Door Rubber - Softseal

[kernal]

This door seal has been a nightmare. I even got a body guy to take a look and he couldn't get it to fit right. The old one fit great and sealed except for a 2" misformed spot at the very top that let air in. From pin to pin this new one fit good all around the bottom of the door. The problem is fitting it inside the channel. The first time I started from the joint and tucked it in around the top of the door to the rear pin. This made it appear to be about an inch to long. Trying again, it seems you can't start there and go that distance. It must strech the rubber and end up with excess. So staring in the middle between the seam and the rear pin and working in two directions seemed to get it to fit (some directions would have been nice). Two issues, it doesn't seal and the rubber keeps popping out of the inside of the channel when the door is closed. It just doesn't lock well under the channel. As I said, the original fit great and comparing this new piece to the original on the drivers side, it seems the sealing lip on the new rubber doesn't protrude in the same direction as the original keeping it from sealing like it should. The shape of this new one appears to be the same as the original but it's larger and way softer. Perhaps it's the softness that keeps it from fitting and staying in the channel properly. If I'm the only one that ever had this problem then it must be me, but I've put in alot of rubber over the years and I never had this kind of difficulty. The only response from SoftSeal was "return it to where purchased".
1968 El Camino

[shadowgray396]

I would return it and get another seal. Do you have your old one to compare the new on too. I had to take my first set back and the second set fit well.

[kernal]

When I explained this to OPG they said to sent the set back (only one side was installed). I told the guy it would be hard to take it off without breaking a pin. He said don't worry about it and gave me a return number. When I paid for shipping and they got it back they said the wouldn't take it back because a piece had been installed (even though I got it out without breaking a pin). They wouldn't listen to anything I had to say. I couldn't get a response from Softseal either.
I put a review on the OPG site but it went away. Looks liike they don't let any negative stuff get posted so it tells you what these reviews at OPG are worth.
I bought the molded style from Bob's Chevelle. It snapped right in, fit and looked great and seals. I believe that Softseal stuff is to soft, at least in this application. No more purchases by my friends and me from OPG (and we're local).

[shadowgray396]

Glad you found some to fit.