[xk] Early FHC Windscreen gasket replacement

Well, five and a half hours of tedious labor and the old window are out in
tact although cracked. It’s a nasty little job that requires a lot of
patience BUT NO BRUT STRENGTH. “Leave the gorilla in the cage” on this job or you
will damage and or distort the inside retaining frames. You will need the
following items:

  1. A box cutter with extra blades with the blade extended as far as it will
    slide out.
  2. A very fine bladed knife with at least a one inch or longer reach. It will
    help if that blade is flexible like a worn out butchers DE-boning knife. I
    have two and used them both. Invaluable for this job but the box cutters will
    work
  3. Several screw driver of varying length of size to use as levers to GENTLY
    pry up the inside frames.
    I started with a FHC whose complete dashboard had been removed and do not
    see how this project could be done without doing the same.

START: THE EXTERIOR CHROME PIECES ARE NOT TO BE TOUCHED AND DO NOT NEED TO BE
REMOVED FOR THIS OPERATION!!! as far as I can see now.
Remove all of the holding screws on the inside retaining frames. There
are two on each window and one on the center post. MAKE SURE YOU REMOVE ALL OF
THE SCREWS. Remove the retaining metal on the center post first. Unfortunately
your headliner is very vulnerable in this operation and the two frames above
the windscreen need to be removed. You will see what I mean once you start.
Once all of the retaining frame screws are removed you need to use the knives
and box cutters to separate the windscreen from the old rubber gasket and the
actual body steel around the window. On the outside you will also need to
runs the knife between the exterior chrome moldings and the glass to separate the
rubber form them BEING VERY CAREFUL NOT TO SCAR THEM WITH YOUR KNIFE.
I don’t believe putting the new windows with the new rubber gaskets in
will be difficult at all! I will cover that later after that operation is
complete.
It’s a good time to put in new windscreens. Mine are as old as the car
and show delamination and scratches and stone pits.
If anyone else would like to add or comment on my procedure I’m sure the
list would be interested as well and I.
I STRESS, PATIENCE, CARE, AND NO BRUT FORCE!!
Mad Ludwig

If anyone else would like to add or comment on my procedure I'm sure

the

list would be interested as well and I.
I STRESS, PATIENCE, CARE, AND NO BRUT FORCE!!
Mad Ludwig

   I recall, when I removed the front glass from my 120 DHC, taking the

glass out from the front… since the weatherseal around the windscreen was
going to be replaced, it was easier to cut the rubber away from the glass
and the DHC’s windscreen frame from the “outside”.
No one can emphasize enough that removing the glass from the rubber
surround is a slow and gentle operation…
My glass came out intact… I didn’t break it until years later when
we moved…
The only “exterior chrome moldings” my DHC has are the stainless
windscreen trimsurrounds that “fit” in the “lips” on the exterior side of
the surround rubber…
Replacing the glass, however, may be an entirely different story…
Awaiting ML’s report with interest…
Charles #677556.----- Original Message -----
From: Fhc12001@aol.com

My glass, which I have managed to remove intact, is lightly scratched with
years of operation of the wipers. Is it worth trying to get it polished or
should I just replace it with new? Trouble is, although I’ll be able to see
through the new glass it won’t have that nice TripleX mark.

Eric
Beaconsfield UK----- Original Message -----
From: “BISHOP-13” bishop-13@ispwest.com
To: xk@jag-lovers.org
Sent: Sunday, January 04, 2004 5:09 PM
Subject: Re: [xk] Early FHC Windscreen gasket replacement

----- Original Message -----
From: Fhc12001@aol.com

If anyone else would like to add or comment on my procedure I'm sure

the

list would be interested as well and I.
I STRESS, PATIENCE, CARE, AND NO BRUT FORCE!!
Mad Ludwig

   I recall, when I removed the front glass from my 120 DHC, taking

the

glass out from the front… since the weatherseal around the windscreen
was
going to be replaced, it was easier to cut the rubber away from the glass
and the DHC’s windscreen frame from the “outside”.
No one can emphasize enough that removing the glass from the rubber
surround is a slow and gentle operation…
My glass came out intact… I didn’t break it until years later when
we moved…
The only “exterior chrome moldings” my DHC has are the stainless
windscreen trimsurrounds that “fit” in the “lips” on the exterior side of
the surround rubber…
Replacing the glass, however, may be an entirely different story…
Awaiting ML’s report with interest…
Charles #677556.

Eric
One can grind glass as deeply as one wants to. The trick is to avoid
distortion eg. keeping the surface optically flat.
If the damage is only “haze” and not “ditches’”, there is a good chance they
can be removed completely. Years ago I repolished an MG screen and it came
out fine.
Stores selling materials for amateur telescope grinding have the stuff…
cerium oxide, pads etc and better yet, the knowhow to keep you out of
trouble while getting the job done.
Happy new year
Klaus

…you deserve some “BRUT” Champagne.
The Viking> BUT NO BRUT STRENGTH.

Klaus,

You think that I might be able to do it myself? I was kind of think that I
would have to get a professional job done. I also wondered if reversing the
screens would present the outside with a fresh surface. They look
symmetrical so I could easily do that.

Eric----- Original Message -----
From: “Klaus Nielsen” klausnielsen@earthlink.net
To: xk@jag-lovers.org
Sent: Sunday, January 04, 2004 6:39 PM
Subject: Re: [xk] Early FHC Windscreen gasket replacement

Eric
One can grind glass as deeply as one wants to. The trick is to avoid
distortion eg. keeping the surface optically flat.
If the damage is only “haze” and not “ditches’”, there is a good chance
they
can be removed completely. Years ago I repolished an MG screen and it came
out fine.
Stores selling materials for amateur telescope grinding have the stuff…
cerium oxide, pads etc and better yet, the knowhow to keep you out of
trouble while getting the job done.
Happy new year
Klaus

In reply to a message from Eric Capron sent Sun 4 Jan 2004:

Eric,
If it really only is crazing from the wipers you can buff
it out. Go to the local autoglass shop and ask for glass
polish - it is a white powder, mix with water to a cream and
use a felt mop on a variable speed drill running at 25-40%.
You’ll need patience and good light, and you’ll want to
mask off the whole of the car - actually, its better to
polish before removing the glass, that way you don’t need to
clean the powder off the rubber.
Polish as if you were rubbing off wax with short
overlapping circles. Keep the mop moving as you don’t want
any heat buildup. Keep taking a break every 15 min. After
about 1 hour you should have the marks off.
Last fall I polished some marks off the backlight of a
MK II, they were pretty deep (someone in the bodyshop
inattentive qith a disc sander and vary coarse sandpaper).
After about 4 hours of polishing the mark was gone.
If the screen is already out you can rig up a carrier
with foam to support it while you polish it out of the car.
This also allows you to polish the inside without having to
replace the leather seatcovers. Polish the inside and
you’ll be amazed at how much black comes off a surface that
you thought was clean.

I have also removed wiper marks with Brasso and a felt

mop. The cut of the Brasso will improve if you put a bit of
the finest rottenstone in it (Rottenstone is the abraisive
in Silvo and Brasso, and is what a furniture polisher uses
to rub out a lacquer finish to a high gloss. Brasso just
takes about 3 times longer to get the same effect as the
glass polishing powder.

Andrew–
The original message included these comments:

My glass, which I have managed to remove intact, is lightly scratched with
years of operation of the wipers. Is it worth trying to get it polished or
should I just replace it with new? Trouble is, although I’ll be able to see


1968 3.8S
Zurich, Switzerland
–Posted using Jag-lovers JagFORUM [forums.jag-lovers.org]–

Eric:
I do think replacing as opposed to polishing is the correct move.
BUT if your desire is to keep that Triplex mark do polish it.
Good luck
ML

Viking:
I will drink to that!
BRUT is my favorite. But Wild Turkey 101 is even better.
Regards,
Ernesto

Klaus Nielsen wrote:

Eric
One can grind glass as deeply as one wants to. The trick is to avoid
distortion eg. keeping the surface optically flat.

there is agreat article in this mnth’s Cars and Parts about polishing
out wiper marks in glass… john shuck

Eric Capron wrote:

My glass, which I have managed to remove intact

the new glass it won’t have that nice TripleX mark.

Eric

the Triplex mark is available on replacement glass here in the US…
Cars and Parts is a US pub BTW. I’ll catch the important details and
forward them to you if you need… john shuck>

Eric
Yes absolutely, give it a go on some slightly hazed spot and draw courage
from the results.
It takes quitea while to do even a small amount of “waving”.
Best
Klaus----- Original Message -----
From: “Eric Capron” eric@beaconsfield.demon.co.uk
To: xk@jag-lovers.org
Sent: Sunday, January 04, 2004 1:45 PM
Subject: Re: [xk] Early FHC Windscreen gasket replacement

Klaus,

You think that I might be able to do it myself? I was kind of think that I
would have to get a professional job done. I also wondered if reversing
the
screens would present the outside with a fresh surface. They look
symmetrical so I could easily do that.

Eric
----- Original Message -----
From: “Klaus Nielsen” <@KWN>
To: xk@jag-lovers.org
Sent: Sunday, January 04, 2004 6:39 PM
Subject: Re: [xk] Early FHC Windscreen gasket replacement

Eric
One can grind glass as deeply as one wants to. The trick is to avoid
distortion eg. keeping the surface optically flat.
If the damage is only “haze” and not “ditches’”, there is a good chance
they
can be removed completely. Years ago I repolished an MG screen and it
came
out fine.
Stores selling materials for amateur telescope grinding have the
stuff…
cerium oxide, pads etc and better yet, the knowhow to keep you out of
trouble while getting the job done.
Happy new year
Klaus

Ernie,

If your “Triplex” mark is well defined, you might try capturing it on a
suitable digital format. Lay a rule next to it for scale. It can be
transformed into a stencil for “etching” if the need be! Your wind
screen gasket is vastly different from mine, however getting replacement
glazing will probably entain similar expenditures.

I am tempted to get new clear ones too as, I don’t relish polishing the
old ones, one of which was a replacement anyway.

I thought I seek some pricing from the glass vendor that Kevin from the
motorcycle club rents to. Tell me what your estimates are. Back when
the car was young (it was at least 12 years old) I replaced a broken
screen and swapped it for the driver’s side. I was able then to use (or
rather reuse) and seal with the original gasket rubber. It was not fresh
but it was pliable. The new rubber will make the installation pleasant
if the glazing is accurately duplicated.

Regards,

Rick________________________________________________________________
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Rick:
Not worried about a Triplex mark on the car as long as I can see out of it
and it’s legal. TOO many more important things to worry about. New glass it is
I’ll have the glass with me on TUE along with the bracket from my heater
control valve. ME wants to duplicate it.
See you TUE night for dinner @ MUGS @ 6PM no cigars and no cheeseburgers!
Take care
Ernie

List,
Glass markings, of various sorts, are available from the many antique car
glass suppliers. For example, O.E.M Glass, Bloomington IL 1-800-283-2122
supplied me with glass for my 1931 Model A with the correct logos and even
the correct date code for the month on manufacture of the car. Also, Lo-Can
Glass International, Woburn MA. 1-800-345-9595, sold me the windscreen for
my XK150 OTS, which was made by Pilkington in England and had the Triplex
logo.
Good hunting,
Jerry Oliver
Olympia, WA----- Original Message -----
From: Fhc12001@aol.com
To: xk@jag-lovers.org
Sent: Sunday, January 04, 2004 1:27 PM
Subject: Re: [xk] Early FHC Windscreen gasket replacement

Rick:
Not worried about a Triplex mark on the car as long as I can see out of it
and it’s legal. TOO many more important things to worry about. New glass
it is
I’ll have the glass with me on TUE along with the bracket from my
heater
control valve. ME wants to duplicate it.
See you TUE night for dinner @ MUGS @ 6PM no cigars and no
cheeseburgers!
Take care
Ernie

John S;
I’ve hunted for a place who would put the Triplex mark on the
glas, with no success…
If you have information on a place that will, please share…
Charles #677556.----- Original Message -----
From: “john shuck”

the Triplex mark is available on replacement glass here in the US…
Cars and Parts is a US pub BTW. I’ll catch the important details and
forward them to you if you need… john shuck

In reply to a message from BISHOP-13 sent Mon 5 Jan 2004:

Triplex Mark -

I believe I recall that some member of the list posted a reply some
time back saying he had a rubber stamp that could be used to
deposit acid to etch the ‘‘triplex’’ logo. Seems like , if thatis
true, one might be able to make the mark in situ if he/she were
careful.

Karl–
karl
–Posted using Jag-lovers JagFORUM [forums.jag-lovers.org]–

But Wild Turkey 101 is even better.
Regards,
Ernesto

but 101…that was a freshman class label in my years
The Viking

Karl,

I believe that the lister that has a Triplex logo rubber stamp is John
Warfield, jdwtrxk@comcast.net at 410-974-6707.

Cheers

Harry Parkinson

ML & Viking,

And in mine too. Perhaps if we could move onto 102 the FHC would happen
faster, or perhaps not. One never knows.

Look forward to seeing the elusive Ludwigmobile in May.

Vinyarder

On Sun, 4 Jan 2004 21:18:04 -0500 “Klaus Nielsen”
klausnielsen@earthlink.net writes:>

But Wild Turkey 101 is even better.
Regards,
Ernesto

but 101…that was a freshman class label in my years
The Viking