Drip Rail Install

[David Hall]

I've searched drip rail on the forum and only found shaving them. I want to go the other way and install them. I sand blasted, etch primed and painted the mounts. Originally they come with a paper thin gasket on the back to keep them from rubbing the paint and seal the bolt holes. I'm thinking about thin glass setting tape (1/32). This may eventually streak the paint though.
I've been told permatex, double sided tape or to just use nothing at all.

[Blazin]

A good quality two sided emblem tape should do the trick.

[David Hall]

I don't think emblem tape is water proof enough for this application. Also I don't want the installation permanent.
Thanks for the reply.

[Blazin]

The 3M tape I use is made of a foam type rubber. I would think it should seal out any water when pinched down by the screws between the roof and drip rail.

[78 Chevyrado]

Anything bolted down or stuck to the paint is basically permanent.  Once it's clamped down for a while with whatever you use it sticks to the paint anyway.  I used non sticky foam on my 77 and when one rail had to be removed 2 years later the paint came off with it around a couple of the bolt holes.  when the retainers were new they had a single sided sticky foam tape on them.  If you don't use anything under them then they won't keep the water back and will be useless.  I have used rtv on some rails and it worked great, but I never planned on them being removable so I can't tell you how they'll come back off and clean up.

[JJSZABO]

When I reinstalled mine, I used 3M weatherstrip adhesive.  Worked great.  I ran a small bead down the center of each rail and put a dab on each screw hole to seal the holes when the screws were installed.