I wanted to put in one place, a reference topic to those who are struggling with slamming doors with new rubber weather-strip, whatever your source for that material.

Mark Tanker, @wheee! here, posted an excellent few posts in his build thread that showed how to simply create the often missing rubber parts in our 70-76 door latches that will quickly solve the slamming.  Find it here.

https://www.classiczcars.com/forums/topic/50908-1976-280z-restoration-project/?page=294#elControls_656753_menu

 

Steve Nixon (hope I spelled that right) has a commercial product that reproduces ALL of the 5 rubber parts that are in a latch mechanism. 

https://www.240zrubberparts.com/product-page/240z-lock-mechanism-set

Edited March 28, 2024Mar 28 by zKars

Today, for the very first time, I have, in my hands (well, attached to a z) a latch set, left and right that STILL have BOTH of the rubber coverings on the lock rotating part that touches the striker first! 

The passenger door (first couple of pics) shows that the rubber is worn through where it touches the striker, but its still hanging on for dear life. The drivers miraculously, has none of this wear. No clue how that has happened, but there it is. 

This is car is 1/71 VIN 18xxx with 80k miles on it. Arizona all of its life, but brought to Canada 20ish years ago and stored indoors since. 

As you can imagine, I have a "few" latch sets in my inventory, and absolutely NONE of them have any remnant of these rubber parts. Just had to share.

 

I'm also testing a few "new to me" different weather-strip replacements and hope to report on what's working best. I'm actually sad this car has the latch bumpers in place, will make it hard to test.

I typically don't use the Precision door seals or even Vintage Rubber, but use the often mentioned 1120A822 weatherstrip from McMaster Carr.

I buy it by the 100 ft roll and dole it out 22 feet at a time (131.25 inches each). Just slapped some on this 1/71 I'm building before it goes to it's new home.

 

98-99 Kia Sportage seals are also popular. 0K01858760B 

I wonder if Kia ever recovered from the glut of buying that happened a few years back. 

Edited March 28, 2024Mar 28 by zKars

It would be interesting to see some posts or a thread about restoring the latch mechanism including the rubber bits and how they install

Also that link doesn't take me Mark's relevant post but to the first page of his build thread

Nevermind, depending on where you select changes where you end up

Edited March 28, 2024Mar 28 by Patcon

I can help with the location of the 3 little loops in Steve's kit. and the "other" little horseshoe bumper (pic #1). I looked through the collection and found them.

As to install, just "slip them on" as they say. With tweezers, high mag reading glasses, swearing, beer/whiskey etc

Edited March 28, 2024Mar 28 by zKars