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MG MGB Technical - windscreen fitting

On the same project i have to replace windscreen by looking at the frame there is not much room to play around, surely its easyer once you know how..can somebody give us a tip??appreciate thanks
Alfredo

a rodrigues

I'm sorry to have to tell you that it is a horrible job. Putting fresh glass into the frame is very tricky. To start with the screws that hold the frame together are usually rusted and hard or impossible to remove. Once you get it apart, putting it back together and making it squash together so that new screws can be put in is extremely difficult. I used rope tournaquets and a lot of swearing.

Putting the frame back in the car is also hard as the rubber under the frame will not want to compress enough to allow you to get the bolts through the legs. This rubber seal also tries to fold back under the frame all the time you are working, making the job even harder. You will certainly need help.

I wish you luck - I have promised myself that I shall never do it again.
Mike Howlett

About 20 years ago when I lived in the UK I bought a B with a cracked screen. I bought a new one and fitted it myself. I don't recall having any real problem, but I didn't have to replace the rubber under the screen.

The next day it cracked(!), similarly to that in your picture. So I bought another, fitted it myself without any problems again.

Except - this time I replaced the fibre spacers that fit between the legs of the screen and the body with new ones. I didn't realise at the time that the spacers had compressed, probably through having got wet over the years, and tightening the bolts holding the legs to the body caused the screen frame to curve too much and hence crack the screen. Perhaps that's why the screen was cracked when I bought the car.

So maybe I was lucky being able to fit the screen twice without any problems, but the point of this post is to warn you to check those spacers.

Good luck.
John
John Bilham

"check those spacers"

That's it, if a trial fitting allows any sideways movement of the frame on the body, i.e. the legs in the slots, then you need more packing.

Tourniquets for pulling the sides together, plus copious lubricant (I've found washing-up liquid dries out too quickly, Swarfega original was better) on glass and glazing seal.

Similarly a ratchet strap over the screen and round the car under the floor to pull the screen down onto the body. Thick cord under the apron seal might help pull the edge out, otherwise it can be picked out. But downwards pressure is required to stop it curling back under again.

Some kind of spike like a cross-point screwdriver through the holes in the body to line up the holes in the screen legs, and pointed bolts.

Final adjustment with the quarterlights is critical to avoid door skins splitting. The front of the quarterlight frame should just touch the bubble seal on the screen frame, and there should be a clearance between the side of the quarterlight frame and the thin part of the frame seal.
Paul Hunt

Hi
After i read these comments iam not sure if i should give this job to pro. but again around me there is not body experient on this type of glass...
10 years ago i bought 2 screens one for a friend i kept this one its a 2 layer glass it does look to thick ...i post some pictures here...

a rodrigues

It may be the angle, but that doesn't even look like an MGB screen. It doesn't look curved over its length, and the two lower corners look to be too curved round the edge even to be the top of the screen.
Paul Hunt

PAul may be the angle, pls have a look her i got more pictures of the glass...https://picasaweb.google.com/100074865139722950035/MGbWindscreenGlass
a rodrigues

i manage to dismantle the old glass..very easy....now my new glass is 3/16 thick and the old one is 1/4..
i suppose need new rubber seals for that.
You guys mention spacers but i see no spacer any where, i will see when ready to assembly...thanks
a rodrigues

The spacers (packing) can be seen here. Items 33 & 34

http://www.moss-europe.co.uk/Shop/ViewProducts.aspx?PlateIndexID=11982
Dave O'Neill2

Yes those 33 34 items are there attached to the side pieces they just slide out easily together...so those guys are the ones to take care when reassenbly..ok.
a rodrigues

There were different thicknesses, and later glass seems to have a cut-out in the lower corners. Whilst that will fit earlier frames the reverse may not be the case, but thinner is later, I think.

The spacer and shims should be held in the body with a Pozidrive screw between the two frame bolts, normally they are left in-situ when the screen is removed. If not it's just more things to get lined up before you can get the bolts into the screen legs.
Paul Hunt

This thread was discussed between 08/11/2013 and 12/11/2013

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