I'm looking to replace all the weather stripping on my car, but the prices vary among different vendors. I've seen 1aauto, Rick's Camaros and Camaro central with the same pieces for different costs. If the quality is the same among all these websites then I'm going to go with the cheapest kit, which will save 100+ dollars. But if one site has better quality parts then I dont mind spending the extra money. Anyone who has bought weather stripping from any of these companies, can you let me know how the quality is?

 

Buy Fairchild industries weatherstrip as a second choice only to GM parts. ( in some cases Fairchild is better than NOS GM parts because NOS parts have been stuffed in a box for 25+ years. ) Fairchild has ( IMO ) by far the best quality replacement weather strip available for aftermarket parts. Does not matter what piece of weather strip your looking for - Fairchild brand quality is far superior to most other manufactures.

Some things are worth paying for ---> to me quality weatherstripping is one of those 'things'.

 

Related question- which kind does Hawks sell?
eg
https://www.hawksmotorsports.com/doo...herstrip-pair/

 

If there is no hard insert then it's low quality,............... The description on Hawks page doesn't specify - so beware.





Stock GM has a hard "insert" in this location,........... so does the Fairchild Industries. Without the insert this 'tab' is just a floppy piece of rubber that will tear. How long, I don't know, but sooner or later it WILL tear.


Try this link: ( cheaper and no question about who made them. )

https://www.jegs.com/i/Widow+Wax/443/KG3033/10002/-1


You can also use this link to enter Year/Make/Model for all Fairchild seals that fit your ride,.... then using the part #'s from the Fairchild site just search the web to find the best deal on the seals you need.

https://fairchildindustries.com/auto...AR-MAKE-Camaro

 

Don't forget Steele Rubber products. They have been making weatherstrip for DECADES.

https://www.steelerubber.com/body-kit-90-3329-90

 

 

I should have checked myself. I bought the entire set of seals, not Fairchild. The all seem to fit, my new ones are all rubber as well. I just removed the originals and yes they have the hard plastic. So for the doors I will order a pair form Jegs as you suggest. Nothing is too good for my Formula!

 

If Fairchild has vert weatherstrips, I couldn't find them. I'll be needing a COMPLETE kit.

 

Don't waste your money on these. The door seals are the worst of the other 3 brands and are the most expensive.
The bulb part of the seal (that wraps around the door) is to thick, like Metro. The end blocs are molded/cut poorly and there is nothing reinforcing the mounting holes. Not even a washer molded in, at least, like SoffSeal. The material feels nice, at least.
Making something for a long time doesn't mean you've been doing it right the whole time.

Fairchild seals are probably the most accurate to OE made but unfortunately, the material is 'rock' hard compared to the rest. I'm not all that interested in making the doors any harder to close. The ones I has gotten also needed a small bit of stretching to meet up to the other side of the door.

SoffSeal has the closest to OE dimension for the bulb part and are not as soft as Steele or Metro but are softer that Fairchild. The end block only having washers molded into the end block are a minus as well but, at least they put something in there.

Metro, I only remember that were 2x the thickness of SoffSeal (like Steele) bulb and I couldn't even get my door to close anymore. The anger set in from there and I shoved them back in thier box and shipped them back.

SoffSeal, which I was hoping to replace, has been the seal that allows the doors (on my car) shut the easiest. I had let the Fairchild seals set shut over a long weekend and they were still unacceptably firm (for me).

All just my opinion having tried all 4 brands that make seals for these cars. Take it however you wish.

 

I bought all new Metro "Supersoft" weather seals, the convertible set, and was happy with them. Can't speak to any of the other brands.

 

Great first hand review, "Deadhand". I guess Steele is hit or miss. The seals they sold me for my '88 lincoln Mark VII were perfect.

 

Don't forget too, just because a company makes one specific bad item, it doesn't mean everything they make is bad. The Steele seals I'm talking about, I just received Tues (8/13/19) and will be shipping them back tomorrow.

I could just be overly picky but, the doors on these cars have had enough abuse in their life... I hate to put a seal on that makes me have to shut the door harder than needed.
I'm trying to go towards newer car soft including upgrading the door lock body/latch. This is why I've bought every brand.

For others reading sake, I am talking specifically about the door seals. Nothing else.

If the Fairchild seals were were a softer material, they would be spot on for OE.

 

Only in the short term.

When I installed them new (2 different cars ) I had to keep my hand on the doors and actually push them a bit as they swung to get them to close completely,... A few seasons later and I could simply swing the door closed. The firmness is exactly why they are so good compared to others, ( molded insert is also key ! ) they just need some time to take-shape or 'set-up'. In the time it takes for them to fit the best,... the other brands have already started to fail. They are - IMO - FAR superior when compared to any of the others I've tried. (SofSeal / Metro )

 

I have Metro now and they are relatively fat and make for hard to close doors. They will not be my next choice. And the hatch seal was horrible. I reinstalled the original to stop the leaks.

 

I don't believe these cars had to 'season' the seals off the assembly line . Again, I think the Fairchild is the best of all (especially considering price) but, the hardness is unacceptable, to me. New, should not make things worse.

You would not put this exception on anything else....'These DD street tires are sh-t'... 'wait a season or two and they will get better'. Add same thing to mechanical parts, paint, lubricants, etc. Weather seals should not be the exception for quality. IMO...

 

I ran a auto repair shop for one of the two, biggest rental car companies. We got new cars in, right of the trains, every week. Several brands. The doors had A LITTLE TENSION on them, when you closed them, BUT NOTHING MOST FOLKS WOULD EVEN NOTICE. i TOO DON'T ACCEPT W/STRIPPING HAVING TO BREAK IN.

 

Well, looks like I'll be going with Fairchild. Have to look them up and see if they have a full kit.
Just for informational purposes, no one has tried the 1aauto or other brands I mentioned? I thought they were popular.

 

Fairchild, Metro, SoffSeal and Steele are your choices in who makes the seals.... who sells which brand and how they advertise it, is infinite.

 

Oh ok, gotcha. I actually seen 1aauto has Fairchild door seals after I posted that earlier.

 

Just curious, but if you were willing to order all of the door seals in trying to find the best, why didn't you just buy the OEM ones? They seem to be still available. Was it the price and you always intended to return 3 sets?

 

How about CONVERTIBLE weatherstrip? Mine need EVERYTHING. I also need ALL the inside door soft parts, to make them rattle and wind noise free!


Looks like Rock offers all the W-Strip, except the small pieces on the Vert top frame, as far as I can tell. What say yous?

Shopping Cart
PartPriceQuantityTotal

1989 CHEVROLET CAMARO 5.0L 305cid V8

Body : Header Seal / Weatherstrip

AMETRO HD1510 {#12510763} HEADER SEAL
Convertible; Replaces OEM # 12510763







$129.79$129.79



Body : Trunk Seal / Weatherstrip

AMETRO TK46FC Trunk Seal
Convertible; 12' Long








$26.99$26.99



Body : Door Seal / Weatherstrip

BFAIRCHILD KG3032 {Click Info Button for Alternate/OEM Part Numbers} Click Info for full list of components.
Inner & Outer Left & Right








$141.79$141.79



BFAIRCHILD KG4024 {#20598022, 20598023} Click Info for full list of components.
Door TRIANGLE Seal Kit; Front Left & Right








$25.79$25.79



Body : Body Pillar Post Seal

AMETRO ALP11C {#12504732, 125047323, 12504733} Auxiliary Door Seal
Convertible; Pair









$25.89$25.89



Body : Cowl Seal

BFAIRCHILD G4200 Hood to Cowl Seal











$13.67$13.67



Body : Convertible Top Tonneau Cover Seal

AMETRO HD1520 {#12511360} Tonneau Cover Panel Seal
Fits on the under Side of the Convertible Tonneau Cover; 114" Long; Replaces OEM part # 12511360









$45.79$45.79

 

I didn't buy them all at the same time. I've owned the 'bird since '95.I've also had an 84 Camaro for 4-5 years and the '91 RS I had for almost 8 yrs. as well.


If OE was still manufactured to this day, I'd certainly pay the premium for it. As is, I'm not willing to pay 1.5-3x the original cost for 25+yr old OE seals.


I would, however, pay $100-200 for a pair of new seals that are equal to or exceed OE fit and softness.





I also did not return the Fairchild seals. I gave them away to Pllsbry10. He was more than happy with them, considering his old ones were nearly non-existent... I'm sure free helped too

 

While Jegs clearly has the better price on’em, I thought I’d just note that Hawks finally confirmed theirs are also Fairchild.