[Chrysler300] re urethane brand spelling, and a hint

["christopher beilby" <thelastbestgenius@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Thank you to Warren Anderson who picked up on my mis-spelling the urethane I 
found a good substitute for restapling window felts and rubber flaps etc on 
early 300s - the correct spelling of one recomended urethane is "Sikaflex" - 
that is sika with a 'k', not a c in Sicaflex as I originally had.  And I 
think the actual Sikaflex used here is known as Sikaflex 277, or 227, and 
ours although German origin originally, has 'made in Japan' on the cartridge 
you put in a caulking gun.

Normally I never advise/support recommending things to others, but for over 
10 years now, the use of this particular brand seems ever wider, especially 
in better resto shps/businesses, and it certainly is way better than 
cheaper/others ones encountered.  Prior to this one used say 3M's Drip Check 
Sealer, or Seam Sealer - this an off white more runny good means of sealing 
metal join areas iin car bodies, it widely used in near all US GM products 
in late 50s-60s.

Chrysler/Mopar however seems to have used bitumen/tar based sealers of metal 
join areas, and where the cabin floors under the carpet of of say a 300C 
meet the inner vertical rockers is where one would find this.  Today one 
would use Sikaflex there, and if I can make a suggestion, also UNDER the 
floor in same area needs sealing  EVEN THOUGH THE FACTORY DID NOT.

Reason for this is Chrsler made a MAJOR BOOBOO/ERROR here - they sealed the 
cabin, where water never likely gets, yet NONE/NOTHING on the bottom area 
where water gets every time used in wet!!!

Result - if one pulls up carpet on a typical 300C/D, and floor often can 
look perfect at outer edges edge where sealed - HOWEVER, get a 
screwdriver/narrow scaper, peel some up, and HORROR HORROR, water that has 
come in from underside/UNDERNEATH has rusted under the tar, especially if 
any has started to lift, or been pushed by rust as it spreads unseen from 
below.
And in a 300C/D, in a Mopar maybe 'fauxpax', the floor edge sits in/on a 
double dogleg fold made in the vertical rocker sheetmetal, so not only does 
rust of your floor here take out your floor, it also takes out your inner 
rocker's strength/integrity.  Not very clever at all - in near all other 
marques, the floor is seperate to the rockers, not a key structural weak 
spot - in them floor can rust, but riockers not affected too badly, or if at 
all.

So as a suggestion, if you have never done anything to protect/stop water 
getting into this area from underneath, either (just using a spray can if 
easiest) spray a really good anti corrosive paint/expoxy into this upper 
outer floor edge from underneath, or use the Sikaflex, albeit in a very 
narrow bead if you do not wish to lose points in concours judging.
It is a big job to do inner rockers, likely means removing outer ones/lower 
body skin behind door, so better to protect it now, rather than push 
luck/fate further? Plus clearly today's Urethanes offer better protection 
than the old bitumen/tar.

Sorry for so much space on this, but anything that helps re our cars can be 
worthwhile?  That is why I also mentioned that TV program "Top Gear" above 
the many other often too ordinary ones - where possible it features in real 
down to earth manner/language/visuals comparisons of our loved 50s-60s 
marques to todays new ones, and so it/this can often re-inspire us , 
re-invigorate us, if we are sometimes jaded/defeated/cornered re 
work/problems on our particular 300s - and too much of that can surely never 
be too bad a thing?!  Although I do not think they have featured early 300s 
yet, having recently done competiton lapping XKE Jag versus Aston DB5, and 
other such as mid 50s Maserati 250 GP car, etc, the day must be near, and 
all it might need is someone offering a car?? - leave that one with you.

Christopher in OZ




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