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

Windshield Re-Installation – Round Two

Something told me that installing that windshield was just too simple. Of course, it was—just another case of MG trickery, courtesy of modern parts that never quite match the specifications of good old British Leyland.

When I was putting the rubber around the glass, it seemed too simple and, well, loose. It wasn’t the snug fit I was expecting. At the time, I didn’t think much of it. It covered the edges, and I figured that when I clamped the left and right pillars together, it would self-center the glass and jam the rubber into the frame. I thought it did that, until Steve at the Sports Car Factory pointed out a gap right at the edge of the frame (click on the picture to see it in full size). You could actually stick something small through it. How is this even possible? Needless to say, the window leaks water like a proper strainer.

As if on cue, after I took a picture, Martin MacGregor called with some “helpful” advice on installing the rubber to the glass. A day late and a dollar short, but his advice made sense. He explained that the factory making these seals has workers cutting the rubber between 115” and 116”, then super gluing them together. The problem, he said, is that they often cut them too long—longer than 116”—which causes all sorts of problems when installing the windshield.

Martin suggested I cut the rubber at the seam, measure out 115”, and then cut and super glue it back together. It should be a snap fit, which mine definitely was not.

Even with that fix, I fear the windshield still isn’t wide enough to center properly when squeezing the pillars closed. My plan is to put clear silicone inside the pillar frame to build it up a bit on both sides to properly center the glass. This is just a plan; I’ll know more when I remove it for the second time after I get it back from its safety inspection.

Any suggestions would be truly welcomed here…

MGB Windscreen Installation - Part 2

 

The task of installing the windscreen, while often dreaded, turned out to be more straightforward than expected. Here's a detailed walkthrough of my experience.

First, I grabbed the windscreen assembly and carefully slid the two rails into their slots on each side. I jiggled it a bit to align the front two bolts in the middle of the dash. Once they were aligned, I inserted and screwed in these two bolts, leaving about 1/4" of play.

Next, using the same plastic flat tool from Part 1, I slid the rubber seal into the correct position, flipping it over to seat on the car. With a flashlight inside the car, I inspected the holes to determine the best way to line them up. My plan was to attach the lower bolts on each side.

This part proved challenging. Instead of using a jig as suggested in various online guides, I asked a neighbor who was walking his dog to help. He pushed down on the driver’s side while I guided the direction with my left hand and screwed in the bolt with my right hand. After three attempts, I managed to screw in the first bolt. We then repeated this process on the passenger side, after which my neighbor continued on his walk. I did not tighten the bolts.

With the bottom two bolts in place, the windscreen moved like a lever. You can push or pull it to line up the holes. Surprisingly, I was able to screw in the top bolts easily past the dash edge, allowing me to continue with a wrench from the side. This was a part I had feared the most, but it turned out to be the easiest. Please note that in Part 1, I had put these bolts in many times and I also used a dab of anti-seize on the bolts. 

If you get out of the MGB and close the door, you'll notice some play backward and forward. Align the windscreen with the door to ensure they mate perfectly, then tighten the bottom bolts. Do not overtighten. Repeat this process on the other side. Once these bolts are secure, tighten the top two bolts.

Finally, I inspected my seal, which looked fabulous! Below are some reference pictures, especially showing the way the rubber seal sits with the rubber foot and the location of these bolts. Feel free to click on any image to view it full size. The last thing to do is seal the corner areas using silicone as in John Twist's Video: 213 MG Tech | Sealing MG Windscreens.

   

 

MGB Windscreen Installation Part 1

Introduction:

Instead of creating a video for this installation, I've chosen to discuss some of the challenges I faced and share my insights on potential solutions. While there are numerous excellent installation videos available, some of which I'll highlight below. I took a slightly different approach. I'll outline these unique steps with accompanying pictures, aiming to simplify your process and ensure a clean, straightforward, and frustration-free installation.

Noteworthy Installation Videos:

• MGB Roadster Windscreen Frame Removal and Glass Fitting: An in depth guide 
• by David Russell-Wilks
• MGB Front Windscreen Screen Replacement Re-Fit 4000 Subscriber Special 
• by David Russell-Wilks
• 213 MG Tech | Sealing MG Windscreens
  
• By John Twist at University Motors

The Windshield Adventure:

Removing the windshield was mostly straightforward, except for dealing with the top two bolts. These bolts, designed by the engineers at British Leyland, are placed awkwardly against the edge of the metal dash. To remove them, I had to use a 9/16" wrench between the dash and the sidewall. However, as the bolt reaches a certain point, the wrench becomes unusable because the bolt head aligns parallel with the steel dash. At this stage, you need to use your fingers underneath the dash, combined with some careful wrench maneuvers, to slowly turn the bolt until it comes off. This wasn't particularly difficult but did add about 15 minutes to the removal process. I can see it may be challenging to re-assemble later on (see Part 2). The videos mentioned above cover this process well.

Once the windshield was off the car, I had no trouble removing any of the screws from the windshield frame, except for one missing screw and one stripped thread on the frame bracket. Rust can easily form on these brackets, especially if there has been water leakage over the years. Here’s my recommended preparation for this scenario:

First, if the screws are rusted or difficult to remove, I suggest using an Impact Driver, as shown in the picture, to loosen them and avoid stripping, which would require drilling them out. Fortunately, I didn't need mine as the screws came out easily, but this isn’t always the case. Having extra screws on hand, both the small and tall ones is advisable. They are inexpensive and can be invaluable when needed.

Once all the screws are removed, you can gently pull the sides apart. I had to start mine by using a flathead screwdriver, inserted between the top and side frames, and gently turning it to apply pressure and separate the side frames from the top and bottom frames. Once started, I could wiggle them apart.

At this point, it's essential to clean the insides of the frames thoroughly. The bottom corner brackets and top brackets may be very rusty, the threads might be damaged from previous installations, or they might be in perfect condition. Mine were not. Luckily, I was able to get two good top brackets from The Sports Car Factory nearby to replace mine. Additionally, I wasn't completely satisfied with the bottom corner brackets' threads, so I recommend having a set of these on hand along with new screws. Ordering a few extra screws is also a good idea, just in case.

Parts Order List from Moss Motors:

1. 408-075 and 408-085 - Left and Right Top Rail to Pillar Brackets
2. 408-050 Left and Right pillar to Bottom Rail Elbow brackets
3. 4 x 408-055 Bracket to Pillar screws
4. 8 x 408-056 Short Screws
5. 6 x 408-057 Long Screws
6. 282-420 Windshield Glass Rubber
7. I Used this Windshield: 458-815 Tinted Original Style Windshield

I took the time to thoroughly clean both the insides and outsides of the frames. My frames had clear silicone, some type of putty, and rust on the brackets. I started by using a flathead screwdriver to scrape off the silicone and putty, then used a Dremel to further clean the tracks and remove as much rust as possible. Below, you can see some before and after pictures showcasing the results.

Before

After

 

The MUST Do - Windshield

 

A Lucky Day with the Windshield

There she is, naked! No windshield. Removing and reinstalling the windshield seemed like a daunting task. I had heard horror stories about the screws around the frame often being rusted, leading to major trouble like tapping and so forth.

But today was my lucky day. I disassembled two frames: one with a good frame but broken windshield glass, and another with a bad frame but good windshield glass. During disassembly, I discovered why the windshield broke on the good frame. There are two sizes of screws, with the top frame screws being longer than those on the bottom. One of the bottom screws was a long screw, likely applying constant pressure directly through the rubber onto the edge of the glass. Additionally, there was a missing screw that holds the bracket on the bottom, which caused added vibration, especially over bumps.

The screws were a mixed bunch: Phillips, hex, and flat head. Initially, I thought I could reuse the rubber around the windshield, but I decided to sell this windshield since it has no markings, and I don't want to go through this again. Instead, I ordered a new one from Laval, QC, complete with the gasket and some other parts necessary to pass the safety inspection.

The old windshield came off easily, but I can imagine there will be some time-consuming positioning and wiggling when I reassemble it with the new glass.

Below are some photos.