What is the best "rubber rejuvenator" to use on my original 1970 roof rail weather stripping?

A good scrubbing with Simple Green and then a wipe with 303 made mine look like new....

You could use the same stuff they use to rejuvenate condoms.

Focus Stanton

U[quote=Stanton]You could use the same stuff they use to rejuvenate condoms

My point was: There is no "rejuvinating" old rubber. Rotten rubber is ... rotten rubber. If ArmorAll doesn't pretty it up, replace it.

I had much rather have 45 plus year old weatherstripping than many of the reproduction pieces and I am involved in the manufacturing and selling of weatherstripping. The sun does more damage to the product than the other weather elements. So cars out of the extreme Southwest and extreme Southeast typically may be dried out and cracked. But otherwise, as long as it is not torn, most door seals and roofrail seals can be cleaned up and brought back to life. Lacquer thinner and a soft cleaning with a rag will remove paint overspray with time. Once clean, simply soak in a good cleaning solution as Simple Green or Royal Purple. Both of these cleaners can be quite strong, so do not allow them to simply sit for extended periods. Once clean, various manufactures like Mothers and Meriguiers make good treatment products. Do not hang the seals for extended periods say from rafters or ladders. They will stretch over a extended period. Just simply lay on a surface in a loose loop and do not lay anything on them. You will save yourself $100 plus and maintain an original part to the car and the seals will work much better than any of the reproductions.

I have taken spray silicon to the weatherstrip on my cars, let it soak in, so the rubber stays pliable and soft . . . if it is hollow type seal, I spray it on the inside, as well as the outside . . . done that to my new cars too . . .

It may be worth your while to try a product that protects against UV rays as well as protect and soften your original 1970 roof rail weatherstripping. If your strips are not rotten, I'd go with Aerospace 303. Especially if these get blasted by the sun when you're out.

Another vote for Simple Green and 303 - this stuff is the best. I would never put silicone containing anything on rubber or vinyl - that is useless, it's just cheap.

Thanks for the suggestions. My original weather stripping is not torn or rotten, it just has lost it softness and has a slight bleached look to it. The problem is, all of the after market weather stripping I have tried, just doesn't fit quite right, for one reason or another, they have not had the exact specification of the factory weather stripping (too large, too small, lumps at the seams, etc.). I have plenty of Simple Green and Lacquer thinner. Where can Aerospace 303 be purchased?

You're in St. Louis so that's a bit far from where I am and therefore, I can't say. Try going on-line to do a dealer search for Aerospace 303 products. That's how I found where I got my supply locally.

303 can be purchased at Advance Auto Parts