I'm going to say it came from the factory this way. Anybody here that can confirm this?

 

 

 

Is that a 4th Gen????

I bought my 94 brand new, still have it, and the original hatch seals/weatherstripping (appears to be what you are asking about, not the "trim" strip that is glued on the edge of the glass) are smooth and aligned correctly, as they came from the factory.

 

Yeah, not the weather stripping. The metal trim around the glass.
Mine is not glued but rather set in place with some type of RTV and they used a lot of it. See in the pictures where it's all over the glass. And yeah, mines a 4th gen. 2002 Z28, came off the line 3 days before they shut down the plant.

 

The trim strip on mine is flexible plastic. From the day I bought it, black ooze was coming out from under it.... nothing like the blobs you show. After maybe 8 years the ooze stopped. It came right off with solvent, and I guess eventually it just ran out of the glue under the plastic trim. I have never seen a problem like what you show.

This was a frequently discussed problem 10-15 years ago, but I haven't seen anyone asking about if for a long time.

 

Plastic trim - yes, mine is too.
Black ozze - yes, that's the stuff.
Mines to thick to get rid of with solvent. I guess I'll cut and trim it off with a razor blade. I can't believe quality control let that pass.

 

It didn't look like that when it left the factory. It developed as the car sat in the hot sun - mine spent it's first year in the heat of Southern California. It did not bubble or ooze like that. It was just a rough edge next to the trim. No one would have allowed what you have to leave the factory. That has either been replaced with a sloppy install, or someone managed to ignore it for 12 years and let it get out of hand. All it took to control it was a wipe with solvent every 6 months.

 

OK, now it makes sense.
I didn't relize the black goop would ooze out over the years.
Thanks Injuneer.