Rear 1/4 Light Window in Old Car - Installing

The 4mm might be defeating this. How about say some 1mm wire instead?

We actually put the rear windsceen in with about 2mm cord but we very nearly cut the rubber seal which is the danger with going too thin. I agree that the thinner cord would help. Strangely when you search it, most folk use 1/4" cord for putting older style auto windscreens in.

It was just an idea, which I now guess may not work out. If the rubber surround is relatively wide and compliant, it might make sense to undercut the glass a bit to ease squeezing the rubber through. Good luck!

Listen to what the old folks say. I use electrical cord in a pinch. i.e. about 1/4"

One thing I do know that when installing a gasket seal window in a car the guys use to spray dry silicone lubricant pretty heavy on the gasket and window opening of the car. Just out of high school working in the warehouse for auto glass company the went through cases of the silicone pretty regularly.

Work the back corner where you can force the into the angle. Pull the lower end of the cord forward toward the 90°. Then pull the other end of the cord up the rise some. Now take both ends in hand and pull back forcing the gasket back. Then pull the lower end of the cord around the 90° up to the top. Work the other end up the rise. Work both ends of your cord a close as possible to the top corner. In the last corner at the top with both ends of the cord in hand pull the cord straight out.

You may have better luck with something like this. Use a hair dryer to soften and get a nice fit around the perimeter.

It's a little tedious, but if you're good with a caulking gun, you can follow up with a nice clean bead of butyl caulking inside and out, and it will be practically indiscernible from the factory rubber, while providing a watertight seal.

Besides. I think that if your new seal is loose, it's going to leak.

Another idea:

Run a small bead of butyl caulking on the outside of the body seam.

Place the rubber by itself, (no glass), over the body seam.

Allow caulking to set.

Take a razor knife and carefully cut the rubber on the inside center of the groove where the glass would sit.

Remove outer rubber.

Apply a thin bead of butyl caulk to inside of rubber.

Install glass from outside, pressing firmly to inside rubber.

Run a medium bead of butyl caulking around perimeter of glass.

Install outer rubber, (that was previously cut out), to glass, applying light pressure to insure adhesion to butyl rubber caulking.

Allow to set.

Water tight, easy, and looking exactly as it should.

One more:

Install rubber first.

Get glass started from the outside.

Using a hairdryer, (not a heat gun), and a butter knife, (or maybe a hard flat piece of plasic), work your way around the perimeter, slowly heating a small section at a time and flipping it over the glass.

Can't tell but you might try using sections of cord for each side, instead of a continuous length. That way you won't have to try to pull the cord around sharp corners.

Be patient.

Grease the cord...

For a moment I thought you wrote something else. Thanks all for comments Sounds like lubricant is the go. I'll update when we succeed - or other.

It is similar to putting a lens back in a glasses frame. Silk ribbon is probably the best product to use.

You may want to talk to an automobile restorer and let them show off their knowledge.

That's a new one. Thanks for the idea.

Try using flexible PVC covered electric cable, it is strong and has no sharp spots and is available in many diameters. also talcum powder works well as a lubricant.

Pop round to your Jay car store.

Possibly grind the corners of your glass to a more rounded shape to give some more room.

I think I've seen this done the other way round.

If I read correctly you're trying to fit the gasket to the window; then use the cord to pull the window and gasket into the frame.

I think I've seen people stick (glue?) the gasket in the frame; then use the cord to pull the window into the gasket and frame.

Waxed or teflon coated dental tape might be good alternative to cord.

Please forgive my simplicity. Having installed and replaced and removed and reinstalled many pieces of automotive glass, I have found something like this to be invaluable, especially as you have described the failure of the cord. They come in Left and Right handed configurations.

Enjoy Your Day!

Thanks Dave. I'm sure I can whip an old screwdriver into one of those pretty quick. Lacking the chrome finish I'll just polish it. We are using a plastic tool that is similar but it's not quite strong enough for the corners.

I can't put enough emphasis on it. USE 1/4" CORD. It works. Wrap the cord around the rubber seal groove where the bodywork goes. Cross it over. Put the rubber with the glass in it in a corner of the bodywork opening and pull out the cord as someone on the outside pushes on the window.

Just think that when these cars were put together there was no lubricant, no sealant, no trouble, just skilled assemblers. Without any 'gunk' they remained leakproof for 30 or so years.

Don't try anything out of the ordinary without first trying the old tried and true system. THAT IS 1/4" CORD.

In case you haven't got the point; TRY 1/4" CORD FIRST.

Jim

I hear you Jim. I'll get 1/4" cord. (Haven't tried again yet due to other unrelated setbacks - wrong bailey channel).

Sorry Jim. The 6mm cord was hopeless. By the time we had the most difficult corner in the cord just could not allow the glass to go far enough into the corner - even though it was halfway along. As we drew the cord out the window became more and more difficult to hold into the section we had not done yet. It tended to make us try to bend the glass! We cut the cord into 3 and tried the 3 pieces pulling into the corner and that was no hope either.

I have sent the seals back to be shortened on two sides. It was always about 12mm too long on the bottom side.

I'll update when we try again in a couple of days.

Thanks for the update. Sounds like you have it sussed now.

Jim

What about starting with the long curved side first?

i.e. place the curved edge onto the body seam, then work the cord (I would try a strong thinner cord - just go steady so as not to tear/cut the rubber), around the two acute corners first, before you've gone too far. Then work both straight sides in back to the 90deg corner last.

I know they can be difficult. But I found by trial & error that sometimes its the sequence of which side first (for windscreens - never did a small triangular window) that can make all the difference.

Tony

We tried pretty hard with the 4mm cord Tony. I actually put the rear windscreen in with 2.5mm cord and now realise how lucky we were that it didn't tear. It's a new seal (as are these).

I'll try Jim's thicker cord first as it makes sense to force to rubber lip out further with thicker cord.

Thanks for the comments.

If the rubber is tighter to the frame than to the glass, fit to the frame first, and then add the glass - much less force required!

I fitted the rubber only to the frame to see if that could work a couple of days ago. I can't see how I can stop the rubber falling out of the frame while trying to fit the glass.. I mght look at that again.

Thanks for getting back. We're always interested in the followup on these projects.

Nice job!!

It's only just last week i wondering how you got on with the smaller rubbers. I know what it's like getting around to do this sort of work. Priorities 1. what the wife wants. 2. see 1.

Regards

Jim

True. The front windscreen is the issue now. It's curved a bit like a SAAb but the older gasket style. We have installed it twice so far.