Padding or Weatherstripping between hood and grill

I have searched the forums to no avail, so I am starting a new thread.

I am restoring the front end of my Willys, and repainting all parts. Very exciting stuff, fenders are almost ready, hood is ready, and the grille is about to be taken off to be restored. My Willys has long ago worn out the cloth weatherstripping where the hood and grille meet. Where can I find that? It looks like it is riveted(?) on. Does anyone have any suggestions on alternatives? I want this to look authentic, but am making concessions here and there (alternator, upgraded brakes, etc...) I can not find it on 4wd.com, is there a better place to look?

Thanks in advance for any advice. I love this forum, so very very helpful.

http://1957willysjeep.blogspot.com/

 

Willys Overland has the web/rivit kit also-uses split rivits like stock

 

I have also searched and came up empty on a front sheet metal assembly question.
Is there any welting or somesuch between the fenders and tub, as well as between the fenders to grille connections? Seems I read something previously but can't find it or recall the recomendation. I was considering using welting similar to a VW beetle type, or perhaps a bead of clear RTV.

 

First off, thanks for the links and suggestions, even knowing what to call it (welt) is a HUGE help.

When I took my fenders off, it looked more like caulking on the tub. Not saying I am going to do that, but that is what I saw. Easily scrapped off. This was a 1960 Willys CJ5, pretty sure the fenders and tub were never seperated.

 

I am also getting close to this point as my tub and all other pieces are being painted now. I was told that there is welting between the fenders and tub and W/O has it. Not sure about between the fenders and grille but I am thinking not. Could be wrong.

 

http://www.walcks4wd.com/Product/Top-of-Grill-Welt-With-Rivets-/4754

 

I used a tan colored exhaust wrap between my hood and grill. The stuff is like burlap and looks really sharp.

 

Used 3M Strip-Caulk between the fenders and tub and also the grille and fenders. Comes in a package of thin ribbons, sticky on ALL sides. Does not retain moisture, prevents metal to metal contact, and if you lay it shy of the edge, it'll compress and you'll never know it's there. Good stuff, only comes in black IIRC. On the top of the grille I re-used a piece of OEM welting off a parts rig, held on with clips from WE Sales #2402. Catalog here:http://www.wesales.com/pdf/2008-2009-WEBCATALOG.pdf Big download 12MB

 

The strip caulk as mentioned is what I used and seemed to match the original. 3-M also has a caulk tube called Seam Filler that is useful where you have body panels that meet such as areas around the cowl that need to flex some but still hold paint.

My welting is held on by small wire clips by the way. At least it will be when I get some.

 

That Caulking between the panels is called Seam-sealer for attaching body panels together with a clean look.. it will harden slightly but will stay pliable enough to stand-up to panels shifting when torqued by off roading, easily preped and painted!

 

That's what's used when they spot-weld fenders together to seal the seams, but Jeep did not use that between the fenders and cowl on the CJ, or fenders and grille. Instead they used butyl caulk (strip caulk, tape caulk), a beige or gray putty that does not harden.

Also IME, Jeep's assembly and body detail were pretty slap-dash, and the caulk was not very carefully applied. The CJs often came through with caulk gapping out from between the fenders, and the line on the cowl was never straight (you'd never see that unless you pulled the fenders off though).

 

Me too, except on some Military Jeeps (M38a1's for example) that had the welting, or what was left of it, between the fender and tub.