Windscreen Installation Experience

[RDKeysor]

I have now successfully installed a new windscreen from Victoria British on my '60 BN7. I had a couple of stone pecks and what looks like diamond scratching on the original screen, and of course these were directly in the line of vision. I acquired the new glass, Taiwan made and DOT certified, the four windscreen frame brackets with the 16 screws (I think I only received 14, but not to worry as you likely have candidate replacements in you box of old screws.) I also bought the rubber strip that fits into the screen channel and a tube of sealant that other posters recommended against using. After removing the screen along with the posts that attach it to the body, I separated those and dealt with the four screws at the corners (6NC32 threads, the same as the screws that hold light plate switches, etc.). None of these turned out with ease despite using the most recommended rust products, Kroil and the mix of acetone/power steering fluid. No dice. Nor did an "easy out" work, even with the larger bit. All of them were drilled out after careful center punching. A few had Phillips heads, and one of these couldn't be drilled, period. Hard as carbide. That took a Dremel grinder. All four brackets were heavily rusted. I followed the shop manual's direction by cutting a long piece of the sealing rubber that covered both the end and bottom sections of the frame, the balance kept for the top frame. I don't see any reason why one can't just cut four pieces. Initial efforts to get the new glass into the channel were challenging. While working the glass/rubber into the frame at one end, the other end tended to escape the channel. I finally got the job done by wrapping the seal over the glass edge and securing the edges of the rubber on both sides of the glass with duct tape. I also brushed the frame channel with Palmolive Ultra liquid soap to help the glass and rubber slip into the frame. Ultimately, I used my plastic knock-off hammer and a strip of wood to tap the frame down on the glass. The wood was used to spread the blows. When I got the windscreen and frame assembled, I had a gap at the top corners of the frame. Since this gap was induced by the hole spacing in the angle brackets, I removed the top screws at each end with the brackets left in place, reduced the gap at the corners and then scribed marks through the frame holes on the top of the brackets. Next I removed the brackets, plugged their four screw holes, and then redrilled and tapped the holes using the scribed marks. As the scribed holes had intersected the old screw holes, I had first plugged those with bits of threaded screw stock doped with BJ Weld. I cut these bits off in place, and then hammered both ends down. They didn't move when I redrilled and tapped the new holes. Might add that I used a dial caliper and took great pains to make sure I got those holes spaced right, and the result was a good fit at the top frame corners. The lower two frame corners weren't a bad fit with the supplied brackets. To my surprise, I found it very difficult to reinstall the windscreen along with painted end posts that bolt into the door openings. I had previously removed and reinstalled the old windscreen, along with one shim, without issue. However, this time I had a LOT of trouble aligning the screw holes. I was unable to identify the reason. Much aware of the risk of cracking the windscreen by tightening the side brackets without ensuring that they were first shimmed to fit snuggly against the door frame, I was surprised to find a rather large gap on the right side. In addition to a couple of sheet aluminum shims, I used fairly thick washer between the bottom end of the bracket and door frame on that side. I assume that this was caused by some dimensional change in the windscreen and frame or how well seated the whole business was when I reinstalled it, but I remain puzzled. Hope this helps someone, and I'm sure I will get some feedback on where I went wrong. It is nice to look out through an unmarred windscreen, however.

 

[Rob Glasgow]

I congratulate you on your success. When I tried to install new glass several years ago, I became so frustrated by not being able to get the rubber seal and frame to stay seated from one side to the other. I worked for hours. Finally took it to a auto glass shop and watched a professional struggle but finally accomplish the task. In the 50 years I've owned the car, this was probably the best $80 I ever spent.

 

[Healey Nut]

Ah how it brings back memories of sore thumbs , nicked fingers , air so blue with curse words you couldn't see across the kitchen . Trying to get that body seal to seat properly in the bottom of the frame is one royal PITA !!!!!!:livid::livid:

 

[RDKeysor]

With regard to Rob's comment about the $80 he paid to have his windscreen installed. Back in my Ohio newspaper (and rather impoverished days), I struggled endlessly to try rodding out a blocked sanitary sewer in my house. At one point I got the rodder stuck in the sewer and as only able to remove it by clamping it to my VW jack with a pair of Vise Grips. The best money I ever spent went to the Roto Rooter guy who cleared the sewer, which it turns out was blocked out by the street. Sometimes it's best to pay. Also, Rob's issue with the seal wanting to "escape" the windscreen channel was the reason I suggested (and used) duct tape. The rubber seal is wide enough that the edges can be taped so that the tape isn't crammed into the channel with the glass. I think I got the idea from the lady AH owner in Trieste, Italy, who posted photos that included some with tape holding the seal to the glass.