Need shrunken deco fix.

[MarkS]

I have the correct side deco's for 67s but the original rubber has shrunk aproximatly 3/4". I test soaked and old normal deco in mineral spirits for a few hours and it did expand to original but after 2 days shrunk back. Anyone have a permanent fix?

[adam912]

I have the same problem on the rear bumper inserts on my '66.

I even tried getting them hot with a heat gun, stretching them to the proper length, then staking the stretched rubber pieces down to a board while they cooled. I put the car back together, 2 weeks later they were short again!

cheers
Adam912.out.

[John Straub]

I have been wanting to try the same thing. Any other ideas?

John

[John Fusco]

Try a search.

I remember a thread where soaking them in some common houehold solution plumped them up.
It may have been in Pano .

I think I saved it somewhere - God knows where.

[execmalibu]

I had 356A decos and I taped diving weights to them and let them hang in the hot California sun for two days..

Let them grow 1 inch to long because they will shink but should end up being perfect.

Worked great!

[Chuck Miller]

WOW!!!!!!

There'ya'go, a simple fix .....

BIG thanks to Jeff......

Cheers

[911pcars]

I had 356A decos and I taped diving weights to them and let them hang in the hot California sun for two days..

Let them grow 1 inch to long because they will shink but should end up being perfect.

Worked great!

Does that work with other items you want to lengthen? Just wondering.

Sherwood

[69S-S/R]

The previous post sounds too painful, think I will not mess with than one.

On the other hand, how about this? Splice a small section onto one end to fill the void. First, find a used, but in similar condition, rocker deco rubber and cut a two of three inch piece off. Then remove the one on your car and carefull cut one end absolutely square, preferally with a sharp Xacto blade and do the same thing to the new piece. Determine the length needed to fill the gap and cut off the excess end, fit the two square ends and reinsert both pieces into the deco.
If the ends are square and butt up snugly the splice will barely be noticeable.

Dr. Rubbers

[classic]

I've had great success with a product called Lanoguard, it's a lanolin based product and i've seen it turn dried out shrunken and cracked rubber to like brand new.

You do have to keep it up to the rubber as it will dry out again, but once every 6 months seems to work in Australia, on a daily driver located next to the ocean.

http://lanoguardaustralia.com.au/

[JT912]

If you are hesitant to replace with new inserts because of the unfinished ends, check out this link.

Deco strip end