Probably the most nerve-racking day of the build. Some of you street-rodding roadster guys might know of what I’m talking about. But tonight, with the help of my patient and beautiful wife, Kate, I installed new glass in the Midget windshield frame.
This has less to do with making the car fast than making it legal – the old windshield was cracked.
The last time I tried this was on my MGB about seven years ago, and I swore I’d never do it again. After three hours, and getting it oh-so-close, it cracked on me, and I just manned up, or wussed out, depending on how you look at it, and took it to the glass shop.
But not this time. Here’s the deal. On both cars, the frame is four pieces, a top and bottom channel and the two side posts. The glass fits in a rubber seal which fits in the channels on all four pieces, and rather snugly, too, I might add.
The reason I gave it a try this time is because the glass on the Midget has a lot less contour to it than the MGB. The problem is snugging up the frame with the rubber and glass in place without wrenching the frame and breaking the glass. It’s a case where you must absolutely center the glass into the bottom channel, attach, yet not tighten down the pillars at the bottom, then retain slight, yet constant pressure on the posts, pulling inward while the screws are aligned and attached through the top channel.
Sounds simple? It sure looks simple in the pictures -
http://www.mossmotors.com/Shop/ViewProducts.aspx?PlateIndexID=29326Try it with vegetable oil smeared on the seal, polished aluminum frame, and edge of the glass. There’s no way to strap it side to side, and you just have to keep gently, yet firmly squeezing while your trusty partner tries to line up and inserts the screws.
Made me wish I’d kept up on my weight training – my pecs haven’t had a burn like this going in years.
The roadster guys usually have flat glass, so it might be easier, but I don’t care how much beer you have, I will not help you do this. This is the last time. But I can check that off of the list.