firstgear

I have a friend that has a '58. Car is real nice and a few years ago he redid everything. We were looking at it the other day and I noticed that the windshiled had "moved" in the seal. When he installed the windshield he had pushed down in various areas on the lower frame to minimize the gaps that exist with these cars. You can see for about 2 inches near the left center of the windshield that the windshield has pulled "even" with the top of the seal and then on either side of this area the windshield goes back into the seal.

Has anyone had this issue before and if so, was it possible to "push" the windshield down into the lower seal so that it is engaged again? We have talked about using soapy water and a thin blade to "lubricate" the glass up and see if we could "push" the windshield back down, or to center so to speak in the seals. We even talked about getting some of those glass installers suction cups and use those to grip the glass and see if we could get it to move.

Comments or other ideas? He really doesn't want to take the windshield back off as everyone know what a PIA it is to do once everything is buttoned back up.

thanks in advance.....

54greg

Sounds like he did'nt use any/enough weatherstrip adhesive to glue the rubber in place? Ask me how I know I've taken the glass out and reinstalled over just such a mistake.

SolidAxle

I have never used weatherstrip adhesive to hold the windshield gasket to the glass and have never had seperation of the glass from the gasket or frame. In essence the windshield frame is a fairly rigid mass made up of 4 parts.... Upper tube & channel, lower rail and trim, and the 2 windshield posts. When correctly fastened together they create a fairly rigid frame that really can not bow, especially in the center.... unless there is a broken piece, tab, or someone didn't correctly screw the pieces together. Trying to tuck the windshield back into the lower frame rail will be an effort in futility likely resulting in scratching the glassm the car, or both. As the car is driven and with the top snapped to the upper channel, the windshield will just return to its previous position out of the channel. The only good solution is to remove the windshield assembly, dissassemble it, and figure out what is either broken, not correctly installed, or missing.

I have seen on incorrectly assembled or broken windshield frames where an overly tight soft top will pull on the upper channel and seperate the windshield from the frame. Like this http://ckautollc.phanfare.com/212214...ageID=29772054 - solution is to fix the assembly and loosen the top.

My GUESS is that your friend has a broken windshield post tab.

wmf62

Bill

mike coletta

Herb,
Here is my 2 cents. The tabs are probably broken. You can get the windshield back into the rubber by using a lot of WD40 and some popsicle sticks. If you try to use a metal blade, you'll risk chipping or cracking the glass. I would first loosen the post bolts on both sides.
That will allow you to "roll" the top frame forward. Apply lots of WD40, and work the rubber around the glass with the sticks. To keep the problem from occuring again, shim the back stud on the windshield frame with a metal shim or two, and snug the front bolt FIRST. This will pull the header forward, and "clamp" the glass tight in the frame. If the tabs were replaced on the posts, and not "tweaked" correctly, this will cause a misalignment of the entire frame. Shimming the rearmost bolt on the post with METAL, will keep the frame tight on the glass. Good luck.

Mike Coletta

firstgear

thanks to everyone for the comments.....we looked at the window posts and of course we really can't tell from looking at the outside even though there is a gap there (from what I can from looking at lots of C1's it is common to have gaps between the windshield trim/frame and the body itself).

There doesn't appear to be any other indications that a tab is broken. At least when the windshield was put back in the tabs were in great shape.

I think unless it comes out comepltely he is going to leave it alone until next winter as he has schedule conflicts right now......thanks again....

He might try the WD40 trick, but for now he is leaving it alone.......

AZDoug

FWIW, the new replacement windshield I put in wasn't as tall as the one that came out.

It fits in the frame and rubber OK, but it would be happier if it was 1/8" taller like the old one was. If I press the top header down to fully seat the windshield, I get an air gap/wind whistle between the header and ragtop or hardtop.

Doug