Champion Windshield

[Laurence]

I've just had my '51 Champion painted, however the restoration shop cannot get the chrome trim pieces installed into the windshield & rear window rubber molding. Is there a tool needed to do so? Is there a trick to the process. The instructions I have say only "Install the garnish mouldings and the central closing strip".

[mapman]

That is a tough one. It is supposed to require 2 people. I haven't gotten mine in yet after I gave up. There were several threads on this. It sounds like a very difficult process. I tried several different ways to get it in myself without luck, then moved on, hoping someone would post with the magic formula. Still waiting.
Rob

[52 Ragtop]

The mldg must be installed in the rubber gasket BEFORE installing the windshield! If the shop does not have the experience to do it, have them call a glass shop BEFORE they break the glass!
Once the mldg is installed in the rubber gasket, then use 1/8" (or so) rope and wrap around the gasket looping the rope at each end. Set the glass on the lower lip, and while someone is applying light pressure to the glass, slowly work the rope out pulling the rubber gasket over the lip on the inside, use plastic glass spoons for that. Go slow and easy, and the windshield will go in with out a hitch.

Jim

[rockne10]

quote:The mldg must be installed in the rubber gasket BEFORE installing the windshield!

I wish!

The pre-53 trim cannot be installed before the glass is installed! Still waiting for someone to post the magic procedure. Craig Piper at Westmoreland Restorations allows three hours to install the trim in one window. The glass shop I use put it in my '51 fifteen years ago. They installed it in a '52 last year and said they really don't want to do it again.

Where's the magic procedure?

Brad Johnson
Pine Grove Mills, Pa.
'33 Rockne 10, '51 Commander Starlight, '53 Commander Starlight

quote:

[sweetolbob]

What 52 ragtop says, plus a spray bottle of soap solution and a thicker cord.

The thinner 1/8" cord would have cut my gasket on the 54. Very close with 3/16".

Be sure you have at least one more person also.

With all that it went quite well.

Bob

[cstude1]

Try this,

https://www.studebakerparts.com/studebakerparts/store/s/html/pages/47-52wshld.html

Chuck

[StudeRich]

quote:Originally posted by sweetolbob

What 52 ragtop says, plus a spray bottle of soap solution and a thicker cord.
The thinner 1/8" cord would have cut my gasket on the 54. Very close with 3/16".

Please do not confuse a '53 and on, with a '47-'52, the mouldings go into the rubber a totally DIFFERENT way, I have always been told you install the '47-'52 mouldings LAST, but it is impossible a later car. [:0]


StudeRich at Studebakers Northwest -Ferndale,WA

[mbstude]

The boys at Studebaker Corp. did this all day long, everyday, for a few years...

What's the secret? I highly doubt they spent one full day on every single car to install trim.

Matthew Burnette
Hazlehurst, GA

[jclary]

quote:Please do not confuse a '53 and on, with a '47-'52, the mouldings go into the rubber a totally DIFFERENT way, I have always been told you install the '47-'52 mouldings LAST, but it is impossible a later car.

Rich, Sometime in the future, I am going to have to renew the windshield gasket in my '51 Land Cruiser. I was under the impression that the reveal molding was to be installed in the gasket first. Thanks for pointing this out. Anybody here done this. How did it go? I have done several windshields, but none with the reveal molding.

John Clary
Greer, SC

I have only two limitations ...BRAINS & ENERGY
SDC member since 1975

[wolfie]

John,If you dont hear from me before then pm me when you get ready to do your glass.We have a local guy out of Greenville that will come to your house and do the front and rear glasses for around $25 each way (in/out).And hes insured if he breaks it.He pulled the glasses from my 53 but we talked a while and he says he can do them all.He knew the trim was a PITA on the earlier cars so I believe him when he says he can and has done them.He will probably want you to secure the new seal.Steve

[R2Andrea]

The '53 and earlier glass installs from the inside out, just the opposite of the '53 and up cars. The trim mouldings are installed AFTER the glass is seated in the opening, and before the center bar (if required) is installed. A nice solution of mild dish soap makes a good lubricant for the installation as does a Gritless hand gleaner. Use at least a 3/16" cord to pull the gasket lip over the pinchweld. Anything thinner really increases the chances of cutting the lip off your gasket. You may be able to get some "windshield sticks" from either your local glass shop or glass distributor. Use these to help work the gasket onto the pinchweld if necessary, and to work the trim mouldings into the reciever grove on the outside of the gasket. One of my all time favorite glass installation tools is an SP29A cotter pin remover from MAC Tools. They should be under $20 from your friendly MAC Tool dealer, and have a much better shape than the ones from Snap On, Sears, etc. Just grind the sharp end to a nice radius to help prevent piercing the gasket. DO NOT pry against the glass itself with anything metal, and only VERY carefully with the plastic W/S sticks. An assistant can really make the job much easier, that way one can hold the glass in the opening while the other works the gasket lip over the pinchweld.
Or hire a glass shop with lots of experience with old cars. The standard industry practice is "your glass, your loss". If they are supplying the glass then they will replace it at their expense. If they break yours, they aren't likely to buy you a new one unless it's flat glass that they can cut themselves. And most shops aren't likely to do even that.


R2Andy