My first Rambler! '63 Classic Wagon

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   Your tailgate was in better shape than mine! The lower part that "hides" behind the bumper had to be completely rebuilt. The outer weather strip on the tailgate isn't good enough! Lots of trash got in and settled in the bottom, holding in moisture and causing the rust. I had Peter Stathes (www.amcrambler.com) make me a outer squeegee type seal for the tailgate. He made it from material about 1/2" wide, wider than what's required for the doors. I had him make the outer strips on the door glass the modern squeegee type instead of the "fuzzy" type originally used too. Used the fuzzies on the inside of doors and tailgate though. He makes the kits up as needed, so changing the material wasn't a problem. Keeps more water out of the doors and tailgate, and definitely keeps most of the trash out of the gate. 

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farna Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Supporter of TheAMCForum Moderator Lost Dealership Project Joined: Jul/08/2007 Location: South Carolina Status: Offline Points: 19675	Post Options Post Reply Quote farna Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Sep/09/2011 at 8:59am
	Your tailgate was in better shape than mine! The lower part that "hides" behind the bumper had to be completely rebuilt. The outer weather strip on the tailgate isn't good enough! Lots of trash got in and settled in the bottom, holding in moisture and causing the rust. I had Peter Stathes (www.amcrambler.com) make me a outer squeegee type seal for the tailgate. He made it from material about 1/2" wide, wider than what's required for the doors. I had him make the outer strips on the door glass the modern squeegee type instead of the "fuzzy" type originally used too. Used the fuzzies on the inside of doors and tailgate though. He makes the kits up as needed, so changing the material wasn't a problem. Keeps more water out of the doors and tailgate, and definitely keeps most of the trash out of the gate.
	Frank Swygert

estes Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Apprentice Joined: May/31/2011 Location: Webster, ny Status: Offline Points: 93	Post Options Post Reply Quote estes Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Sep/09/2011 at 12:20pm
	I may just have him make me up a set like that too. For replacing the window fuzzies, do you just strip the old fuzzy part off the metal part and put on the squeegee, or is the metal and squeegee portion replaced as a unit?

farna Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Supporter of TheAMCForum Moderator Lost Dealership Project Joined: Jul/08/2007 Location: South Carolina Status: Offline Points: 19675	Post Options Post Reply Quote farna Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Sep/09/2011 at 12:38pm
	The pieces snap off the door. The clips are made so that the piece slides up to come off, down to go on. I suggest pulling them all before painting. You have a door skin off one door, so pull the window seals off that one. For the window channel in the doors generic all rubber push-in seals work just fine, same as used on later AMCs. I wouldn't get the metal channel type. I replaced the door seals on mine with generic 60s seal material, then glued to the door with contact cement. Have to make sure the stuff is where you want it, contact cement doesn't let go! I put the seam at the bottom, I think. Contact cement the ends together, but don't forget to cut the seals 1/8"-1/4" long so they push together at the seam. They will shrink a little over time too, though mine's been on since 2003 with no problems. Peter Stathes also has door seal kits though, you may just want to get them from him too.
	Frank Swygert

estes Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Apprentice Joined: May/31/2011 Location: Webster, ny Status: Offline Points: 93	Post Options Post Reply Quote estes Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Sep/10/2011 at 7:05pm
	Hey Farna, do you remember where you got the generic door seal material? I've been searching, but i dont know if i'm using the right search terms.

estes Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Apprentice Joined: May/31/2011 Location: Webster, ny Status: Offline Points: 93	Post Options Post Reply Quote estes Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Sep/14/2011 at 9:04pm
	I started experimenting with some dash finishes. Here's the glove box door flaked with root beer red over a black base. It's hard to capture the sparkle. The badge is just mocked up for now (had to see what it's gonna look like!)

Rocknthehawk Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Apprentice Joined: Dec/09/2010 Location: Central Mass Status: Offline Points: 116	Post Options Post Reply Quote Rocknthehawk Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Sep/14/2011 at 9:54pm
	Awesome! I love heavy flake...just remember the sun will reflect off of your dash top. I had a show truck with a smoothed/painted dash...looked awesome, but the reflection back onto the wind shield SUCKED.

farna Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Supporter of TheAMCForum Moderator Lost Dealership Project Joined: Jul/08/2007 Location: South Carolina Status: Offline Points: 19675	Post Options Post Reply Quote farna Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Sep/15/2011 at 1:13pm
	That's why I made a simple carpet cover for mine.
	Frank Swygert

estes Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Apprentice Joined: May/31/2011 Location: Webster, ny Status: Offline Points: 93	Post Options Post Reply Quote estes Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Sep/15/2011 at 1:49pm
	That's what I'm thinking of doing. Either that or I'm gonna have a pair of sunglasses on hand all the time!

70rsparks Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Fan Joined: Feb/02/2023 Location: Indiana Status: Offline Points: 1	Post Options Post Reply Quote 70rsparks Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Feb/02/2023 at 10:57am
	I have a 63 Classic wagon myself and I’m doing a lot of the same rust repairs on it, although luckily I caught the issues before mine became as light as yours was. Apparently this is common in these cars.

farna Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Supporter of TheAMCForum Moderator Lost Dealership Project Joined: Jul/08/2007 Location: South Carolina Status: Offline Points: 19675	Post Options Post Reply Quote farna Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Feb/03/2023 at 7:32am
	Wow, this is an old resurrected post! But we get new members all the time... so I assume new to 70rsparks! Yes, rust in the front floors is common. They rust above the heater on the passenger side then start letting water trickle in. There is an opening in the cowl floor to let fresh air in the heater. This has a lip around it so water that gets in the vents at the base of the windshield will flow around the opening and down the side drains. Over time trash gets around the base of the lip and holds in moisture. So a 30+ year old car (they are now 60 years old!), especially if it was kept outside most of the time, will start to get pinholes at the base of the lip, eventually rusting out more and leaking more into the front. There are a couple other places they commonly rust -- main one I can think of is the pinch weld holding the sides (where kick panel vents are) to the firewall. You can see the seam under the front wheel wells. The way it's shaped it can get mud in it. That retains moisture and eventually it will rust out. A well undercoated car won't rust as much there, but by the time they are 50+ years old some of the undercoating has chipped out and you get some. Tailgates on wagons tend to rust in the bottom because the seal for the window doesn't really seal on the outside, letting lots of water in, along with dust. Drains eventually stop up and the bottom rusts out. I had to rebuild the bottom of mine.
	Frank Swygert