Front Bumper Seal (1) Piece or (3) Piece?

[tom1394racing]

I am getting ready to install the front bumper on my '70E project. I have two types of front seals. One is a (1) piece seal from Stoddard and the other is a (3) piece seal from IMC. I have done trial installations of the center section of both types and find the fit of the (3) piece to be better. The one piece seems to need some trimming around the transition from the latch panel to the horn grills. I recall reading somewhere that the (3) piece is more original.

So my questions are:

1. Which is the correct seal or is there a "correct" seal?

2. Looking at the photo of the of the latch to horn grill transition with the (3) piece seal, how do the the hood. center and fender seals butt together? Is it like I've shown or does the hood seal get trimmed shorter and the fender seal butts to the center seal? Should the joints be glued together and what glue will work best?

3. If the (1) piece seal is correct, how does it get trimmed to make the transition from the latch panel to the horn grill area?

Any all all help appreciated!

[edmayo]

The one piece is what I have always seen. I install the center section as you have done, then then try to push the center section as compressed as possible to allow for future shrinking, then trim that upper flap as necessary to butt up to the horn grill. Then trim hood seal to land on top of the newly trimmed flap.

[edmayo]

Additionally,,,you want that bumper to body seal to be one continuous piece when installed and viewed from head on. It wouldn't be if it were interuppted by the trunk seal coming all the way down as in your first picture. Of course the one piece seal is three pieces glued together!

[moito]

Of course the one piece seal is three pieces glued together!

the bonded joint is`nt very resilient and will break when bent to much...happened to me 3 times that i got a new and already broken seal from porsche.

[tom1394racing]

the bonded joint is`nt very resilient and will break when bent to much...happened to me 3 times that i got a new and already broken seal from porsche.

I found the same thing. Mine tore while pressing the bead into the latch panel with my bone tool. The (3) piece seal was a much better fit. I am temped to use the (3) piece seal and glue the horn grill to latch panel joint as Ed suggests rather than buy another one piece seal.

[71gold]

I was looking back at my original 73 details for those seals
See photos