Securing the top of the windshield frame

[sjuengst]

When I put up the top on my BT7, the tension pulls the top of the chrome windshield frame away from the glass (especially bad at speed). Is there a recommended adhesive or other solution for securing the top of the windshield frame?

Thanks,

stu

 

[John Turney]

Maybe that's why I've seen duct tape at the top of the windshields of some racing Healeys fitted with hardtops.

 

[sjuengst]

Nobody's got any suggestions? I can't believe that I'm the first one to run into this. It's important because she needs to be driven, but it's cold outside! I'd like to be able to put the top up without risking damaging the windshield frame.

Thanks,

stu

 

[shorn]

Perhaps your top has shrunk to the point that there is too much tension. Vinyl shrinks when the top is down and cold. Expands when warm or hot and up. I never leave my top down in the winter. If I am going for a drive on a nice winter day with the top down, I always put the top back up when finished.

 

[Randy Forbes]

I'm puzzled as to why the chrome strip is lifting; the top is attatched at the outer ends of the windshield pillars, it's not even attatched to the chrome strip!

When I assembled my BN6 windshield (same as your BT7) I did not use any adhesive whatsoever, and just used the rubber strip, sold for and intended for that purpose.

Detail pictures of the assembly can be seen here: https://www.rfdm.com/gallery/album24?page=1

 

[sjuengst]

I'm puzzled as to why the chrome strip is lifting; the top is attatched at the outer ends of the windshield pillars, it's not even attatched to the chrome strip!

Well, actually it is. The bar at the front of the top hooks over a flange on the chrome strip. When the latches on either post are secured, that bar is still loose enough to rock backwards, pulling the chrome strip away from the glass. I took a closer look at the underside of the top, and it looks like something has been removed from that bar. Am I missing a piece?

Thanks,

stu

 

[GregW]

Looks like you are missing the seal. Item #37 HERE

 

[sjuengst]

Looks like you are missing the seal. Item #37 HERE

Thanks! I'm definitely missing that piece. Hopefully, that'll fix my problem.

In this diagram, it looks like #34 (Top Bow, Wood) is sandwiched between #35 and #37. That's not right is it?

Thanks,

stu

 

[Brinkerhoff]

Here's another thought. The last time the windshield was replaced, was the bottom rubber buffer that sits inside the channel omitted? I'm not sure if Moss shows it in their catalog but there is one. Its thicker than the glass seal that Randy shows in his picture and acts as a buffer to hold the glass up , I think it runs the full length of the bottom rail. If so then the glass may be too far down in to the bottom channel leaving nothing for the top channel to grab. I remember the glass doesn't seat as far into the chrome as I thought but of course the top bar needs to set onto the glass maybe 3/8" with a friction fit of the seal to hold well. Pull the top rail up if you can and see what you've got. Kevin

 

[GregW]

In this diagram, it looks like #34 (Top Bow, Wood) is sandwiched between #35 and #37. That's not right is it?

I think the diagram is wrong (he says without much conviction) or at least misleading. That diagram is from the old parts catalog. My BJ8 has a different setup.

 

[Randy Forbes]

Well, actually it is. The bar at the front of the top hooks over a flange on the chrome strip.

Two-seaters and 3000 MKIIIs don't work that way.

I'm not convinced that the four-seaters are supposed to either...

It's been a while since I've disected a 4-seater top, but on the 2-seaters, that aluminum trim hangs "straight down" to provide a wind barrier, not a hook to grab the top of the windshield. Perhaps someone thought they had a better idea, and folded it inward?

All the components of the windshield frame are laid out in this gallery: https://www.rfdm.com/gallery/album24

 

[sjuengst]

Well, actually it is. The bar at the front of the top hooks over a flange on the chrome strip.

Two-seaters and 3000 MKIIIs don't work that way.

I'm not convinced that the four-seaters are supposed to either...

It's been a while since I've disected a 4-seater top, but on the 2-seaters, that aluminum trim hangs "straight down" to provide a wind barrier, not a hook to grab the top of the windshield. Perhaps someone thought they had a better idea, and folded it inward?

All the components of the windshield frame are laid out in this gallery: https://www.rfdm.com/gallery/album24

It doesn't look like the top has been altered ... the curvature of the "hook" on the aluminum trim (or "Retaining Rail" as the catalog calls it) is clean and consistent. Looks original. The flange on the windshield frame fits into it nicely. Why else would this flange be there?

Thanks,

stu

 

[Randy Forbes]

Can we get another BN4/BT7 owner to weigh in on this?

My car has the same lip on the top of the windshield, but I suspect it's to keep the wind from blowing air/water under the seal (the "straight down" trim overlaps this).

I still have two (2) original tops in the basement, and neither has the aluminum trim rail folded under like yours.

Unfortunately, the only other Healey here in a MKIII, and it has a completely different looking trim/header on it:

 

[Brinkerhoff]

Yea , you've got the right set up for a four seater, you just need the weatherstrip, Moss has the right one, glue it set back slightly from the hook on the aluminum trim piece so that you hook it and pull it back , latching it then with the side latches, so the weatherstrip compresses on the top rail. What you have is exactly original, the two seater BN7 does not hook into the top rail and uses different latches. Kevin

 

[richberman]

It appears that Randy holds his in place with blue tape! :crazy:

 

[Randy Forbes]

Then I stand corrected.

So, <span style="font-style: italic">now</span> I'm puzzled as to why they did the 2-seaters different...

It appears that Randy holds his in place with blue tape! :crazy:

Only during construction:

 

[red57]

Never had a 6 cyl two seater but I'm guessing it is similar to the 100.

In the case of a 100, since there is a mecanical linkage connecting the front bow to the rest of the top frame, the front header only needs to be clamped down. So the clamps are on the sides of the windhield posts & no "hook" shape or flange on the front of the windshield top frame.

In the case of the BN4/BT7, there is no mechanical linkage connecting the top header to the rest of the frame (bows). If you were to clamp on the sides like the 100, the header will just roll off the back of the windshield. So they put the flange on the front of the top windshield frame to hook the header over and then moved the clamps to the backside of the windshield side post.

My guess is that someone felt it was needed to be able to fold and stow the top on the 4 seat cars - but I really don't know for sure.

I went thru all this about 15 years ago when I put a 100 windhield on my BN4. I used the BN4 top windshield frame piece and drilled and tapped holes for the clamp pegs in the rear of the posts to used BN4 clamps and a BN4 top.

I think Brinkerhoff is correct it most likely will be fine with the rubber weatherstrip in place - without it the clamps and the tension of the top are rolling the header too far to the rear and lifting the windshield frame up as a result.

In the archives there is a good discussion on installing winshield glass by Dave Russell - I remember he had some good info on using something other than the rubber most suppliers send for the glass to frame chanels.

Dave

 

[chicken]

Randy

I am about to set out my BJ7 hood frame so that I can weld the hood mounting brackets in the right place on the wheel arch. I have the hood frame,wooden header rail, hood clamps, header rail seal and the header rail retainer but am not sure in which order they should go.
My intention was to use the hood clamps to clamp the hood frame to the windshield and then work backwards to the mounting brackets which I assumed would become clear where they go as the frame would be fully open ?
As I have no measurements and these are new wheel arches I don't see any other way.
I figure the wooden header is screwed to the hood frame but that's about as much as I can figure out.

Rob