<VV> rear side window gaskets for Vair Wagons

[kaczmarek at charter.net]

Good Morning All.

After recent discussions in this forum on the availability of rear side window gaskets for Corvair Wagons...While at work at Steele Rubber Products.....

I was called into Engineering yesterday to look at a set of originals sent in by an owner in Sylva, NC.   Looks like 2 different extrusions are required to make these gaskets.  I asked the engineer to get with  the toolroom manager to get their heads together and figure out what molds must be made for the corners,(if any) and let's get started.  

I also stopped into the President's office, and explained to him that there are plenty enough wagons out there that need these gaskets, and I'm not thinking that the  tooling required will be very costly.  I asked him to "press down" on the Toolroom and Engineering to see if we could have a prototype available for the NC Fall Affair in 2 weeks.   

Our Toolroom is NOTORIOUSLY slow in making dies and molds. Especially considering about 3 million bucks worth of CNC equipment they have down there. 

My opinion on that is well known in the company and shared by most of the employees.  Since I've learned the hard way it's not a good idea to rub salt in open wounds  if you want to keep your job,  it's a can I don't care to open too regularly. By making the President aware of the situation, we'll see what shakes out.  

At this point I'm about 90% sure that we will be reproducing the gaskets. WHEN is the unanswered question.  I'm going to speak with the toolroom supervisor this morning, and see if a fire can be lit under his tail. 

Thought you Wagon Owners would appreciate the heads up.

HANK