Winshield/window gaskets for 52 Willys Aero Lark

[dave91169]

After finally getting all the work I can do to my '52 Willys Aero Lark to get it in good mechanical shape, it's now getting the body and paint work done.  Upholstery work will follow.

My question:

Does anyone know a source for the windshield, rear side window, and rear window gaskets, and for the gasket that goes around the door?  Kaiser-Willys Auto Supply lists some  gaskets, but not for the Aero - for a Station Wagon, I think - are these perhaps the same as the Aero gaskets? 

This car does have the split windshield; the windshield and rear window glass are in pretty good shape, the driver and passenger windows are cracked and need to be replaced, but I have a source for the glass.

Steele Rubber Products lists some windshield and window gasket material that can be purchased by the foot (not cheap, but at least it's available).

The body shop guy wants to take the windows out so as to do a first-class job of the prep and painting.  The original gaskets are (needless to say) "hard as a rock", and will probably have to be cut out.  New gaskets would be a necessity.

Any help would be appreciated.

Dave E
Madison, MS 

[MarkH]

You're right about cutting the old gasket to remove the front & rear windows. Still, work very carefully, glass shops won't guarantee against breakage on R&R with used glass for good reason. There's no way to know if it's been whacked just up to the breaking point sometime in the past and it's a lot easier to crack an old windshield than you might guess, first hand knowledge here.
Those side rear rubbers might be a lot better than you think. Mine came out nicely, much more supple that the front & rear gaskets. You could also convert those to crank windows fairly easy.

Duane Hays has the front & rear gaskets. No center divider in the front and the rear is for the wide window, they also have the groove for the stainless trim. donegoing2002@yahoo.com

I read somewhere that guys were salvaging their center divider to reuse with a one piece gasket and sealing the top & bottom butt joints at the divider with something. Don't know how that worked out.

[Aeroman]

Sealing the divider rubber to the window rubber with black silicon. Not sure that would be the perfect way, but that's all I've heard, never witnessed it, though. Perhaps a glassman who has done custom glass for chop tops would be able to answer that.

[Thomasso]

Devcon has a two part rubber product that works quite well for this purpose.  Its a commercial product, cant remember exactly what its called.  Tom.