Had my windscreen replaced this weekend by a pro. He runs his own
business (Birmingham Windscreens), been doing it for 20 years or
more, and has two classics (not MG) in the workshop under restoration
on quiet afternoons. He gave me several tips which, with your
indulgence, I shall pass on.
When removing the trim strips make sure you know exactly which piece
goes where, and which way up. They will come off looking like
corkscrews, don't try to straighten them or you won't get them back
in again.
Remove the rubber beading that is concealed by the trim strips.
Press the top of the windscreen out from the inside using hand
pressure. Lift out the old glass. Leave the rubber in the
car, remove all dirt and old sealant. By the way, he said that
replacement rubbers don't have such deep lips to hold the trim
strips, which makes them a pig to fit so they stay in.
When fitting the new glass get one bottom corner in firmly, then work
your way along the bottom and part way up the sides lifting the
rubber so that it rests on the edge of the glass, not overlapping
yet. Only when you have done the bottom and part of the sides should
you use hand pressure on the face of the glass to press it into the
groove.
Now do the same with the top half, and when the rubber is resting on
the edge of the glass all the way round, use hand-pressure again to
press it into place.
Inject sealant under the edge of the rubber, then fit the rubber
beading (this was the only bit where he used a specialist tool, but
it isn't essential).
Now to refit the trim. With all the trim, fit the paint side into
the rubber first and use an implement to lift the rubber lip over
the trim strip. That way if the implement slips, it goes onto the
glass not the paint.
Fit the corner pieces first, then the sides, bottom and top.
When fitting the sides, top and bottom, look at the twist and start
with whichever end allows you to fit the paint side under the rubber
lip first so you have to press the glass side down against the twist.
That was about it, one hour doing it on his own except for someone
scraping the excess sealant away and polishing it up afterwards.
PaulH
73 Roadster (HD&H)
75 V8 (DD)
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