1963 VW Beetle Door Restoration: Stripping Window Seals & "Tub-and-Tile" Caulk! (Ep. 13)

It’s time to fix those "stuck" windows and leaky doors! In Episode 13 of the 1963 Beetle revival, we dive into the first half of a major rubber and seal overhaul. The goal is to replace every piece of dry-rotted rubber—from the felt window channels to the outer door scrapers—to make the Bug quiet and weather-tight once again. The teardown revealed some classic "shade tree" repairs, including an outer door seal that had been glued in place with household tub-and-tile caulk. We spent hours carving out the silicone and "caked-and-baked" rubber to get the door down to its original Gulf Blue shell. We also unboxed a full "Brazilian-style" seal kit, finding some pleasant surprises and a few warehouse mix-ups along the way. The hard part is over—now it’s time for the clean reassembly! Video Highlights: • [01:30] Handle Removal: The "nail and tap" trick for pushing out the stubborn pins in the door handles. • [04:30] Panel Teardown: Ripping out the trashed door panels and finding some 60-year-old candy wrappers inside. • [05:45] The Problem: Identifying the "trashed" felt channel that was causing the window to bind. • [07:45] Clip Collection: Prying out the corroded metal clips that used to hold the door welt in place. • [09:45] Interior Options: Discussing the $200 vs. $400 door panel choices for the "Sky Blue/White" theme. • [11:45] The Caulk Discovery: Scraping away the household silicone used for a "quick fix" door seal. • [14:45] Unboxing: Sorting through the new window channels, vent seals, and chrome sweeps. • [17:35] Next Steps: Prepping for a clean reassembly of the window regulator and new felt. SUBSCRIBE to PCH Garage to see the final reassembly and the functional window test in Part 2! #VWBeetle #WindowSeals #PCHGarage #VolkswagenRestoration #AirCooledVW #DoorSealRepair #ClassicCarInterior #BeetleRevival #63Bug #DIYAutoRestoration