Unobtainable seal for a classic car: a bespoke solution

ISSUE

• On classic cars, door seals, window frames, guide rails and weatherstrips are specific to each model: when they are no longer available in the catalogue, restoration comes to a complete standstill – no watertight seal, no reassembly, no resale, and the heritage value erodes as long as the vehicle remains out of action
• The profiles required are often incomplete or no longer available in the original catalogues, necessitating reconstruction based on the worn part or the drawings – a task that standard suppliers do not undertake
• The standard industry practice imposes minimum quantities (several hundred metres) that are completely out of proportion to a requirement for a single unit or for just a few metres for a vehicle
• An ill-fitting seal compromises both ease of installation and the long-term effectiveness of the seal: rework in the workshop is time-consuming and weakens the assembly

BORFLEX SOLUTIONS

• Profile measurement based on the existing part (worn original seal, dimensioned photograph) or available drawings, with a faithful reconstruction of the design; the workshop works from what already exists rather than from a missing catalogue
• A bespoke elastomer formulation (EPDM, silicone, neoprene or TPE) selected according to the required hardness, resilience and UV/ozone resistance, ensuring suitability for the application rather than a generic compromise
• Small- or medium-scale production, including single-unit orders, thanks to in-house process expertise (conventional and autoclave extrusion, cutting, finishing, assembly); bespoke production is available where standard industry practices fall short
• Factory-finished assembly (cut to length, chamfering, joints, corner finishing), resulting in a joint that is ready to install without the need for further work in the workshop

WHAT IT HAS ACHIEVED

By reconstructing the profile from the existing part and custom-formulating the appropriate elastomer, BORFLEX enables restorations to proceed which, in the absence of a catalogue part, would otherwise have been put on hold. The vehicle can be reassembled, returned to the road or put back on the market, and its resale value ceases to decline.

Small-batch or made-to-order production also overcomes the structural obstacle of the minimum order quantities imposed by the standard industry: the restaurant owner orders what they need, rather than stock that they would have to spread across ten vehicles. The factory-fitted finishes eliminate the need for rework in the workshop, resulting in direct time savings and a more reliable seal over time.