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MG MGB Technical - MGB GT Windscreen Trim - Tecnique?

My MGC GT is in the paint shop and they are planning to remove the windscreen. This is a top-notch body and paint shop which does many exotic classics so I'm not worried about their abilities. However they have not done a MGB/C GT windscreen before and are concerned with the stainless trim pieces. I know this is a bear of a job and I haven't done it myself either. So...

Can anyone offer suggestions which I can pass along to them in order to make this safe and [relatively] easy?
Steve Simmons

Steve, Paul Hunt has some information on GT windscreen replacement. Look under screens.
http://www.mgb-stuff.org.uk/bodyframe.htm

I changed the bright trim on a GT windscreen and cannot offer a good plan. I did it without the special tool shown in the manual and didn't replace the seals. It should be easier with the tool and new seals. It took me severat hours and it still wasn't something I was happy with.

Clifton
Clifton Gordon

I've replaced both the windscreen and the rear hatch seals on my previous GT. By trial and error, a lot of patience (and some knashing of teeth!), and help from my son, we accomplsihed both. New seals are a definite requirement. The rubber is more flexible. A trick I found worked very well for the glass was to use the non-gritty hand cleaner and heavy package string all the way around the seal. Starting with the bottom edge in work it slowly up each side while the helper holds the other side in place. The trim pieces actually gave us a bit more problem but again the hand cleaner help the process. I found if you rounded the trim pieces a little by squeezing them together, it was a little easier to get them in position and them, by using a soft rubber mallet, flattening them out ever so slightly, they look just like an original install. I also used a heavy plastic dinnerware knife to ease a couple of places into the seal. This avoids any thing sharp that might score you new paint!
Tony Mason

Thanks, that's what I was afraid of. I guess I'll take the repair manual and be there to assist when they reinstall the glass.
Steve Simmons

Thanks Tony, good tips!
Steve Simmons

You will see from the reference Clifton has kindly given that new seals are actually very much worse to work with. The first time mine was done the repairer breathed a sigh of relief and the job was done in a couple of hours. The second time the seals had to be replaced as well and it took most of the day. the old seals are harder and slipperier, even when washing-up liquid is used, and much easier to slide the trim in. New seals are very sticky and the lips have to be lifted over for virtually the whole length. Also the lips aren't as deep as on old seals making the process even more difficult. Don't replace the seal unless you really have to.

Swarfega Original is actually better than washing-up liquid, and is a non-gritty hand-cleaner that Tony refers to. I've also had to have my roadster screen replaced twice (makes me sound accident-prone) and my Swarfega was much better than the proprietary stuff the profession fitter was using, as it didn't dry out and stays slippery much longer.
Paul Hunt 2

Steve,

on my GTV8, i have fitted the trimm on the front and the rear, after the paintjob was done. It was more than half a day of work and the result was far away from beeing perfect.
If the paintshop can do this for you, ask them and have it done by them. If you damage the new paint during installing the trim or even the rubber, it is expensive to cure the scratches and there is a good chance to damage both.
Fitting the trim is simply a job for someone who has killed his family.
If i would have to take out the screan or the window of the back hatch, i would reinstall it and have the trim done by a workshop afterwards.

Before you give them a go, fix a price first!

Good luck

Ralph
Ralph

"Fitting the trim is simply a job for someone who has killed his family."

I'll be sure to ask him! LOL!

The body shop is doing the windshield but I think I'll want to be there when they do. Thanks so much for all the tips, It's sure to help! And I'll be sure to use the old seal, which is in perfect condition.
Steve Simmons

Steve,

You might find the archive item 'GT Windshield Glazing Rubber' dated 18 Oct 04 interesting.

I wrote about a special tool that I'd made which seemed to help. A guy from San Diego, Larry something, I think, asked for details which I sent. If you need any more, please come back to me off line.

Regards

Peter
Peter Hills

Steve

I have just completed this process on my MGB GT and until a friend came to see what I was doing, it was a real struggle! I ordered all new glazing rubber and fitting the screens in and the lock rings was a piece of cake but the trim was a bear until this friend arrived. I had tried liquid soap but this just didn't seem to work. The friend is a mechanic in the forest industry and regularly installs glass in logging truck that have a similar type of trim. His response was to use Windex.......I told him I have tried lots of products and he said to use Windex and only windex. Well I tried it and the job became a lot easier. I also used a combination of a small screwdriver and an old wooden tool that used to be used in making those copper pictures. Lots of advise out there and I tried many of them with varying results. Try the Windex and see what you think.

Brian
Brian Smith

I don't recommend using screwdrivers. Go to your local automotive paint shop and buy plastic tools for installing winshields. These work great. This is one of those activities that you can do, but it takes a bit of time.

I went to three different glass companies until I found one with an older gentleman who had done these in the past. Still took him 3 hours to get the front and rear glass and trim in.
BEC Cunha

I forgot about the rear glass. Since we're painting the entire car, it's going to have to come out, too. Hopefully it's easier than the windshield!
Steve Simmons

I've done the bright metal trim. ' Made a tool out of an old small screw driver - grinding/polishing it to a soft gentle awl-shaped device. It allowed me to lift the seal enough to slip the bright trim in without tearing the seal or scratching the trim. I also used LOTS of silicone spray.

But just a couple of weeks ago, I needed to replace the windscreen again due to a stone kicked up by a passing RV in Montana. I found a glass shop in (of all places) Bad Axe, Michigan where the guy assured me that he could work the job in between other jobs - and in less than a day. I showed him the proprietary tool in the Bentley manual and he HAD ONE! He did a beautiful job and only charged me $80. For that, I'll never do another one myself!

FWIW,
Allen
Allen Bachelder

"Hopefully it's easier than the windshield!"

Highly unlikely, it is likely to be more troublesome because of the heater.
Paul Hunt 2

Really? Why does the heater make it worse? I do have a connector right by the seal, not sure if that's normal.
Steve Simmons

Making sure you don't break the connections off the screen when removing the wires, concealing the wires inside the new seal, getting good connections afterwards, and so on - assuming you want a working screen heater at the end of the job. The very fact that there *are* electrical connections to the rear screen and not the front makes it more complicated with a higher chance of something going wrong. Having said that access is probably easier working on the rear seal instead of having to lean across the wings for the front.
Paul Hunt 2

This thread was discussed between 16/10/2007 and 22/10/2007

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