Pnm engineering weather window seals

[GoM100Go]

I just ordered a set of window seals from pnm engineering. Anyone have experience with the seals? Thanks.

http://www.pnmengineering.com/lotus-bod ... assis.html (scroll to the bottom)


-James

[jHamshaw]

I just ordered a set of window seals from pnm engineering. Anyone have experience with the seals? Thanks.

http://www.pnmengineering.com/lotus-bod ... assis.html (scroll to the bottom)


-James

No, but it looks like they're doing clear front indicator lenses too

http://www.pnmengineering.com/lotus-lighting.html (listed as Esprit 93 on but I'm pretty sure they're the same?)

[WienLot]

Hi guys,

Just started to replace the seals on my car. It is a Elan S1 1991
Because I seriously struggled so far, I thought I would put some feed-back here in case that may be of help to anyone.
Here is the way I managed to do so far:

First read all the following stuff:

<< The glass has to come out. Several have tried dropping the glass into the door shell but there is always a screw or bolt that gets in the way. You don't have to gut the door, but you will find it easiest if you remove the glass. It has been a long time since I pulled my window glass, but I believe once you remove the door card and gain access to the insides of the door shell, you remove the up-stops from the glass and release the butterfly clip (don't get your fingers pinched as the door tries to go to the bottom of the door shell) and you can gently raise the glass out of the door shell.

There are several write-up on LEC the most common references are the one in the WikiLEC.

Door card removal is here: http://wikilec.9600.org/index.php/Door_Trim
Door Glass removal is here: http://wikilec.9600.org/index.php/Door_glass
Weatherstrips replacement is here: http://wikilec.9600.org/index.php/Door_ ... therstrips You don't have to do all of the tab rebuilding, but the process is basically the same otherwise. >> BCN


Now, my additional personal tips with pics:

You will face the following issue: can't access with a screwpull two of the screws which are in a way 'hidden' by the rear and the central window guide channels. How to gain access as follows:

10 - inside the door.JPG

Door Rear end window guide channel:
You will need to 'move' the window guide channel. How-to:

13 - solution.JPG

12 - needed access.JPG

Door central window guide channel:
Use similar solution with the window central guide channel

15 - solution.JPG

14 - needed access.JPG

Now you have taken the old seal off the car and can see how the PNM seal is matching very well:

16 - Copie.JPG

But as you are already aware, you need to adjust them to your car now (Description below and dimensions may need to be adjusted to your car. Please check as each car can be different...).
Here is how I did, but please take care when using any sharp knife or cutter... That may be fairly tricky and dangerous depending the tool(s) you use:

Seal front end 'How-to'

1- Cut the hard plastic part right at the metal end (do not cut the rubber at this step)

20 - step 1 .JPG

2 - if you can, tear the plastic part you cut of the rubber:

21 - step 2 .JPG

3- assuming you were successfull (without damaging the rubber part), time has come to cut the rubber part:

22 - step 3 .JPG

4- hopefully, you have now a perfect front end seal:

23 - front end ready .JPG

Part II: ...see next post ! (max 10 pics per post )


Cheers
WienLot

[WienLot]

Part II

Seal rear end 'How-to'

1- present the front end of the seal in the door. Make sure you don't scratch the paint with the stainless steel part !

25 - Present new seal rear end.JPG

Measure the seal total lenght needed (in my case I had to reduce the seal lenght by 5 or 6 mm).
When doing so, you absolutely need to check that all of the 10 holes inside are fully aligned between the PNM seal and the holes in the door !

27 - Adjust seal length to your door.JPG

At that moment, you may wish to make a small cut to the door seal rubber in order to ease fitting the PNM seal:

26 - If appropriate in your car case, cut as shown.JPG

Cut the PNM seal's rear end to adjust length (may partly refer to my here above previous post, but read step 2 below first !).

2- you now have to make a cut in the hard plastic part as per pic below. I indeed recommend to do like that as it will help keeping the upper rubber part 'firm' so to say.

28 - adjust rear end.JPG

Your seal is now ready !

Now it is time fitting the seal on the door. Again make sure you don't scratch the paint with the stainless steel part !

34 - Present seal in final shape.JPG

Final tips: you will notice that the PNM seals have a (welcome however quite thick) stainless steel part. They are not easy to bend and stick to the door external shape.
Thus my personal reco is to start presenting and installing the screws from the front end of the seal until the rear end of the seal. The very last screw might reveal not easy to introduce and screw, but you will manage.
(I did try to install the last (rear end) screw after having installed the first half number of screws from the front end, but I couldn't at all then bend the seal... Now if someone find another better way that will help the next ones starting to look at doing the job on their own car...

Cheers
WienLot

[TrevorB]

Thanks Wienlot that will help us enormously. Great pics and explanation.
If there are anymore members completed this task and want to add their
comments please do as I'm sure it will help the rest of us.
There were a lot brought in the Group Buy so who's been successful?
Thanks again.
Trevor

[WienLot]

Part II
... Now if someone find another better way that will help the next ones starting to look at doing the job on their own car...
WienLot

After giving some additional thoughts I decided to make 3 cuts to the stainless steel part in order to bend the rear end of the seal.

17 - Copie.JPG

(Pic above of left hand seal)

I used a Dremel with a thick circular disk (not a saw). Then, to obtain the needed curve and fit the door shape, I had to 'open a bit' the first and second cuts and 'shut a bit' the third one, just as the pic below shows (right hand seal).

38 - 3 cuts done .JPG

(Unfortunately the Dremel slipped from my hands when I made the first cut and nicked the rubber part (on the right of the pic): I wasn't holding the dremel tight enough...)

The seal is now in place and perfectly fits the door curves. [for final pic see next post]
WienLot

[GoM100Go]

Wow, I thought it might be quite a job. As it turn out it is. I do wish lotus would have put push/ pull fastener clips instead of screws on this weather seal... Another lotus special. I will for sure be taking mine into a specialty shop to do, along with all your help on doing the job. Thanks and I do hope the cuts in the metal allow for a nice bend at the end. I did mention when mine arrived how the end is not curved like originals... thanks again for the post.

-James

[WienLot]

Same job with the opposite door now done. Good news is that the PNM seal was already showing a curve (looking at it from the top). I did the 3 cuts, put it back on the door: superb result. Thanks PNM.
Caution: the less you remove the screws and re-install them on the door the better it is. Even being under Lotus licence... fiberglass isn't as resistant as metal body can be.
My reco is to do the 3 cuts then only install the PNM seal on the car. Might be good to put some glue with the screws to hold them a bit. I'll probably do so before re-assembling the window glass.

Some photos with drop glass in place:

40 - Left hand door Rear end.JPG

44 - Left hand door Seal in place.JPG

WienLot

[mikeydude]

I actually did a reasonable fix by sikaflexing new ones over the top of the originals

[Artaban]

I did this job in the summer and found it suprisingly easy. I didn't find it necessary to make any cuts in the metal of the PNM seals as the strip fits quite easily if you screw in the centre 3 screws first, then either end and then the ones in between. I would recommend making sure the screw is a tight fit and the hole hasn't been enlarged by your attempts to drill out the old rusty ones. I took the opportunity to remove, clean and lubricate the window channels and properly align the window glass to the seals. Now no water comes in when I'm driving in the rain. I also renewed all the brush seals within the door and the interior rubber seal along the inside of the top of the door.

The only difficult part I found was getting the door glass back in where you really need two pairs of hands. All in all it took me a weekend but I did do a lot of work on both doors as I didn't want to have to take the glass out again.

Hope your fitting goes well.

Andy

[tb10]

Evening all!

Just a quick question:

What size screws do you use for the weatherstrips? I have got some very rusty examples and I was trying to find some stainless replacements!

Regards


John

[GoM100Go]

Thanks for the write up and photos, I plan to do this project for spring break. I ran out of time during the holiday break. Thanks again WienLot.

-James

[Mr Fixit]

just about to do this, what else is worth doing when the door is in bits, ie brush strips etc (and where do i get them?)

TA

[Tuga2112]

just about to do this, what else is worth doing when the door is in bits, ie brush strips etc (and where do i get them?)

TA

Just trying to help a bit with my previous experience, take it for what is worth.

I wouldn't worry about staching the jobs, unless you already have something broken that needs fixing, the first time i did it was the hard one, if you need to do it again you won't struggle, just remember the butterfly clips, spare orange clip, some locktite and that the weather strips are not a perfect fit, so you will need to adapt them to your car.

The screews holding mine were very rusted I found penetrating oil and dremel ( specially the dremel ) very useful.

First time I did it took me nearly all day, when I did it for the second time (other door) took me I think 2 hours, including rust fighting
i just wish I had read this thread before i did it first time

Either way, if you need any help just pm me and I'll help with what I can remember.