"OBEASTY" is getting a new Windshield Rubber Seal and two new pieces of Windshield Glass. This is a "must do" before she goes back on the road. The original rubber seal was so dry and cracked that it leaked very badly, and we don't want our new dashboard to get all wet.
Taking the Windshield Glass out really isn't all that difficult. The Rubber Seal has a lip that goes over the Stainless Trim that surrounds the Windshield and it's this Rubber Lip, along with an application of Rubber Sealer/Adhesive on the inside, that holds everything in place. It's just a matter of carefully cutting the Rubber Lip away from the Stainless Trim and then the Glass can be carefully removed.
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"OBEASTYs'" very old and pitiful vacume wiper motor is being replaced with this nice new 12 volt Electric Wiper Motor from New Port Engineering. We found ours on ebay for $205 with free shipping.
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February 10th 2008 "OBEASTY" finally has a nice new 12 volt Wiper Motor
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.April 2nd 2008 This was going tobe the day that "OBEASTY" was supposed get her new windshield glass installed...but...we ran into a couple bumps in the road as they say.
The first bump was that I ordered what I thought was the proper Windshield Gasket from Dodge City Truck Parts ( a dealer for STEELE RUBBER PRODUCTS ) almost a year ago...this turned out tobe the wrong one...so.
.For the second bump...we ordered this Windshield Rubber directly from STEELE RUBBER PRODUCTS a couple of weeks ago, but it appears that this one isn't right either..
.The best thing we did here was hire Vern Barton to install "OBEASTYs'" new windshield. Vern, who does most the glass work for Maxwells Metalworks here in Marysville Wa., took one look at our new rubber and realized that it wouldn't work...at least not the way it's supposed to. If I had tried to install the rubber myself I know for a fact that I wouldn't have caught the problem that a trained professional could see with just one look..
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Just to show me what he ment Vern installed the rubber around one side.
From this picture it looks like everything is ok...but...you need to look up close to see the problem.
And here is the problem...the rubber is supposed tobe conformed to fit snugly over the stainless trim in order to hold everything in place.. Instead it sticks out over it...this is not good...one good push against the glass and it will be in the front seat.
We're gonna try to fix this situation in the very near future. And I plan on making a call to STEELE RUBBER PRODUCTS. But for the time being Vern thinks he can come up with a rubber gasket that will work alot better than what we've got...so until then...we wait. ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
April 18th 2008 Good News...Vern stopped by today with a piece of windshield gasket that looks tobe exactly what we've been looking for.
It turns out that this one is listed in the STEELE RUBBER PRODUCTS catalog under 1938-1941 Chrysler Products. So I guess part of the problem has been that I was looking on the wrong page for the right part...silly me. I did talk to a very nice Lady at STEELE RUBBER PRODUCTS who assured me that I can return the gasket I bought, so I'll be calling her again on Monday to see if we can exchange what we've got for what we need.
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May 6th 2008 "OBEASTY" had a visitor today. Now that we finally have the correct gasket for the Windshield, Vern came over to install it...and lucky me...I got to help and take some pictures. The whole process, from start to finish, took just about two hours...most of which was in preparation. First installing the rubber gasket onto the Stainless Trim so it could be cut to fit...then installing the gasket onto the Glass. The actual installation into the car didn't take but a couple of minutes and then it was time to install the Center Piece. After that it was clean up time. I must say I'm extremely pleased with the end result and the fact that Vern only charged us $195 total, which included his time and the cost of the glass at $55 a side. Considering that I was getting quotes from other Glass Shops for $375 and we supply the gasket...this was a pretty sweet deal...and "OBEASTY" looks great.
Since we started this project a year ago...except for the help with the Dashboard from my friend John Eastman...this has been the only other work on "OBEASTY" where we turned for "Professional Help"...but I'm really glad we did...the results are very much worth it.
I didn't have enough hands to hold both sides of the glass in place, while Vern pulled the string, and still take pictures until Vern got one side done.
