Defeated by the Windshield: A Tale of Triumph and Tragedy

Just when I thought I had conquered the windshield problem, it seems there may be another issue lurking beneath the surface. In either case, I hereby throw my arms up in dramatic defeat.

The initial problem of the windshield not fitting the frame, I believe, was rooted in the rubber supplied by Moss. The new rubber was more like soft foam than actual rubber. Fortunately, I had the old rubber from the previous cracked windshield, courtesy of the former owner. The difference between them was stark. The new Moss rubber (foam) could be flattened with two fingers, explaining the gap between the frame and glass. When squeezing one side, the rubber compressed too much, allowing it to fit into the frame rail more than it should, preventing the glass from properly seating on the opposite rail. As you can see in the attached picture, the new Moss rubber did not snap-fit with the glass but was excessively loose.

Take a look at this video comparison of the two rubbers.

The windshield eventually fit snugly, and I experienced the expected difficulty squeezing the side pillars together to align the screws, unlike the initial, too-easy attempt.

Installing the windshield onto the car went as anticipated. Remember, tighten the top two bolts on the dash, leaving some play. Then insert the two bottom bolts on each side of the windshield, followed by the top ones. Align the windshield at the proper angle for the doors to fit correctly, and then tighten everything down.

Next, I applied silicone sealant. I used clear marine silicone sealant by GE for the rubber where it compresses onto the car, following John Twist's video. For the pillars, I used black silicone adhesive sealant. Check out the picture below.

I let it sit overnight and then performed a rain test with a hose the following day. Success! It leaked from the soft-top’s rubber seal but not from the windshield.

Feeling triumphant, I decided to take the MGB to the bank to deposit a check. It was a scorching 33 degrees Celsius (91.4°F) that day. When I returned to the car after leaving the bank, I noticed something on the windshield. Initially, I thought it was dirt, but upon closer inspection, my heart plummeted.

The Windshield Had CRACKED!

I do not have any words to describe my disappointment after removing the windshield twice, sealing the windshield twice, cleaning the sealant twice and after spending $ 400.00 for the Moss Tinted Original Windshield including oversize delivery fees plus the rubber.

I immediately sat in the car and did about four sessions of box-breathing then drove the car home and put her into the garage to deal with another day.

If you recall from part one of the windshield saga, this frame was originally off the car because the previous owner installed a windshield that subsequently cracked. He then bought an older windshield with glass and installed it. Interestingly, he had also purchased Moss glass, which cracked in the exact same spot. It was an identical crack. Now, I suspect it may be a frame issue. If that's the case, I have no idea how to fix it, and quite frankly, I no longer have the energy or interest to tackle a windshield replacement for the third time.

My plan now is to bring the car and the older windshield glass I kept to a professional and have them install it while thoroughly investigating the issue. This means spending more money, which might seem like going down the rabbit hole?

Should I start a go fund me plan? LOL