1956 to 1959 NOS Door Weatherstrips with S in Diamond Logo

[Richard M.]

A friend loaned me 4 NOS 1956 to 1959 door weatherstrips, 3736269(L) 3736270(R) for pictures, measurements and research. These have the "S in a Diamond" logo in 4 places. I have never seen these with visually sharp logos before.

The area where the door post top area mounts, a spliced molded piece has one, then after the spice down the vertical door post is another about 14" within a spliced molded section, then another splice to a main molded long section which wraps around the door. Then from the previous logo, about 24" later along the main portion, then another about 35" along the main portion.

I added a rough drawing with some notes and measurements. I used some Duct Tape to mark their locations. I checked 2 of the 4 weatherstrips and they both have identical logo locations. Will check the other two when I get a chance.

edit... The 3rd is identical to the first 2. The 4th is different as there is a splice of 2 main pieces part way along the assembly. I also took a profile view photo of the end piece. Pictures added below with notes.





























One of the 4 I have here had a splice in the main section. The main section was likely on a roll and when the end was reached a new roll was brought out and spliced using glue or a heat process to bond the ends. I suspect this is where we can see variations of Logo placement on various weatherstrips. Here are some photos and measurements of the odd one.

From the door post corner section logo, after the 2 logos at the top and corner sections, the next logo is 33", then the splice 14" from that. The last logo is 38" from the previous logo, and apx 24" from the splice.



Here is a end profile photo. You can see the white cord embedded in the rubber.


Here are some better views of the spliced/glued/bonded sections on the door post end. There is a logo at each top molded end piece, and always a logo at the molded corner section. The spliced section profile between the two is identical to the main piece. Since that is the case, I believe it's possible that a logo may be seen there on some weatherstrips, however quite unlikely.



In summary, the Logos always appear on the 2 door post molded pieces. The main/long piece appears to have logos spaced at apx 24" from the corner then apx 35" from there. Variations of Logo placement may be seen on spliced assemblies. Also, since the main piece profile is unique, variations in Logo placement may occur if the weatherstrip assembly is either a Right or a Left. This is because the main has to be flipped/swapped when spliced/glued to the door post corners based on which side door it is used on.

Rich

===

[Garry B.]

Re: 1956 to 1959 NOS Door Weatherstrips with S in Diamond Logo

Rich, thanks for starting another thread. My apologies to John.

Your w/s are very typical of the ones I have seen. The logo marked A is a smaller logo and is located on the backside of the molded door post end and is one that I don't reproduce because you can't see it after the w/s is installed. My original note about my findings should have included 24" because that is fairly common and the 35" is very common. When installing these you start with the door post end and work your way around where typically you will trim from 6" to 8" off the end at the top of the door. The only alteration I have made to this configuration is by moving the distance between B and C to 27" (which is also original) and then going 35" to D, it allows D to be more visible on the back side of the door. I had several owners request this so that judges could see them and know they are there. With the configuration you have, all of the logos are hard to find. Either way is accurate based on my research.

Have you checked all four and are they all the same? Does he have any other pieces such as deck lid or trunk? These are much more rare because they weren't replaced as often as the doors and therefore fewer replacements were made. They are out there though.

[Richard M.]

Re: 1956 to 1959 NOS Door Weatherstrips with S in Diamond Logo

Rich, thanks for starting another thread. My apologies to John.

Your w/s are very typical of the ones I have seen. The logo marked A is a smaller logo and is located on the backside of the molded door post end and is one that I don't reproduce because you can't see it after the w/s is installed. My original note about my findings should have included 24" because that is fairly common and the 35" is very common. When installing these you start with the door post end and work your way around where typically you will trim from 6" to 8" off the end at the top of the door. The only alteration I have made to this configuration is by moving the distance between B and C to 27" (which is also original) and then going 35" to D, it allows D to be more visible on the back side of the door. I had several owners request this so that judges could see them and know they are there. With the configuration you have, all of the logos are hard to find. Either way is accurate based on my research.

Have you checked all four and are they all the same? Does he have any other pieces such as deck lid or trunk? These are much more rare because they weren't replaced as often as the doors and therefore fewer replacements were made. They are out there though.

Good info Gary, thanks,

I just edited the above post, while I still could, and just checked the other 2. One is unique due to a splice in the main section and I included more photos and info.

I'll check with my friend if he has any others for decklid/trunk.

I have to go out for the day to help a friend work on his '67 to prep it for Lakeland, so I'll be away from the TDB all day. Will check in tonight.

Thanks,
Rich

[Gary C.]

Re: 1956 to 1959 NOS Door Weatherstrips with S in Diamond Logo

Gary and Rich,

BTW, I have several later OEM 56-7 door weatherstrips with the "Diamond S" only on the back side of the small end, but not on the rest of the weatherstrip. Now if I could only find them.

Gary
....

[Tom B.]

Re: 1956 to 1959 NOS Door Weatherstrips with S in Diamond Logo

In early 1971 when I got out of the Army I ordered every piece of weatherstrip I could get for my '59. I have the deck and trunk strips. My goal was to order any part from GM that I thought I might need someday. I'm glad I did it then since many parts disappeared from the catalog over the next decade. All of these parts were cataloged and boxed and I haven't ever opened any of these packages. Some w/s were in paper envelopes like the ones pictured but I think the trunk and deck w/s were rolled on a spool.

I'll look for my card file later today so I can see which boxes the w/s are in.

Tom

[Garry B.]

Re: 1956 to 1959 NOS Door Weatherstrips with S in Diamond Logo

Tom, I envy guys who look ahead to the point you did. To be clear, the logo'd weatherstrips we are discussing apply to '53 to very early '59 (of which I have never seen them on a '59). With that said, the deck lid and trunk lid for the '59 changed to a tubular shape versus the early molded w/s and once again did not have the logo. If you possibly ordered and purchased w/s that were represented as '59, but in fact were earlier production, those would be what we are talking about. Thanks for your input.

[Garry B.]

Re: 1956 to 1959 NOS Door Weatherstrips with S in Diamond Logo

Hi Gary. It's been a long time. I hope you are well.

Seriously? That would be a new one that I haven't seen. This would really open up a can of "new worms" for the judges huh?

[Tom B.]

Re: 1956 to 1959 NOS Door Weatherstrips with S in Diamond Logo

Tom, I envy guys who look ahead to the point you did. To be clear, the logo'd weatherstrips we are discussing apply to '53 to very early '59 (of which I have never seen them on a '59). With that said, the deck lid and trunk lid for the '59 changed to a tubular shape versus the early molded w/s and once again did not have the logo. If you possibly ordered and purchased w/s that were represented as '59, but in fact were earlier production, those would be what we are talking about. Thanks for your input.

That jogs my memory a little. I now remember that the tubular ones were available when I bought mine were not the same as original. I'll still dig out the others to see what's in the door w/s packages.

Tom

[Richard M.]

Re: 1956 to 1959 NOS Door Weatherstrips with S in Diamond Logo

Gary and Rich,

BTW, I have several later OEM 56-7 door weatherstrips with the "Diamond S" only on the back side of the small end, but not on the rest of the weatherstrip. Now if I could only find them.

Gary
....

Gary, In boxes or paper bags? I have a old NOS set here in tattered boxes. Just the S logo at the ends iirc.

More info.....Another friend sent me photos of his Dec '58 built 1959 original door weatherstrip. One S logo at the curved section of the door post. Needs to check for others but unable due to inadequate door open space. But another oddity.... A letter "D" part way down the end of the door near the latch mechanism. I've not seen that before.

[Garry B.]

Re: 1956 to 1959 NOS Door Weatherstrips with S in Diamond Logo

Rich, great to see an actual early '59 to validate some of what is understood about these logos. It makes sense that the S that he did find near the door post is most likely on the molded door post piece that was made separately and then attached the remaining straight piece. This is the way they had been constructed from '56 on. The '53 and '54's did not have the molded door post portion. I have seen D's and O's on older NOS weatherstrips, but couldn't definitively determine the application.

Here's my speculation. As I understand from my research, all outsourced GM parts had to carry an identifying mark so that GM would know who the manufacturer was. In the case of the "diamond S" the most accepted understanding is that these were manufactured by Schlegel Manufacturing of Rochester, NY. It makes reasonable sense that the S designated this manufacturer's name. I can't explain the D changeover for the '59 model year, nor can I definitively explain why a carryover "diamond S" molded door post piece would be adhered to a strip with the letter D other than it actually was a carryover piece that was used and eventually rolled over to new inventory that did not contain the diamond S. We do know that there were several changes to the '59 weatherstrip profile and installation mechanisms, so changing the designation may have been necessary. Great stuff Rich. Thanks for helping expand out knowledge of this area.

[Garry B.]

Re: 1956 to 1959 NOS Door Weatherstrips with S in Diamond Logo

Additional Update for those interested: I knew that I had some additional information concerning the D logo. There was another company by the name of Dryden Rubber Company. They manufactured chemically blown sponge rubber products for military vehicles from 1937 to 1949 in Keokuk, IA. A company called Sheller Manufacturing purchased the plant in 1949 and operated there until 1966 where they named it Dryden Rubber Division and later Dryden-Keokuck Division. At this point in their history they began making urethane foam for furniture parts such as arm rests, etc.

So, my questions are: Were the original w/s made by Schlegel Manufacturing or were they made by Sheller Manufacturing which would also align to the "diamond S" explanation and logo theory?
If Sheller was the original manufacturer, did they then use the "D" designation for their Dryden Rubber Division as a supplier to GM when they rolled over to '59 production year? OR, was Schlegel the original supplier through '58 and Dryden became the supplier beginning in late '58-early '59?

I lean towards the last scenario. Several years ago I communicated with a corvette owner who's name escapes me, but he responded to a research question I put out to the world and his father worked for Sheller for many years (during this era) and he asked if he recalled the company making automotive weatherstrips and if they had an S logo on them. He did not recall a product like that and suggested that a competitor of theirs named Schlegel was most likely the manufacturer that I was looking for. End of story? Probably not knowing this group.