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Any windshield installation tricks, tips?

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regularman

regularman

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I got my dad to help me put the windshield in position today and I got a bit confused. I don't know what the original bolts looked like. Were they 3/8 or 5/16 and do I need shims? I see shims in the moss catalog, But I can't find any. What was the thickness and the purpose. Also, what is the trick to getting that front lip pulled out and the windshield fitting down into place at the same time? I got frustrated and stopped on that until later. I finished polishing the aluminum grill surround that I bought and removed the anodizing from and gave them a good set of coatings of alsa speed clear to give them some protection. Maybe I will finish getting the grill and all installed soon.
 
I polished and took everything to my glass guy to install. He said that he couldn't get the glass in with the pillars on. Dunno.... I thought that was weird. He epoxied the screws and pillars in place. My reply was that he will be the one replacing the glass if something ever happens to it anyhow! /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif
 
Oh, its not the glass installation itself. I already did that. I just need to mount the windshield to the car and its being a real bugger. That lip seal between the windshield frame and the car body in particular.
 
Yeah, its already installed on the windshield frame. I just need to know what size bolts and if I need shims or whatever and if there is a trick to getting that lip pulled back towards the hood while at the same time pressing the windshield down into place and getting it to stay there until I get the bolts started.
 
Is there a small bump all the way across the cowl? If so the bulb part of the seal goes in front of that and I think there should be rubber pads under the posts.

If it is anything like a bugeye the front lip part can be pulled out after the bolts are in loosly.
 
Very carefully of course.

Na, put a peice of strong cord behind it before you put it on. Pull the cord out carefully and use some small peices of wooden sticks to work it, the sticks thin at one end of course.

You know you can do it.

How are the knees?
 
Is that bottom rubber piece supposed to be flat Jack? I noticed that mine wanted to curl and was pinched around the wiper bezels. If it is straight it would surely cover them...? Thoughts?
 
It is supose to stick out the front and you will be susprised how it does not cover the wiper bezels when all is said and done, but does ride up on the back of them a bit. Not to worry.
 
Kim, if your 71 is the same as my 75/76 and I think it is, Those shims do seem important. Without them mine fit very loosely. Also I tightened the Sides first, Than the center strut. This seemed to pull the cowl up tight to the bottom seal. The bolts are 3/8. One bolt is fine thread with a nut (2) washers and a lock washer. The other bolt that threads directly into the aluminum is 3/8 coarse thread. Many of the steel bolt to aluminum threads were this way on LBC's. If you need those shims, I have a few windshields around here. I may be able to dig them up. I used (2) per side and it fit nice and snuggly. PM me if you'd like.

And Jack, you are correct in your decription of the bottom seal. All mine were like that.
 
So, you got that thing on yet Kim.
 
When I put my windshield in last year I made a lever that helped a lot. I bent a piece of 5/16" steel bar 90 degrees with one end being about 1" long and the other end about 6" long. That allowed me to stick the short end in the hole without threads and lever the post down until I could start the bolt in the other hole.
Bill
 
blkcorvair said:
Kim, if your 71 is the same as my 75/76 and I think it is, Those shims do seem important. Without them mine fit very loosely. Also I tightened the Sides first, Than the center strut. This seemed to pull the cowl up tight to the bottom seal. The bolts are 3/8. One bolt is fine thread with a nut (2) washers and a lock washer. The other bolt that threads directly into the aluminum is 3/8 coarse thread. Many of the steel bolt to aluminum threads were this way on LBC's. If you need those shims, I have a few windshields around here. I may be able to dig them up. I used (2) per side and it fit nice and snuggly. PM me if you'd like.

And Jack, you are correct in your decription of the bottom seal. All mine were like that.
Click to expand...
I would appreciate it if you could find one and get me the thickeness of it. I have many things I can make shims from I just need to know how many thousandths. No jack its not in yet. I quit on that for the day before I damaged something. Got to be in the right mood. I was thinking of using some thick plastic under the seal and then pulling it out to get the lip pulled out after I get the WS tightend down a bit. Thanks for all the info. Kim
 
The large tongue depressors and chopsticks are good tools for that seal, Kim. Less chance of paint damage with wood. Start in the center and work toward the pillars, before you've tightened it all down. A "trick" is to use a thin plastic body filler spatula, use it at the center to hold the lip out and tie it with string over/around the top center of the windshield. That will keep the lip "out" at center and pulling the string and plastic out from under is easy once the rest has been coaxed to final position.
 
If you have a copy of "An MG is Born", they do a nice job of explaining the same install on an MGB... don't know if it's exactly the same part, but they struggle with the same types of issues.

Besides, watching it might be a fun way to calm down, between attempts! /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif
 
Actually Kim the spares I thought I had, Are no where to be found. I measured the ones on my car the best I can. (2) Spacers (on ea. side) equal 4/32nds. So assume you need about 4/32nds each side. I suppose you may be able to achieve that even with a single 3/8 washer between each bolt. g'luck!
 
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