Rubber dust cover staple question

Unknown

Kind of an offbeat question, but I was wondering if anyone can tell me how they have installed the flat rubber dust covers from KGap. I call them dust covers, but what I am referring to is the flat rubber that goes along the inside of the fender to the inner fender, and also goes just above the upper A arm on the inner fender. Hudson originally used thick staples, and while I know there must be a trick to doing it, I dont know how or where to start getting staples back into the oringal holes. I know it is possible to duplicate (I have seen it on some GM show cars), but wondering what is the correct and easy way to do it. Oh, I am not interested in just slapping some glue on there. Call me crazy.

Geoff

Dennis, I wondered the same thing, how they ever got a stapler powerful enough to punch through sheet metal! Must have been air powered I'm sure, but how they got the anvil behind??? I did it the cheats way with my Jet, just drilled holes and pop-rivetted the new dust cover on with fender washers. Okay, not original, but it holds them in, and in the 15 years I have had my Jet restored not one person has ever noticed.

Geoff.

Walt-LA

I pulled the old staples with the idea of using wire put through from the inside, and crimped in the finder well. I've seen where that was done on a disassembled car, and it looks good, but must be tedious to do. Am going to do as Geoff, except use a 3/4 inch strip to back up the rubber - and will glue it as well. Used flat washers and sheet metal screws paintdd black for the gravel guards front and rear. Functional, at least. Walt

hudsonguy

I restored my '49 Super Six undercarriage last winter using all of the fresh K-Gap parts available, and anything that was originally attached with staples I used copper pop rivets with stainless steel backup washers on both sides. It was easy to do, it looks great, although certainly not original, and best of all....they won't rust. I could've used stainless rivets too, but felt like adding a little 'color' !



On a side note, I used POR-15 paint for everything on the undercarriage and engine compartment, including the canvas 'curtains' attached to the inner fenders. They're really stiff now, which doesn't seem to really be a problem, and it allowed me to attach them with the pop rivets and washers.



Good luck,



Doug