Shift boot repair?

**scuncio** · #1 03-05-2007, 06:56 PM

Hi everyone,

I have an near-mint 1969 bench-seat 4-speed shifter boot for my Biscayne but it's got a couple of slices in the accordion-shaped portion due to rubbing from a Hurst shifter. Has anyone been able to repair this kind of damage on a boot? Thanks for the help, Tony

**PeteLeathersac** · #2 03-05-2007, 07:13 PM

Perhaps thin rubber tire tube style patches bonded to the inside would help hold the tears together....filler of some type from the outside if it needs it?.

~ Pete

**njsteve** · #3 03-05-2007, 07:16 PM

I had the same problem with the boot on my T/A. I used 3M black weatherstrip adhesive and it worked very well. Make sure you coat both edges of the crack, let it dry and then stick it together. That is the proper way for contact adhesive to work. If you just goop it on, it wont hold. Good Luck!

**scuncio** · #4 03-05-2007, 07:26 PM

Thanks guys, I may try a combination of the patch and some weatherstrip adhesive. The boot is really, really thin material and I am not sure if the adhesive alone will hold it. Pete, do you have a source for the patches? Like something in a bike tube repair kit? Thanks, Tony

**TDW** · #5 03-05-2007, 07:33 PM

Tony..I have a half dozen old tire patch kits. There is a sheet of rubber patch about 2"x2" in each kit. You could cut strips and make it work? Free if you can use some.

**scuncio** · #6 03-05-2007, 07:35 PM

Deal! Thanks Tony. Need to see if I can catch the Biscayne's P.O. at work while I'm up in the area.

**TDW** · #7 03-05-2007, 07:39 PM

OK..Give me a holler when you are heading up.

Tarrytown SS427s · #8 03-05-2007, 08:34 PM

Hey Tony,
Is your car a 427? I was wondering if you could send me the vin number and cowl tag numbers for my fullsize Chevrolet database. It just hit 4800 cars!
Steve

**PeteLeathersac** · #9 03-05-2007, 08:46 PM

It may be good to test a few dabs of the bonding adhesive from more than one kind of tube repair kit to see which may stick to the old boot rubber best?.

If you have to patch from the inside, pretty thin material will be necessary to conform to the zig-zag shape, so if the kit patches are too thick, perhaps you can cut the thin rubber of a bicycle tube or something similar into the sizes you need...again test the bonding adhesive on your patch pieces too before doing the actual repair..

Like Steve mentioned above, make sure you fully coat the individual pieces with the bonding material stuff and let dry as req'd to get tacky before you attempt sticking the pieces together..

On the danger scene, use in a well ventilated area or you'll probably be buzzing from inhaling the fumes of the bonding goop...unless you want this to happen on purpose?

.

Good luck...and have fun?!

~ Pete

**scuncio** · #10 03-05-2007, 09:28 PM

Thanks guys, great ideas here. I'll post pics of the repair (only if I'm successful!). Appreciate the safety warning Pete! Just like the model airplane glue, right?

Steve, this is a 427 car - I will send you that info.