Rear glass install. Ser. 1 XKE?

[JIM]

I need some help installing the rear glass in my Ser. 1 1964 XKE coupe. I have a new rubber seal that fits well into the(Deck lid)opening but am having trouble getting the glass into its grove in the seal. (very tight!)
Is there a lubricant I should be using (soap?)?
Where is the best place to start pushing the glass into its grove (side, end, corner)?
Is it best to do this with the door on the car or on a padded table?
Any help will be welcomed.
Jim Hohimer

 

[piman]

Hello Jim,

I'm not familiar with the E type window, but I suspect it is not the type into which you insert a roughly triangular section strip of rubber after the glass is inserted to tighten it all up. If, as I suspect, it is the later type you put the rubber onto the glass first then ease the surround onto the frame. This is done by (after fitting the surround to the glass) running a length of smooth string or flexible electric wire around the groove in the rubber that fits to the body. Then place the screen onto the aperture, pull one end of the string to ease the lip over the panel edge and keeping pressure on the glass from outside slowly pull the string along and the rubber seal will be drawn into position as you work your way around the frame.
It helps if you have an assistant, and the seal wants to be in good condition and not old and brittle.

Alec

 

[Basil]

Personally, I would take it to a professional, but for what its worth, my "Complete Official Jaguar E" manual says that the coupe rear glass is installed in a similar manner as the front wind screen and it refers you to that section of the book. I have scanned a couple pages for you. I have also heard that a soapy solution (Dawn detergent and water) is a good idea as well. The tools for installing the glass should be available at most auto parts houses. Hope this helps.

Page 1

Page 2

 

[JIM]

Thanks for the information on installing my rear glass. It is locked in place after installation with a triangular strip all around which is then held in by a tucked-in chrome strip. It looks like the tools are the key to the proper installation. The hard part is getting it started into its grove and holding it there long enough (and tight enough) to work the lip up over the edge of the glass all around. I was hoping to talk to someone who had recently done this.
Thanks;
Jim

 

[piman]

Hello Jim,
sounds as if my first guess was wrong.
I think it will be easier if the rear door is fitted to the car, so you are not trying to both control the hatch and put the glass in as there is some pushing to do.
Firstly make sure the rubber surround is pushed well onto the flange of the aperture all the way around, then put the glass into one bottom corner. (Diluted washing up liquid makes a good lubricant by the way) Using the tool described is one way or else an old flat screwdriver with all the sharp edges ground off, slowly ease the rubber lip over the glass by dragging the tool along the channel while pressing down on the glass. I would do the lower edge first then once past the opposite bottom corner from where you start then ease up vertically on both sides alternately. The glass tends to drift upwards so some pressure may be required to hold it in place. Carry on until the glass is in place. A rubber mallet is also useful to ensure that the screen sits in place properly. Finally insert the rubber strip, again with the special tool or a suitable diameter Phillips type screwdriver.
As I said earlier old hard surrounds are a problem and are difficult from a fitting point of view and probably won't seal too well either.

good luck.

Alec

[ 10-12-2003: Message edited by: piman ]</p>

 

[JIM]

Recently I installed the glass in the boot door of my 1964 XKE Coupe. Here are some of the things I learned along the way. The installation was made with the door located on a padded table off the car with the inside of the door facing down. First, I cleaned all surfaces of the opening, the glass and the rubber gasket before starting. I then checked them for any burrs which might interfere with installation. I used a diamond hone to bevel the edges of the glass a small amount and to smooth the edges. All contact edges were then lubricated with a light coat of Rubber Renu. This is a multi- purpose rubber, vinyl and tire dressing available from Horizons Marketing Group, Cedarburg, WI. I think any tire dressing one might find at Checkers or Pep Boys could be used for this purpose. It seems to provide just the right amount of slip for this job. Soap could probably be used as well. I then installed a new rubber gasket into the opening with the smooth side down (facing inside). Applied a generous coating of the Rubber Renu inside the groove were the glass goes and also on the glass edge. With the door placed on the padded table, so the top edge of the door was close to me, I pushed the rounded edge of the right corner of the glass into the straight side along the back just right of the opening's center line. This allowed me to apply considerable pressure to the glass to push it all the way into its groove along the door's lower edge for about three inches. At this point the glass will be in a position about 45 degrees counter clockwise(CCW) to its proper position, with only about three inches of the rounded edge of one corner in the groove, just to the left of the door opening's lower right corner. Left and right herein is related to the door's position on the table not to the car's right or left. The glass was now rotated clockwise(CW) while pushing the glass to prevent it from coming out of the groove and slid to the right to better position the right side . At this point the lower right corner of the glass and the opening are starting to come togather with a mismatch of about 15 degrees CCW between the two and its overall position off about one-half inch or so. Still only about four or five inches of glass is in the groove along the lower right edge with all the rest laying on top of the rubber gasket. Now the good part.
Using two Web Clamps (Hold downs) that have very thin, one inch wide nylon webbing with a
ratcheting mechanism, the right amount of pressure could be applied while the rubber was worked up over the glass. This type clamp is available at home stores, bike stores, hardware stores and even K-Mart. I got mine at Harbor Fraight, Stock Number 1216. One of the clamps was positioned around the top of the glass and around the bottom of the door just to the right of center. The other was placed at right angles to this, across the opening from right to left. The webbing must be threaded carefully between the frame and the glass without lifting the glass too much or it will slip out of the groove. Also, a pad must be placed on the glass under the metal portion of the clamp to prevent scratching the glass while working the ratchet to tighten the clamp. Be careful, considerable pressure can be applied with these clamps if they are pulled too hard. Now, with the clamps holding the glass firmly in place, you can start the job of working the rubber lip up over the edge of the glass starting at the right corner which should already be started in the groove. I found a rounded and polished putty knife to be the best tool to insert between the glass and rubber to pry it up and over. Use great care here or the glass may be distroyed. Now you can see why all burrs and rough spots must be removed before you start this process. I also found it beneficial to insert my fingers on the underside to squeeze and push the rubber gasket up toward the glass from below. Apply more pressure with the clamps as you progress around the frame. Re-position the clamps as necessary to apply pressure in the right direction to push the glass into its groove as you work around the frame. Also, check the back side as you work, to make sure the rubber is not pinched, thus binding the glass. Add more Rubber Renu as needed to keep things slick. Remove the clamps carefully as they start getting in the way toward the end of the process. Although I did not use one, I believe that a heavy card or insulated electrical wire inserted in the groove before the installation is started, could be used to advantage to help pull the lip of the rubber seal up over the glass edge.
With the glass in place, the triangular shaped locking strip now needs to be installed. This is done by using a Philips screwdriver are some other blunt, polished metal rod to open the groove that the locking strip fits into and pressing the strip in place. After the locking strip is installed, the chrome trim strip is inserted into position using a rounded, polished screw driver blade or other polished tool to lift the edge of the rubber holding tabs all around. The manual says to add rubber sealer under this chrome strip to help hold it in place and maybe to prevent water leaks. I did not add this sealer as there is no way this car will ever be driven in the rain again! The final step is to insert the two chrome splices on each side of the opening, overlapping the chrome trim ends. With a good cleaning, it looked like new again!