laytex or rubber? which one would you use?

Ok that title should get a big post count huh? We have to get a trunk weather strip for a customers 66 chebby. I called classic industries and they said they have a rubber one for about 20 bucks and a laytex one for like 79 bucks. Anyone run into that on any other weatherstrips? The guy just would tell me that one was softer than the other.

thanks
corey

41 looks but no ideas? wonder what all got on thier minds?

because he didn't really know either. Usually in common American usage, rubber is the most general term and latex is slightly more more specific. Depending on context, I sometimes can tell if latex is refering to natural rubber (derived from the sap) or a synthesized product. Much of latex paint today is an acrylic emulsion with no latex ruber at all. (which is one reason why wood windows and doors painted with latex paints stick and jam - use oil/alkyds)

http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Latex+(rubber)

So you see its going to be very hard to answer your question since the salesman didn't really give you enough information to base a decision on. They might diffrent material, but they might also be different constriction and even different profile. In fact, my experience is that you want to see the profile (cross section) of any so called reproduction weatherstrip part.

edit: a Chebby? There should be lots of sources, but if you have trouble finding cross sections or just getting the run arround on facts, try Restoration Specialty Supply (might be Restoration speciaties supplies, inc) in Wind gap or windber, Pa. (Sorry my catalog is not here). They may even have an on-line catalog now. Mopar stuff too. They made the belt weatherstrips (window felts) for my Baracuda using the correct material based on the originals from the car. The incorrect ones of course didn't function very well.

thanks. I did ask him if he had hight or cross section profile and he had none. He even ssaid well you need to trim it to fit the length. I said no I want to know the height and he had no info on that. Will try calling and seeing if I get another guy. I did join chevytalk.org and asked another question on where to buy door and 1.4 window eatherstrip and have gotten very little help. not the info like moparts is!

Contact restorationspecialties.com and you'll get the right answer and good parts.

I've probably bought 50 trunk weatherstrippings from Classic (or more) for first gen Camaros. (I'm a dealer there and buy abit to ship to Oz and use on cars we are doing up)

I normally just get the cheaper ones, but did try one of the latex ones for a higher end car I built for my buddy....

From memory, the latex one had almost a skin to it versus the rubber one, and think (been a little while) that it did 'clip' into and hold a little better into the trunk rail better than the cheaper ones normally do.

The cheaper ones, you do have to slam the trunk abit as well, as they seem a little bit firm.

thanks oz! Thats what I was wondering. Thinks its worth the extra 50 bucks?

I only used the expensive ones once, and didn't bother with the extra cost since

Guess since the trunk doesn't get used much never really worried about it? And was not like a huuuuuuuuge difference to them from memory.

If I was doing a car to keep for myself I might consider the better ones perhaps, but I'd run down to Classic and give both styles a 'feel' again to refresh my memory. Only been buying the cheaper ones over the years made me forget 100% what the others were like.

I know the roof rail weatherstrippings fit nicely in my opinion, but not sure what style they would consider them compared to the two styles of trunk ones.

BTW...I believe the latex are supposed to more similar to the factory ones, where the rubber ones look a little different (think the latex had that like skin to them? or visa-versa)

And the latex might have been a tad softer as well.