I am nearing the stage to reassemble my 61 valiant. I am wondering if anyone knows of a product that will clean my original window gaskets or something that will "revive" the rubber, make it more supple and or prolong their life. Or am I being naive in believing I can use the original gasgets. All opinions are welcome. Blake

I have used the originals. I washed my rear gasket thoroughly with soap?water then rubbing alcohol, then got some silicone spray and doused it with that to "plasticize" the rubber some. It will probably not seal the window well, though, so sealer is advised. Some people like silicone sealer and others tell you not to use it and use the black tar like seam sealer.

Lou

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Home of Slant6-powered fun machines since 1988

I clean anything rubber with tire/whitewall cleaner. (It will make windshield wipers work like new again too.) If they are soft enough, you can re-use them. If they are not soft enough it can be hard to get the window back into them, or maybe even break the window.

I would also count on them leaking or don’t install your carpet until you know for sure. It’s not anything worth getting new gaskets though - new gaskets leak without sealer also. If you can use them and seal them they’ll be fine.

Danny

I second this motion. For the record, the "black tar-like seam sealer" is called butyl. It comes in tape format (press it into the gasket, then peel off the backer). It's best to apply it to the gasket cold as it sticks a bit less and lets you position it a bit better. Let it warm up before you install the window so it "beds in". Once it's warm, it sticks like $#!t to a blanket.

Hope this helps,

Nat

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1970 four-door Dart, 225/A-904/2.45 gears. 0-60 in twenty three minutes!