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 Post subject: Windshield seals...?
PostPosted: February 3, 2017, 8:28 pm 
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Location: BC, Canada. eh?
I've been working on my windshield frame (bending my own, etc.) but I'm stymied on glass-to-frame seal material & frame-to-scuttle seal material.

I found what appeared to suitable materials from a dunebuggy supply place in California. I wrote to them asking for confirmation on what the dimensions of the seals are, or at the very least, the dimensions of the dune buggy windshields the seals are designed to fit.

Not surprisingly, their response was simply "We have no idea, none at all. Just buy it, and return it if it's wrong." Seems easy enough, right? Of course, I'm in Canada, so the purchase price of $36 for the seals, plus shipping, was just over $100. It arrived today. Unfortunately, both seals appear to be designed for a windshield frame with an outside dimension of 3/8", so neither will work. No point in returning them, as I wouldn't be refunded my postage, and what refund I could get would equal what it would cost me to ship it back, so I'd have paid $70 and have...nothing.

Unfortunately, it seems these days that a lot of online sellers (even some of the bigger ones) don't stock, well, anything - if you order something, it'll be drop-shipped from a warehouse elsewhere, so the seller never actually sees an example of the item itself.

That works fine, if you need a specific part for a specific application:

"Hello? Parts-R-us, weird stuff department? I need a chrome, left-handed, reverse-metric muffler bearing trim ring...yes, it's a series II...for my 1965 Alphonso DeCredenza 127S drop-head phaeton coupe". If you can't be that specific, or you need more information, you're on your own.

So, I'm back to square one.

My frame channel (aluminum U-channel, of course) is 3/4" X 3/4" outside (1/2" X 1/2" inside), the square-shouldered stuff, and I'm using a bottom piece for the windshield frame as well. The glass will be standard 1/4" approved, laminated safety glass.

Does anyone have any suggestions on what seal material is available and where it can be found? Or, whatever you've found/made/re-purposed/fabricated that worked??

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 Post subject: Re: Windshield seals...?
PostPosted: February 3, 2017, 8:42 pm 
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Location: West Chicago,IL
How does this one look? Might be a tight fit with 1/4" glass.

http://www.jcwhitney.com/p3089714/sku-8 ... 00g183u0j1


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 Post subject: Re: Windshield seals...?
PostPosted: February 3, 2017, 8:47 pm 
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Location: BC, Canada. eh?
Oooo, that might work!! I'll take a look at that!!

Now, as for the windshield frame-to-scuttle seal? You're on a roll...keep on going!

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 Post subject: Re: Windshield seals...?
PostPosted: February 3, 2017, 10:56 pm 
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If the windshield is too thick, you might trim off one of the folded flaps to get the windshield to fit the seal?

Since you asked....I just used 3M closed cell Black automotive weather stripping glued (contact cement) to the bottom of the frame and shaved with a razor blade to a trapezoidal cross section to fit flat against the scuttle (made of formed steel on my car). I got it at a big box store. Menards or Home Depot. I can't remember which. I glued a second piece to the first in the corners for added thickness. Not too bad a seal, even if I do say so myself. :mrgreen:

And never underestimate the effectiveness of a sanding drum on a Dremel tool.


Sorry for the bad photo. It is from my build photos. It was dusty when I was making my hardtop. :cheers:


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Visit my ongoing MGB Rustoration log: over HERE

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 Post subject: Re: Windshield seals...?
PostPosted: February 4, 2017, 7:13 am 
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Joined: February 28, 2009, 11:09 pm
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Location: Connersville, Indiana
You might try mucking around here:

https://www.zoro.com/search?q=rubber+windshield+seals

While I find their format somewhat somewhat difficult, they do offer dimensions.

Bill


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 Post subject: Re: Windshield seals...?
PostPosted: February 4, 2017, 1:58 pm 
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Location: BC, Canada. eh?
rx7locost - I'm kind of leaning toward that idea myself. I tried slicing some 3/4" black closed-cell neoprene weather stripping, and it didn't look bad, so that is still a contender. I was thinking of using 3M 5250 for gluing it onto the underside of the bottom frame section - that stuff is tenacious, and holds (hard!) even underwater.

I haven't completely given up on the seal I got from California yet - it's an H-shaped seal (very pliable) and, even though the space between the "uprights" of the H are less than the width of my U-channel, if I cut off both of the legs (the upper & lower ones, at the back of the windshield) & use the aforementioned 3M product to glue the remaining portion onto the bottom of the U channel, that might work. I'm going to cut a small piece off one end & perform surgery on it, to see if that's possible.

BBlue - I had a look around Zoro's site...I see what you mean!! There's well over 1000 different products there under "windshield rubber seals"! The problem is, what we need is kind of a trapezoidal shape - not one that's commonly found, it seems, and even Zoro doesn't have anything like that.

Aaaand...the search goes on... :roll:

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 Post subject: Re: Windshield seals...?
PostPosted: February 4, 2017, 4:21 pm 
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Location: Seattle area
Zetec7,

Jack McCornack has a write up on installing the glass on his Kinetic Vehicles web site. Under the Complete Windshield tab is a write up on using setting tape and his bottom trim piece.

The shop that cut my glass threw in a length of setting tape and it worked great. A little daunting at first but worked out fine.

Attachment:
IMG_0242.JPG


Sorry the pic doesn't show the setting tape very well.


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 Post subject: Re: Windshield seals...?
PostPosted: February 4, 2017, 9:48 pm 
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Location: BC, Canada. eh?
I've been through Jack's windshield instruction stuff many times. The main problem is he uses a frameless-bottom windshield, and my whole setup was designed around a fully-framed windshield, so his bottom seal wouldn't work for me. I don't know what seal he uses between the glass and the rest of the windshield frame, as it's not mentioned on his website.

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 Post subject: Re: Windshield seals...?
PostPosted: February 4, 2017, 10:26 pm 
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Location: Kamloops, BC, Canada
I bet jack would be willing to measure his weatherstripping for you and sell you some if it would work. Heck he'd maybe send you a sample just to try.
Kristian

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 Post subject: Re: Windshield seals...?
PostPosted: February 4, 2017, 10:31 pm 
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I was just thinking about that...

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 Post subject: Re: Windshield seals...?
PostPosted: February 4, 2017, 11:29 pm 
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I've just sent Jack an email about this...

I appreciate he's in the business of selling entire windshield kits, so I'm not sure if he'd be willing to sell me a length of seal material on its own. I don't want to put him in an awkward spot! We'll see!

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 Post subject: Re: Windshield seals...?
PostPosted: February 5, 2017, 12:57 am 
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Location: Seattle area
The perimeter seal is the setting tape. It requires an open bottom frame. What my glass guy gave me is a rubber like material with fibers imbedded. Once the glass is in place it swells and seals vey tightly. With a bottom frame that won't work.

How did you plan on getting the glass in the frame?

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 Post subject: Re: Windshield seals...?
PostPosted: February 5, 2017, 1:08 am 
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Location: BC, Canada. eh?
My plan is to follow the system that Cat***ham uses - a rubber seal inside the main portion of the windshield frame, glass is pushed into it, then the bottom portion of the frame is pushed on over the bottom of the glass (same seal material used there, too), and the bottom portion of the frame is joined to the upper part with screws at the bottom corners (these are hidden by the stanchions).

That way, if necessary, the glass can easily be removed by undoing the screws, pulling the bottom section of the frame off the glass, pulling the glass out of the main part of the windshield frame, and you're done.

I'm all about access to parts of the car, and the windshield glass is no exception - we have so many logging trucks & gravel trucks on the road these days that windshields are a "consumable" hereabouts.

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 Post subject: Re: Windshield seals...?
PostPosted: February 5, 2017, 1:43 am 
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Location: Seattle area
I'm thinking setting tape will work for you. The glass shop that I dealt with gave me a pretty good size roll of it. May not be enough for you do the complete windshield but plenty to experiment with. PM me an address and I will gladly send you what I have.

Cheers

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 Post subject: Re: Windshield seals...?
PostPosted: February 5, 2017, 12:28 pm 
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Joined: December 4, 2010, 1:53 pm
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Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Hello Zetec7
I am at the same stage as you, getting ready to do the windshield. I will go next week and pick up some of this:

http://www.allglassparts.com/glazing-ga ... -32-width/

I'll let you know if it will work for me. If so, I believe that they will ship to you. If not, I can send it to you. Where in BC are you located?

cheers
Doug
(Edmonton)

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