Mk10 windscreen install

Hi, getting ready to install the front and rear glass in the 66 Mk10. We have rubbers that were purchased new years ago that seem in great shape however to check that we installed them on the car flanges.

The rear one seems to fit well but the front appears to be too short through the long top and bottom sections because the A-pillar parts don’t quite reach the flange. I thought I remembered some recent posts discussing this issue but can’t find them.

Because of this problem, my thought is to install the rubber on the front windscreen and then install the assembly into the car with the thin wire method. What are your thoughts on that? Whose done this recently?

Are you going to install a new front windscreen?
If yes beware that they dont fit as well asthe original ones. The rubber seal won´t sit flat on the glass and this will prevent the chrome surrounds from sitting flat against the rubber.
I have had this issue on three 420G cars.
New rubber was fine with old glass on my cars, and on my Mk9 as well.

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Check the FSM

I think it instructs seal, then glass.

I did the rear that way, but I hired a very experienced windscreen installer to do it

He struggled. I would not have succeeded on my own

I would only hire a very experienced installer, not some young whipper snapper

If you cannot do it any other way, you will have to try cord method, I use polypropylene cord, the white stuff that wraps packages, is very thin and almost unbreakable

On the front, I think the original headlining may tuck under the seal.

The front screen is one of the major jobs I still have to tackle on my 420G

I have a NOS front seal (and 2 spare screens).

I suspect that I may have to do some metal repair on the lip, hopefully not as bad as the rear, where a match head sized rust blob under the screen seal revealed a horrible trail of rust that required a lot of precision cutting & welding to make right

The inner & outer lip must be mm perfect, or getting the screen back would be even harder

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Thanks for the heads up. We actually have a NOS, an original and an aftermarket IIRC. I remember hearing about the fitment of the aftermarket windshield being an issue. Is that fitment problem recent or something that’s been going on a while? The aftermarket one we have must be at least 20 years old.

I think we’re gonna try it. I’ve put 'em in XJ’s before as well as Triumphs and MG’s. It’s been hard to find anyone experienced to do it.

Have you tried the front seal on the car’s flange? As I mentioned ours doesn’t reach the A-pillars very well. I really thought someone was talking about that within the last year but maybe it was another Saloon.

No, the seal is a fairly old one piece so I hope it goes ok, report back on your success

My car still has its original front screen seal, its an ongoing rolling resto, always been registered and on the road since I had it 23yrs

My guy is who panel beaters get, so that says something, most young ones dont do many seal on lip, you have to question them.

Sounds like you have enough experience.

My rear lip was a length, so that solves some issues, but it took the guy all his strength to work the glass down into the seal, and he was a very strong and experienced guy, I would have given up rather than exert as much force as he did, even if I could

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The green and Maroon cars are perfect with regards to rubber, glass and chrome. Both have original screens.
The dark blue car has a very old, NOS, screen. I can tell by it being tougjened/hardened rather than laminated, so probably 1961-65 or thereabouts.
Here the left side is perfect in all regards but on the right side the rubber doesn’t sit properly against the glass. This in turn prevents the chrome from sitting firm on the rubber.
Perhaps the new seal was too small. The installation was done 3-4 yrs ago. I have had that car since 1989.
I have seen several cars for sale over the years without front screen chrome surround. We know why…but it looks really bad

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Ours is also one piece - no sign of a join - and it’s old… I’m now leaning toward getting a new one from SNGB, installing it on the flange and seeing if it also has the short top and bottom issue. If so it’s going back. But if it fits better gonna go with that. This is gonna be enough fun without dealing with a seal that’s a little off.
I also remember reading somewhere that there was an Australian company that made repro screen seals that fit better - possibly on the E-Type forum. @awg do you know the company I’m talking about?

This makes me even more convinced we need a new seal instead of using the one we have. At least as a test to see which one fits the opening better.

Yes Mike,

Scotts Old Auto Rubber in Victoria

I did read recently he may have retired which would be a huge pity as he extruded a vast range of rubber seals for old vehicles, and his patterns are more accurate than most.

He has/had much MKX stuff. I got a fair bit of stuff off him, but that was over 10 yrs ago.

He was also significantly less expensive than alternatives

He wasnt totally easy to deal with, so I would suggest calling his phone during out local business hours

As a fellow Zenith brother, I will check and link his website and post some links

Scott’s Old Auto Rubber (scottsoldautorubber.com.au)

4.2 MKX page

JAGUAR 1965/66 MK X 4.2 LITRE (scottsoldautorubber.com.au)

Just a question “rustfreemike” …how are the channels on your body that receive the long “rubber on body” seal ?

Mine are rusty at the bottom un some areas, so I havent fitted that seal, but have derived a ( hopefully) clever solution to that issue

Its a big rust trap area on these cars, I have heard of people cutting off the entire channel and glueing the seal direct to the body. A totally unsatisfactory solution afaic

I notice he no longer advertises these seals

My understanding is he does more extrusions when there is enough demand, they come in single lengths which are glued with superglue for rubber, works perfectly

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Thanks Tony! That’s the one. Much appreciated. I think we could live with the cost of shipping from Oz if it’s a better made seal.

They are actually really in great shape cause it’s an original southern US car - my friend the owner has had it for over 30 years. Body work and paint were done at least 20 years ago. So it’s been out of the weather for a long time. It’ll probably never see rain again :wink:

Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. I was working on the car yesterday.