^ Agreed, except at least DMC's product offering already has the small tube attached in one end to facilitate joining the ends, like so:
http://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?at...7&d=1477162231
Also, I never heard about different products for early cars. That's a new one to me. I have a fairly early car, and I do know that DMC redesigned the seals in 2016 based on a factory change that never got implemented in 1982. They essentially found a later factory engineering drawing to address issues with the original design, and had that design made. Like so:
http://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?at...2&d=1511210648
I noticed the company stamp in the rubber, and that these have a shorter "wipe" and it was moved outward. Also, the drainage holes were moved to the outside. These are the ones that I installed last year and they work awesome. I highly recommend them.
I applied clear silicone spray to the new seals and the door surfaces that it meets. Leaving the car outside in the sun for a few hours after installation helps the rubber settle a bit if necessary.