Restoring The Look of Your Pontiac Firebird - Weatherstripping Revamp

From time to time, I wonder when the Fourth Generation F-bodies will be considered classics, or collector cars. They have style, performance and a personality all their own, and I feel they will one day be a prized piece. I am not holding my breath, as that day may take some time to come. That doesn't mean these late-model cars aren't plagued by the same problems classic muscle cars have to deal with, such as wear. It's no revelation that weatherstripping is open to the elements, and if it's not cared for properly, will have to be replaced prematurely. Replacement isn't always the only alternative, as we soon found out with our '01 Trans Am. A bucket of water, some 2,000-grit wet/dry sandpaper, and some elbow grease may be all you need to restore the look of your tired weatherstripping.

When a car sits and is improperly cared for, it is at greater risk for deterioration. This is most notable in cars not kept in garages, which is the very predicament this Bird was forced to endure. The paint survived, as well as the majority of the weatherstripping, but the rear glass stripping did not fare so well. It was left pitted and discolored.

Not being one to accept this eyesore, I began my search for a solution to the problem. After talking with a few buddies at a car meet, the answer I was looking for was thrown my way. The idea applies the same to paint; the surface becomes tarnished, but there is still enough material underneath to bring it back. We would acquire the materials to wet-sand our hatch glass weatherstripping in an effort to bring some life back into it.

The simple fact that we were able to pick up the supplies we needed in one location made this appealing. More so was the price; at a hair over $15, we were able to buy Mothers Back-to-Black, 3M Painter's Tape, and 3M 2,000-grit wet/dry sandpaper. The other materials were common hosehold items such as a regular sponge, small bucket, and terrycloth towels. Any of these items can be purchased from your local auto parts store.

Words of wisdom for those with unsteady hands: Apply tape to the paint as well.

This discolored and pitted material is what we were dealing with. It looked as though it was on its last leg, and was in need of replacement.	We started by taping off the glass. It's very easy to get caught in the moment and actually make a few swipes on the glass, which will leave annoying scratches.	We wet the sponge and made a pass over the weatherstripping before we began, allowing us to keep our work surface very wet. Keep a bucket of water close by, so that you can wet the sponge from time to time. We started from the middle on the top and worked our way around. This method worked best for us since we decided to work in sections.
Here is a close-up of the results. Referring back to the original look, this was an amazing difference. The color was deeper, and the surface was smooth to the touch. Be sure to use a single motion that follows the lines of the weatherstripping, as it makes for a more natural appearance to the sanded surface.	The color difference is clearly represented in this image. This can actually looks better with the help of Mothers Back-to-Black.	Differences in the areas we hadn't touched were enough motivation to keep us going around the entire piece of glass. It takes some time to really get in there and eliminate all the pitting, but the results were worth it.
After continuing with the same method on the rest of the glass, it was time to apply the finishing touch. A dry sponge is the perfect applicator for Mothers Back-to-Black and added a wet look to the weather stripping. It goes on just like any other wax, and must sit and soak before you go back over with a dry towel and remove the excess. You may want to keep the painter's tape on so that you don't get any on the glass as it is very greasy and hard to remove.	Here is the completed look of the weatherstripping. It only took about one hour to complete and was worth the time. Now we can sit back and enjoy the deeper look that stands up to close scrutiny from car show-goers. So before you replace your faded weatherstripping, take an hour out of your weekend, $15 dollars out of your pocket, and give it a try.