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MG MGB Technical - Removal of Widnow from Door. MGB-GT

How hard is this to do and how do I go about it. I have new outer door to window seals I am installing. I got the old seal off by pushing the clips down. But there is no room to put the clips on the new seal without either a special tool which I don't have or remove the door glass. I already had the quarter light seperated and pulled up yesterday to replace the rubber that goes around the vent window.

Any tips or instructions would be greatly appreciated.

John Fraioli
1972 MGB-GT
John Fraioli

I might be wrong here as it was a long time ago I dismantled the doors but I think you can remove a little stop bolt that limits the windows downwards travel. If you remove that you can wind the glass down past the top of the door and replace the seal that way?

Simon
Simon Jansen

John-
Make the tool, whole lot easier than R&R glass!
Helps a bunch even if you do remove the glass - you can install the new seals while you wait for the replacement glass and your foot heals.
Piece of steel about.030 x 0.5 x 12
Bend the end around something to form a 1/4" deep U that the spring clip just sits snuggish in.
For pro use you forge it from a cheap screwdriver.
Tape up the other end to make a handle that doesn't cut your paw. (or make a handle out of rosewood or ivory, your call)
Send tool to chrome shop.
Put the clip in the U, slide it down beside the glass whilst holding the seal in place
Pull up on the tool to seat the clip, then down to release the tool.

FRM
FR Millmore

I just use an old hacksaw blade. Heat the end cherry red and bend into a 1/4" U Bend an L shaped portion on the other end and with the little clips in the U pull up and they will click into place. It pays to bend the little end to fit the clips just tight enough to hold in place while pulling and wrap the other end with duct tape to create a smooth handle.
Sandy
SANDY SANDERS

The stop bolt controls the *upwards* travel. Downwards travel is controlled by a plate in the door with a felt pad on top of it.
Paul Hunt

Ah, I thought I might have that wrong! It's a bit tricky to check when the car is at the painters instead of in the garage and all the door internals are in bits stored in plastic bags!

Actually I think mine are missing that felt covered stop too. I think they are often gone if the base of the door has been repaired.

With that removed can you wind the window down well past the top of the door though?
Simon Jansen

I'm pretty sure I removed the glass to replace the outer seals on my roadster, and I do know they are different to the GT. A pal is reassembling a GT and he did the same, to fit the clips. It's not too bad, if you unbolt the regulator from the door you can get the rollers out of the channel, then lift the glass out. It's getting the regulator out and back in that is tricky!
Paul Hunt

I replaced the outer seals on my BGT a couple of weeks back, you can just about get the back two clips on with the glass in place bu you have to need to remove the glass to all of them.

A tip for when you refit them is to spray the inside edge of the rubber i.e the edge that comes into direct contact with the glass, with silicone spray to act as a lubricant. If it's left dry there's a good change the rubber will 'stick' onto the glass as you wind it down and will pull the rubber seal inwards. This happened on the first one I did and it's distorted the rubber slightly so it now looks a bit rippled from the outside.
Mike

Thanks everyone for the tips. I did get the clips on. I made a tool from an old screwdriver as suggested. I did not have to remove the glass. I did however almost crack the glass (flaked a little of the top edge) while trying to get the second clip from the front on. It gave me the most difficulty. It is on but not all the way home, about half way on. The two most rear clips could be put on without the tool, as the glass was not in the way when the window is rolled down all the way it also moves forward somewhat. I have included a picture of the tool I made with this post. So far I have only done the seal on the drivers side. I will attempt the passenger side soon. Thanks again,
John Fraioli
'79 Inca Yellow MGB
'72 Teal Blue MGB-GT

John Fraioli

John-
This is why I started by suggesting a thin piece of flat steel, or the equivalent of Sandy's hacksaw blade.
Suggest you forge down the shank of your screwdriver to about 1/4 the present shank thickness up past where the top of the glass would be. Gives a lot more space and no concentrated pressure point where you inevitably lean on the glass. Guess how I learned that? You can even build in a slight offset to stay further from the glass. Tape on the edge of the glass is not a bad idea either. The tool is a puller, not a pryer.

FRM
FR Millmore

This thread was discussed between 25/09/2009 and 12/10/2009

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