Fitting a windshield retained by a rubber seal

[jbcollier]

I purchased my seal and locking strip from RD Enterprises.  Afterwards there was extensive discussion on the fact this seal was not thick enough.  After a bit of digging I purchased a thicker seal and locking strip from Phoenix Supplies (phoenixtrim.co.uk) in the UK (part # IWS 1724 W/S).

Use a windshield from the original supplier, Pilkington.  Their classic glass division in both Europe and the US have it in stock and the price is comparable with the knock-off suppliers.  Their shipping rates are MUCH lower.  The knock-off glass from China (Prosource in the US) may work in the later cars where it is glued in.  It absolutely does not fit where a seal is used.

When all my ducks were finally in a row I first went with the RD seal as it fit the windshield tighter.  I got it all laid out and the windshield in place only to find that it is indeed too thin to properly locate and seal the windshield.  Oh well, good practice after all.

Using the thicker seal from the UK worked a treat.  The locking strip tightened things up nicely and the wee bit of internal space gave room for the oh-so essential sealer.  I believe RD now carries the thicker seal, ask before purchasing!  I used 3M Auto Bedding & Glazing Compound (08509) between the body and the rubber seal, and 3M Clear Auto Sealer (08551) between the rubber and the glass.

I used these cutters based on Bert Saxby’s recommendation:

http://www.amazon.com/Craftsman-9-37310-3-1-AccuCut/dp/B007KHDVK2

They worked an absolute treat.  I left the mitred edges unglued and sealed them afterwards.  In retrospect, I think it would be better to glue them with Q-Bond first as this would help as you line things up.

I highly recommend getting MORE seal than strictly required.  Helps to have plenty spare for those oh-f#@K moments.  Cut the long sections first.  You can always cut the short sections out of a poor long cut while the reverse is not possible.

Do not pound the seal into place!  It can crack the fibreglass – go ahead, ask me how I know.

You absolutely need the locking strip insertion tool and some silicone spray lube.  It turns a nightmare job into a 10 minute doodle.  You have to mitre the upper corners but you can bend the locking strip around the more relaxed angle of the lower corners.  I like the type with the wire guide, example here:

https://www.equalizerfusion.com/ProductDetails.aspx?ProdId=812

Finally, another pair of hands and eyes is very, very helpful indeed.

Cheers

[RoddyMac]

John,
How many meters of seal did you order?  I'll be in the market for a windscreen seal sometime in the next 6 months.

Rod

[Clifton]

Thanks for the detailed write up.  I have been dreading getting to the windshield. I would rather pay a pro but I don't think a windshield guy is going to know what to do with a Europa.

[jbcollier]

13 feet (4 m) is just enough so I would get 16 feet (5 m).  Start with the long bottom run for the reasons stated above.  Make your length cut an inch or two long and CAREFULLY trim to final length once it is in place.

All the windshield shops I approached, politely declined to take on the job.

(edited to correct metric conversions)

[SwiftDB4]

Totally agree with your recommendations to only use the Pilkington windshield and U.K. rubber gasket (not Banks). Sorry R.D. and Banks, but their gaskets are too narrow. I Super glued the mitered ends first. I used butyl sealant on both the body and glass sides. Has been waterproof for 2 years so far in lots of NW rain. Contemplated using urethane on the gasket-glass seal, but worried might be too rigid and difficult to add more sealant if any leaks.

[BobW]

Finally got around to replacing my windshield rubber with one from Phoenix Trim. I also superglued the corners and used butyl sealant. It took two of us most of the day, even with the right tools. I would not want to do this task on my own. 

[Clifton]

How did your corners turn out Bob? I have only done the top piece and it has not been fun getting the miters right.  After messing up a corner and having to order a little more, Richard at Banks said to use a piece of wood as a windshield template to fit the corners. I will use Masonite for the rest of the corners. For what it's worth Banks now sells the correct profile. It matched my original seal perfectly.  I made the mistake of ordering from  Macgreggor. He said it was the same as OE. It had a 1.5mm body gap. he said to use string and put it in, blah blah.  It went back.

[BobW]

The corners did not turn out perfectly. I made boxboard templates for each corner by extrapolating the angles on the original seal and fitting the templates into the windshield channel on the new seal. We cut and trimmed the rubber using a razor knife but did not succeed in getting a straight edge throughout the thickness. I'll have to fill small, irregular cracks  where the corners join using a hardening silicone seal. I tried to upload a couple of photos that meet the board's size limits but the reply hung up.  Sorry.

We marked centre on the bottom of the windshield and installed it in the bottom seal first, working outwards and then up the sides with copious quatities of washing up liquid. The A-pillars and the leading edge of the roof are worryingly flexible without the windshield to support them. I imagine the pillars could crack easily. We wrapped hands around each pillar and squeezed to seat the rubber on its rib, rather than pushing and twisting. The top seal, being the last, was the hardest to work the windshield into. We did succeed in wrapping the locking strip around the bottom corners (to match the OE installation), but it took several attempts for each.

[jbcollier]

Yes, the pillars crack easily, very easily... don’t ask.

[dakazman]

JB,

     I believe RD now carries the thicker seal, ask before purchasing!  I used 3M Auto Bedding & Glazing Compound (08509) between the body and the rubber seal, and 3M Clear Auto Sealer (08551) between the rubber and the glass.

   I purchased the seal from rd a few months ago ,I'll have to check the thicknesses out to see which one they shipped they have been sitting on shelving  waiting to get installed . Not quite sure weather to install all the interior or windows first . Leaning to all windows and doors then leak check.
  Some pictures would be nice.
Dakazman

[rascott]

my windscreen install turned into a real circus, and i will be doing it again at some point.
my glass is english, and the seal was from rd enterprises, and the opening appears a bit big.
this sounds like the "chinese knockoff" story.
i'm sure my problems are mostly due to inexperience, but now i have some. haha.
a wider seal seems like the ticket, to me.
the seal i have is @1" wide, and barely catches glass(or body) in some places, and in my install flailing the miter cuts got kinda modified.
i used a black silicone on the glass and body, and have notice no leaks, so it'll work for now.....
the seal used a chrome lock strip, and i was surprised with how much the rubber protrudes from the body- i considered putting it in backwards.
i don't like the chrome- it shows my cuts.

[BobW]

The seal I used appears to match the OE. I got it from Phoenix Trim, where it's listed to fit the Humber Hawk but not a Lotus (thank you, Colin  ) . Their number is IRS 1724 W/S and the locking strip is PT02. The latter should be widely available.