser so it is suspect and the other had that part restored by a previous owner so I can't be sure it was done as original but here's the photos-
This is how it was done on my '52 Henry J Vagabond. Looks nice but the car leaks, as all '51s did, when it rains or when I wash it.

For the "late" '52s (Corsiars and Corsair Deluxe) and later Js, KF installed an additonal strip on the front of the door sill opening. My '53 has that but unfortunately, I don't have my '53 at home right now so I can't get a photo.
Edgar Kaiser's car, which was done a little differently, appears to have had the weatherstrip replaced. It has an extra piece of rubber on the door. See this photo:

Notice the extra piece of rubber that splits above the hinge and covers the area over the hinge.  I don't k now if this is the way it was done originally. The paint on the additional rubber piece indicates it was on the car when it was painted. I know the '52 - '54 cars have an extra piece that is adhered to the sill right in front of where it is on the door in this photo.  I will add that this car does not leak at all so it this additional piece, which could be original based on the paint and the fact that it is flatter than the other strip, is certainly effective!  I'll be getting my '53 J home next week. It has the original rubber and it doesn't leak. I'll post a photo next week.
Also, here is the factory bulletin on how to correct it -

Here's some more good info  (click the link below)
http://www.circlekf.com/henryj/Reference/service/sb312.pdf

[porsche1914]

Fid,
Thank you so much for the pictures and information, they're really helpful.
My car did sit out in the rain a couple of times and of course with no weather strip at all water did come right in.
I have been trying to remember back to 1954 when my first car was a J, and I can't remember if it leaked or not, but then at 16 years old it probably didn't matter to me, my Dad started with a '47 Kaiser, then a '49 Frazer, a '51 Kaiser,a 53 kaiser and lastly a '54. The last two he picked up at Willow Run.
In his latter years he picked up a '52 J Vagabond, '53 Traveler, a '53 Dragon, a '53 Manhatton and a '54. Many years ago he received a 4th place in the National in Hershey, Pa. with his '54.
The cars all sat in a barn with a dirt floor for about 35 years and pretty well rusted into the ground. We sold them all nad the J was turned into a Gasser, the '53 and '54 are both being restored to the best of my knowledge. From all of this I was able to find the J I am going through now, and it sure brings back a lot of warm memories.
Thanks again.
Don Holt

[Fid]

An addendum - I took Edgar's car (the yellow one) out for a drive today and was caught in a sudden downpour. I drove it home 15 miles in the rain.  No leaks!  The method used on that  yellow door works.

[porsche1914]

Well said, Fid, we don't need that kind of stuff on here.By the way the weather strip information worked out just fine, although it's a messy job.
Thanks again.
Don