Anyone want to buy new 320 vent window rubbers?

[wayno]

4 hours ago, difrangia said:

Wayno, what you posted is correct. A large portion of my work career was in the aircraft NC programming and manufacturing industry and working with a particular part from the drawing/computer model through the manufacturing cycle to the deburring or final stage of the part before heat treatment and finishing (processing and painting). Left-hand and right hand parts is the norm. At least 90% of aircraft parts come in LH and RH configurations. This part would need to be made LH & RH configuration or a good portion of customers would be cut out of the business possibility. There are a lot of these little pickups and a few crew-cabs and vans/station wagons in Australia and New Zealand in right -hand drive configuration. I have noted a few Aussies here on Ratsun and there is a larger percentage of down-under owners over on Datsun 320 Facebook forum. 

 

For Mike K's thought on flipping the RH boot over from inside cab to outside cab for right-hand drive pickups, it would work in theory, but take a look at the bottom computer model that Conner posted above in the thread which is a cross-section of the boot through the steering column hole. The obround hole in the firewall that the boot mounts in has a lip formed around it that protrudes out into the engineroom. This is for strength and to prevent drumming action in that area of the firewall where the column and shift rod pass through. take a look at the groove around the boot where it mounts into the firewall. It is a L-Gtoove that allows for the formed lip around the hole in the firewall. If the boot were made thicker with a T-Groove it could possibly reversed like Mike K proposed. It would be up to the reproducer whether they wanted to make an opposite part die/mold to serve that portion of the 320 owners or to modify the design to have a T-Groove. There are quite a number of these 320's being used/restored down-under.

 

I believe I am the one that mentioned flipping the gasket and putting the gasket on the inside unless Mike mentioned this in another post on another page, so I just went out to my 1963 Datsun 320 and pushed the bottom of the gasket out towards the engine compartment and you are right, there is a lip which would make it very difficult to flip the gasket and put it on the inside without modifying the firewall hole.

I have a piece of one of these gaskets left from an extra column shift column I have that has enough material left to hold up in front of myself and look at angles, every time I flip it over so the column lever hole is on my left for a RHD truck the holes and associated structure of the gasket point up towards the hood and not down towards the frame where the steering gear mounts, and I just don't see any way to fix this issue unless one just made a gasket that was flat with the two holes, lips in the firewall would not matter as that gasket would be reversible, but it would not be stock looking either.

This is my 520 firewall, I just made a gasket with a hole out of a piece of rubber, it has no lip on the firewall to deal with, it has a ring that holds it on, this is reversible, it will work on either side, if a gasket was made with the mounting lip but was just flat in the center it would be reversible, but again it would not look stock, but it would function properly.

[difrangia]

My country-boy fix.

Polished aluminum.

Seal material is Polyplank foam.

The pickup is Floor-Shift.

I developed a full-scale drawing/template for these parts if anyone wants a copy (PDF). 

 

 

Edited November 16, 2019 by difrangia

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

On 11/14/2019 at 1:49 PM, trakker98 said:

Can you send a picture of it?

Looks like others beat me to it.

[mklotz70]

Getting caught up a bit.....

 

Connor.....really nice CAD work on the firewall piece.  Looking forward to seeing the 3d prints.  Did you do them in flexible filament?

 

Wayno.....yep....you're right, it was you that mentioned trying to put it on the inside.

[320 Newb]

Don't get me wrong I like the stock looking grommets with the hood on the engine side but maybe a grommet like this would be more economical. You could flip flop it for both RH and LH drive:

 

[difrangia]

Great idea, 320 Newb !! 

 

Keep it simple.

[trakker98]

46 minutes ago, 320 Newb said:

Don't get me wrong I like the stock looking grommets with the hood on the engine side but maybe a grommet like this would be more economical. You could flip flop it for both RH and LH drive:

 

That's kinda what I thought the original looked like. Does that still have the slotted edge?

[320 Newb]

I can't tell if the one pictured has a slotted edge but if we make one ours def should.

[trakker98]

1 hour ago, 320 Newb said:

I can't tell if the one pictured has a slotted edge but if we make one ours def should.

I agree, the slot is there to prevent water intrusion into the cab. I'm fine with whatever design is used but ultimately the end product should have the slot. Also, if nobody objects, whoever it is that ends up sending in the sample should take lead and in communicating with the manufacturer's POC.

[wayno]

It does not have a slotted edge, but it is about the right size width wise but that is it as nothing else is right, the column hole appears to be too big also, this one appears to have around a 2" hole while are 320 pieces have a 1.5" hole/column.

https://www.steelerubber.com/steering-column-grommet-40-0421-36

 

 

This is basically what I did to my 520 and 521 trucks but I made my own out of scrap rubber stock from the hardware store, but them gaskets were flat to begin with, it's really about if you want your 320 to look stock or if your looking for function.

[trakker98]

11 minutes ago, wayno said:

It does not have a slotted edge, but it is about the right size width wise but that is it as nothing else is right, the column hole appears to be too big also, this one appears to have around a 2" hole while are 320 pieces have a 1.5" hole/column.

https://www.steelerubber.com/steering-column-grommet-40-0421-36

 

 

This is basically what I did to my 520 and 521 trucks but I made my own out of scrap rubber stock from the hardware store, but them gaskets were flat to begin with, it's really about if you want your 320 to look stock or if your looking for function.

Exactly! Since mine is not going to be stock (seats, engine, regulator, and tranny non-stock) then it comes down to function, price, and ease of installation..

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

My opinion is that if you're taking the time to reproduce parts for restoration grade work, they should be near identical to the originals.

[mickey1845]

Hi everyone, we're drawing up the invoices for the 320 window seal pre-orders. They should be making their way to your email addresses very soon! Please let me know if you haven't received your invoice yet.

[mickey1845]

I just talked to AAS's owner, Mr. Kitisak: We have 30 pre-orders so far, which is a bit less than our target. I know it's a big ask of everyone at this point, but would it be okay to ask for full payment now? We'd like the recoup part of the tooling cost that's already been invested for this project. 

 

The parts will be ready to ship within 2-3 weeks. By default, we'll send them via air parcel, which provides tracking and is reasonably priced and quick compared to SAL or EMS.

[ol' 320]

Hi Tanik:

I am comfortable paying the entire amount now for the pair I have pre-ordered. Just send me a PayPal invoice.

 

Tanik: I just checked.....I have not yet received a PayPal invoice for the one set.

Eric

Edited November 19, 2019 by ol' 320

[wayno]

I am fine with paying for my 3 sets also, send me a Paypal invoice also.

 

I have not received any invoice either.

[mickey1845]

Invoices have been sent to 15 customers so far. We're double-checking everyone's details; please let us know if there's anything we need to amend in your invoice!

[trakker98]

2 hours ago, mickey1845 said:

Invoices have been sent to 15 customers so far. We're double-checking everyone's details; please let us know if there's anything we need to amend in your invoice!

Mine is paid!!!

[delariva]

I just got my PayPal invoice, and will send the payment now. Thanks again for getting this together.

[chzcake]

Just sent in my payment.  Thanks for figuring this all out!

[320 Newb]

I paid up for 2 sets! Thanks everyone for making this happen.

 

[wayno]

I paid for my order also.

[mickey1845]

Hello everyone, just a quick update: We have 35 pre-orders. 16 people have paid so far. Production will be starting soon, so anyone who hasn't paid for their pre-order yet, please do so!

[yoursurfer]

Is this for window rubbers or the fire wall rubber, I need 320 went and door rubbers?

Edited November 26, 2019 by yoursurfer

[320 Newb]

7 minutes ago, yoursurfer said:

Is this for window rubbers or the fire wall rubber, I need 320 went and door rubbers?

The triangle shaped wing window rubbers on the doors.