I need a sealer, not a rustproofing compound, that will flow into a pinchweld area. Its for the cowl seam of my 63 Dodge. The outer panel up top simply fits over the lower section, which is rounded, and the resulting join is a perfect rust trap in an inaccessable area once the top goes back on. Its like laying a flat piece of sheet metal against a piece of pipe! BIG,deep channel. I want to put something in there to completely seal the void and then smooth the transition over with regular brushable seam sealer. Any ideas????
Yup...that was my first thought too...but this area sees regular water flow and I need something that will dry enough to accept regular sealer over the top to make sure there are no minute leaks into the interior from a weak spotweld or whatever. I thought about using that liquid rubber you use to seal fussy windshield gaskets but I'm worried that might react with any brush on sealer and screw up the adhesion. Its a nasty area to get back at once the top goes back on!
check out SEM products. I used their seam sealer on a drip rail and it flowed out nicely, can be topcoated etc..not real cheap, but none of this stuff is anymore
There are numerous body seam sealers. An auto paint supplier will have seam sealers. They are packaged in everything from squeeze tubes and caulking guns to packaging that requires a special re-usable dispenser. I did this once: If you don't mind making a huge mess you can use bulk material and a latex gloved hand to apply the sealer.
SEM...yeah, we have a supplier that drops in Mondays so I'll see what he has. SEM seems to have a good name too! I remember YEARS ago you could get a flowable clear sealer in a squeeze tube that just might have worked for me. It was like water almost and locked up as it dried. Can't remember the name and haven't seen it in years!
The kind of sealer used on the roof of the Ford Excursion in the rain gutter or in the trunk opening of Mustangs in the rain gutter also, Ford stuff anyway (never seen it on any other cars) Wurth carry it, probably SEM and 3M too.
Hoping not to have to buy too much for this specialized problem! Fully expecting to buy a dozen or so tubes of regular sealer for the gun and a couple of cans of the brushable stuff though. Ideally, I'd like this area to have flowable sealer run right out the bottom to prove its FULLY sealed. This needs to be tight with no room for water buildup!
Try evercoats control flow seam sealer. It flows out a bit but has enough body to not just run out. It is an 2k epoxy so it will cure and seal won't need anything overtop of it. Works with regular caulking gun. Edit: they have a full flow as well if you want it to run out the bottom. Also 2k caulking gun format.
Permatex also makes a flowable silicone windshield sealer that I've used before with good results, your local chain auto parts store should have it in stock.
Some of the bulk packaging is in small quan***ies. The bulk sealer I made a mess with was 3M Ultrapro urethane. I made an applicator with duct tape and a cheap cake decorating kit. That didn't go very well. The sealer is as good or better as what OEMs use. It has very good specs, has a good reputation, goes on well, flows well, adheres very well, and is holding up well. And, unlike many seam sealers(including the many silicone containing products out there), it is paintable. I was just too cheap to buy a $65 applicator. Considering how much material I wasted, the t-shirt I ruined, the solvent it took to get what I could off my hands and arms, and that I'll eventually be using the same material on a couple more projects, I would have been ahead if I had just bought the applicator to start with.
Hey Bill, When I finely get around to doing my '62 Dart cowl (same cowl as your '63) I'm going to use standard automotive seam sealer, smoothed over with a wet rag. I'm also going to let in some drainAGE PORTS! doNT USE ANYTHINg with silicone in it if you want paint to stick longterm! " Humpty Dumpty was pushed "
I used to mix extra fibregl*** resin in White Lightning bondo,add the hardener and pour it in the spot I wanted to fill. Runny enough to flow until the hardener started to set it up. Worked like a charm!
...... potential down sides to that option: not very flexible and not impervious to moisture. You couldn't tell by looking at it, but Bondo and polyester fibergl*** resin can absorb quite a bit of moisture. As I remember up to 13% by volume(or weight?). Over time that moisture facilitates deterioration of Bondo/resin, and promotes rusting/corrosion of adjacent metal. Moisture absorption is why Corvette bodies need to be sealed in the exposed areas of the car.
One point of interest in this case is this.... I suggest you PAINT this whole seam/ area first with a rust stop type paint ....... THEN do what ever sealant of choice after that.
The Jalopy Journal
