XK windscreen fitting

I had a go at temporary fitting of the old (tinted!) windscreen glasses today, no success. Not helped by a split in the central part of the rubber, which eventually broke off at the base. That central strip (between the glasses) was about 1.5" too long, so I would have had to cut it anyway.
Is it possible to diy fit the glass? I’ve done the Mustang’s a few times, and that’s a lot more complex, but these seem nowhere near.
Other threads I have seen refer to a ‘locking strip’. Can anyone enlighten me on this - what does it look like, and where should it go? Nothing seemed to be missing, but I’ve never seen one installed so can’t be sure. Is there a part number?

Have you tried getting the windshields in using a length of cord? The 1/8” diameter pull cord for a lawnmower works well. You tuck it into the rubber seal all around the channel with the ends crossed in the middle, place the bottom of the windshield in the channel then pull the cord at 90 degrees to lift the lip of the seal over the edge of the glass as you press it inwards. The locking strip goes in afterward. It’s shaped like a triangle but with one rounded edge, a quarter inch or so wide. It fits in a centre channel in the front of the seal, after which the chrome finisher is pressed in. The job is helped along by this tool.

If perchance the locking strip is still in the seal it will be impossible to fit the glass.

I broke mine at first attempt . Got a pro in to help the second time and it was still a bugger.

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Nick, could you tell me a bit more about this locking strip? I know you have a 120, so I suspect the seal is different for the 140. I have bought the rubber screen seal from Coventry Auto, and all that came was one big rubber seal, two rectangles to fit around the glasses in one moulding. There is no triangular section locking seal in the rubber, just a wide slot for the glass and a narrow one for the body seam, with a faint indent that is presumably for the chrome. As far as I can tell, there should be two panes of glass, one rubber seal, two chrome trims (LH and RH), an inside vertical chrome for the centre piece and an outside vertical chrome for same. What, or where, is this locking strip? Perhaps they’ve changed the design from two pieces of rubber to one.

My 120’s an OTS so installing the windshields involves assembling the framework around them rather than installing the glass in a fixed frame, as in a coupe or drophead. My reference point is actually the E-type, whose windshield seal requires a locking strip. Perhaps the XK coupe/drophead windshield seal is a different critter, but I’ll have to defer to those who know better. This video explains the process.

Edit: checking the parts catalogue of one of the bigger usuals it appears the locking strip windscreen seal debuted with the XK150.

Ah, how I wish the 140 did too! There’s no locking strip on a 140 rubber, so it’s ‘stretch and pull’ all the way, unfortunately. Particularly difficult with an extra piece of glass flapping around in the rubber as well.
Steele make good parts, I had a lot of Cobra special mouldings from them. Unfortunately not available in the UK - I don’t know who makes the one I had in the CA kit, but it doesn’t fit - the centre vertical is way too long, but as it broke at the top during my attempted install it didn’t really make much difference.
I’ll try SNGB but I have a feeling they supply CA, which means I’ll probably have to cut and join it somehow.
By the sixties, I think most British cars used the locking strip style, but I suspect the system hadn’t appeared in the fifties. The Cooper S has a locking strip, so I’m used to them, and just wish I had one in this case!
Thanks Nick, all is clear now.

A new seal will be easier to work with, Roger. It will be much more compliant than one stiffened by time. Cutting and joining is straightforward - same process as fabbing instrument O-rings from stock. The key is getting the joining surfaces perfectly flat and perpendicular using a very sharp blade then joining them together with cyanoacrylate glue.

Moss# BD5741 windshield seal kit includes the locking strip. Google it.
Mike May
870088

That’s weird. Nobody in the UK sells that part - Moss Europe don’t list that part number. SNGB, D Manners and Coventry all sell the one piece seal. I need to decide if it’s worth importing that from the US…

Nick, the one I was struggling with which eventually broke was brand new from Coventry Auto.

edit - just googled BD5741, which came up for Coventry Auto as a pair of specially-cut early 120FHC windscreen glasses. They suggest this seal for the early 120FHC:
https://coventryautocomponents.co.uk/store/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=1526&search=6071
…so I suspect Moss USA have their numbers crossed. It seems that seal is the 4-piece type, which appears to be unique to the early 120FHC. I know nothing about that car’s windscreen!

Yes, quite different, you don’t want that one.


Although I’m glad to know it’s available again. It wasn’t 30 years ago when I replaced my left screen.