69 heater box spray sealer

[john302]

Does anyone have any original cars that still have the spray sealer around the heater box cover?Non ac cars.The car I am restoring had the spray sealer around the outside of the box.The question is does it go all around the box or just the top edge? thanks John

[69Z28-RS]

When I removed my heater box, it had been sealed at the factory using 3M 'gray' strip caulk (which is still available)..  ie.. NOT a spray, and not on the outside of the cover.  I suspect yours had an old leak and the owner tried to seal it up...?

[m22mike]

Here is one John, 04C Norwood.
Mike

[X33RS]

My Norwood 12D 69 Z is unrestored in this area as I was preserving the firewall details for a later restoration, and it has a little bit of that around the box.  Not excessive but there is some.  I would suspect it changed throughout production as I've seen some originals that didn't have any at all.   My wife drove it to work today so a picture will have to wait if you want one.

[69Z28-RS]

Here is a photo of my firewall in the heater box area (after removal of the box/heater/etc)...  Not the best photo as it's a little out of focus, but very evident is the gray 3M strip caulk under the box lip for sealing.  I did not see any residue from a 'spray sealer' around the outside lip of the box.  Perhaps that material was used by dealerships if a heater box leak was reported??

[ko-lek-tor]

http://www.camaros.org/forum/index.php?topic=14794.msg131278#msg131278

[69Z28-RS]

Ko-lek-tor, I guess I missed that earlier thread... (edit:  and THANKS for hand feeding me this new information!)...

I suppose the material under the heater box lip *could have been applied with a gun/applicator*, but after 47 yrs it sure looks like old gray strip caulk to me (same as I've found in similar applications on original cars from the fifties thru the 60's)...  There was certainly *nothing* sprayed around the outside of the heater box on my car...

Further EDIT:  After all this discussion, I went down and re-examined my heater box and firewall area (still exactly as when I removed the heater box), and after a closer examination I conclude that the 'gray sealer material' used on the firewall/heater box interface WAS likely applied from a pressurized caulking gun in the production environment.  Although the color and consistency of the sealer on my firewall/heater box is extremely similar to '3M strip caulk', I can tell by looking more closely that it was NOT in strips, but applied in a thick bead, which is also more consistent with a production process.  Is the 'Lord Fusor' or '3M bedding/glazing compound' available in a 'gray color'??

PS.  I also took better photos if anyone would like to see them...

[ko-lek-tor]

"PS.  I also took better photos if anyone would like to see them..."  ...well if you went to all that trouble Gar, sure post them up.

 Only reason your car has all that sealer is they knew how fast the H.O. cars would be and needed to seal them tighter to maintain cabin pressure, lol (joke to those restoring their car BTW)

[cook_dw]

Only reason your car has all that sealer is they knew how fast the H.O. cars would be and needed to seal them tighter to maintain cabin pressure, lol

[69Z28-RS]

...
 Only reason your car has all that sealer is they knew how fast the H.O. cars would be and needed to seal them tighter to maintain cabin pressure, lol (joke to those restoring their car BTW)

That's probably true...    but do your cars have less?  ..  My car only had ONE kind of sealer; it was gray - looks like strip caulk, but was likely applied with a high pressure caulk gun to get the bead size it has (I noticed in the AIM, it instructed to apply it 3/8" thick).  I'm sure this was applied in the factory since I bought the car in 1976 (factory original), and the heater box had never been off in my 'ownership until I removed the box a couple of years ago (maybe one day it will get re-installed)..

[janobyte]

Maybe a change? I was in the shop playing with the car a good part of the day, and took a look on the firewall around where I removed the heater box. Black, and concurrent with the rest of the firewall seam sealer.Yours certainly is gray.Maybe a change for 69? Always something interesting.

 Only spray I would imagine is over spray possibly from a dealer or post delivered "rust proofing"

[john302]

Really would like to put the spray sealer back on, what would work??spray can undercoating?thanks

[janobyte]

Play with a "rattle can" on something to try to replicate the texture, etc.. Only you know the look your trying to obtain. Believe me, I get it I'm guessing more of a mist on it. Heater boxes gloss, or semi. Can't remember which off the top of my head. Obviously, paint first.

[69Z28-RS]

Maybe a change? I was in the shop playing with the car a good part of the day, and took a look on the firewall around where I removed the heater box. Black, and concurrent with the rest of the firewall seam sealer.Yours certainly is gray.Maybe a change for 69? Always something interesting.

 Only spray I would imagine is over spray possibly from a dealer or post delivered "rust proofing"

Note:  The ONLY locations where the sealer is 'gray' is the protected portion between the heater box and the firewall (have to remove the heater box to see it).  Where the sealer was squished out on install, the sealer collects dirt/dust/etc over the years and appears black (if you are looking at the sealer that is outside the heater box interface)...