Not the soft spongy foam stuff, at least not yet, three years down the road and that's all still holding up. No, I'm talking about the harder thicker stuff. Noticed quite soon after fitting new fuel cap grommet that it split after only six months. I'm back to eyeing up the 50 year old original - no splits just a bit out of shape. Clutch rod boot gone too, the same way, but can't find original which was still perfectly usable. Same for brake and clutch pedal pads, both put on two years ago and both in worse state now than 50 year originals. Annoying of all is the gas tank sender gasket. That's gone in three months. Original did it's job till the very end but fell apart on removal. Had new windshield fitted the other day and fellow fitting said my story is all too common. Said new windshield rubber might see ten, perhaps less and that I should regularly treat it. Said chemicals once used in rubber as a preserving or anti-perish agent now no longer used on account of being hazardous, also muttered something mildly cynical about in-built obsolecence. Yeah. As if.
So what now? A burgeoning trade in vintage rubber?
Also, anyone have an alternative idea regards that sender gasket?
