Blower Motor Gasket?

[1980 Big Ten]

UPDATE--Today I installed the new blower motor from Rock Auto. I tried adding the 3M "Strip Calk" gasket as is without stretching and thinning it. Of course, the screws were too short to easily install the new motor with the gasket. Before pressing hard to force the motor on, I looked closer at the fiberglass assembly that the motor would be attached to and decided to remove the gasket and install the motor directly to the fiberglass--as one member suggested above.

Yes, I could have thinned out the gasket or run out to Home Depot and picked up longer screws to work with the gasket, but I was short on time today and had to get 'er done in between rain showers and before tomorrow when the winter cold front moves in. Besides, the bigger problem is that someone had previously removed the whole fiberglass assembly and didn't bother sealing it after reinstallation. So, dust and debris will get inside with or without my new gasket until I fix the bigger problem.

Adding to the challenge is that the electrical connection to the blower motor didn't fully slide on and I cracked the rubber boot in the process. I covered the crack with electrical tape for now until I can properly replace the connector. Struggling to find a replacement, but that's for another forum thread.

How come real life isn't as easy as YouTube?!

 

[1980 Big Ten]

2nd UPDATE--just to prove that I'm an idiot, here's the instruction from the original GM maintenance manual that say's I should have used an RTV sealant:

"If the motor mounting flange sealer has hardened, or is not intact, remove the old sealer and apply a new bead of sealer to the entire circumference of the mounting flange."