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MG MGA - Coupe Rear Windscreen rubber seal

I need to replace the REAR windscreen rubber seal in my Coupe and was looking for comments regarding quality, fit etc. on what is offered from the various suppliers, both good and not so good. Thanks in advance gentlemen.
Garry
Garry Kemm

Allow me to offer some advise about the windsheild removal. I replaced mine just recently and tried to remove it with the seal intact. The result was a broken WS and several hundred dollars extra for a new one. Do yourself a favour and cut away the seal, to allow you to remove the WS easily and safely. You are replacing the seal, so don't try and save it.

My seal came from Moss and I am very pleased.
Gordon Harrison

Mine came from Moss. Sat 10 years before install, no problems.
R J Brown

Previous experience with Moss seals have resulted in early cracking. I am expecting new front and rear seals from Scarborough Faire any day now.

I also second the comment about using a razor knife to cut away the old seal.
Mark J Michalak

My Moss seals cracked very early(along with every other Moss rubber part) and I know that I will at some time have to replace them again.It will be interesting Mark to see how yours work out. It was a very nerve racking install and I wish I did not have to go thru it again.
gary starr

Thanks for the information and tips so far. Anybody used the seal supplied by Macgregors? I would like to be sure about the seal quality as it is a job that I hope to do only once.
Garry Kemm

Garry I got mine from SF and it was good quality and fit very well except for the vertical strips between the windows. If they were 1/4" longer it would prevent the stretching appearance. I've always had good luck with rubber items from Macgregors.

Andy

Andy Preston

Andy did you find that you needed to use any adhesive or sealant?
Mark J Michalak

I believe that Todd O'Dell (see Barney's site) has now reappeared on the scene, and is remanufacturing the seals....a few years ago, they were the best on the market I believe.
Gary Lock

Apologies, I realised after adding the last thread that Todd's rubbers are for hardtops.
Gary Lock

Gary Barney's site says that Todd makes rubber parts for hardtops.Do you think he makes rubber parts for coupes?
gary starr

Thanks Andy for posting photo of your SF rubber seal as fitted (nice looking coupe, by the way). Is there anybody who has actually used the MacGregor version?
If their vertical part is longer I will use them, otherwise the SF seals. I have emailed MacGregors enquiring about the vertical part, but no response so far, after about 2 weeks.
Garry Kemm


Garry,

I'm using a McGregor rear rubber, seems to fit right - forgot to insert the chrome parts before fitting the rubber, shame on me, have to do it again.
McGregeor needs one or two calls before he ships the parts...

Siggi
Siggi

I just fitted my SF seals last weekend. The front seal is a thing of beauty and very easy to install. The rear seal... The driver side vertical piece was 3/16" shorter than the passenger side. The passenger side was already a bit short, so as a result the driver side is pulled down to the point that the seal is pulling away from the body. I dumped a ton of 3M adhesive in there to ensure a watertight seal and keep the rubber adhered to the body. My car is a driver and may not see new paint for a couple years, and frankly I don't feel like re-doing the rear seal when I have other things to finish, so I'm going to live with it. The next time I have to do it I will try mac Gregor.

Regarding the comment about installing the chrome strips before installing the rubber in the car: I thought it was hard enough getting all three panes of glass to stay in the seal while I was putting it together on the work bench. I can't imagine my level of frustration if I also tried putting the chrome in on the workbench. On the front I installed it after it was fitted to the car and if I wasn't a tiny bit ham fisted it would have turned out perfect.

As a side note, we have an aerosol silicon lubricant that we apply to the sides of escalators to keep people's stupid crocs (rubber shoes) to keep from getting sucked into the steps. This worked great on my glass installation.
Mark J Michalak

Siggi,
The chrome trim pieces should be fitted after the rubber and glass is in the car. These strips "lock" the rubber/glass in place.
Modern replacement strip is plastic not chrome or stainless steel.
I fitted MOSS rubbers last April, i.e., 10 months ago, and they are both cracking at the corners. The SF one I saw on Andy's car in Reno last year seemed to be much better quality than mine, but he has plastic windows!
Peter.
P. Tilbury

This thread was discussed between 08/03/2012 and 29/03/2012

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