The 'E' Type Forum

The time is nigh! I have to fit my OTS series one windscreen. Not my favorite job but i have enlisted the help of a professional screen fitter who does a lot of classics, but never an E type. I wonder whether there is anything to be particularly aware of? The big question is whether sealant should be used anywhere . There seems several schools of thought on this one, no its not necessary or yes it is. Anyway thoughts and experience would be much appreciated. Monday is D Day!

I certainly would use sealant . The one I have used, on the recommendation of Andy at Hutsons , is a Dortech ( I think ) product called Arbomast Autograde, which is a non-hardening sealant and which prevents water creeping round the edges of the glass by capillary action. Your fitter, of course, may have an equivalent

I already fitted 3 times the windscreen on my S2 OTS, none with sealant and never faced any leak.
Last time 2 years back after a trip to south of France when a stone almost ruined the journey.
Given that you have the proper windscreen, it is a pretty simple one hour 4 hands job, to be done cautiously, and there are plenty of videos now available around.
What may take you time is fitting the lower chrome strip...
There are currently windscreens on the market which are a bit larger by only few mm than the standard. Fitting these is still straightforward and no more time consuming, but then the seal is pushed forward making it almost impossible to fit the lower chrome strip which looks suddenly short.
Just been there, topic is still warm.
May I ask which brand is the windscreen you intend to fit?

thank Chaps. I just picked up today the Triplex Pilkington Glass screen from Southborough on the Isle of Sheppey Just 30 miles from me.

I hope this is a good screen!! If I was to apply sealant, where would you recommend it being placed Christopher.

I didnt apply sealant on my FHC, but there again it doesn't go in the rain! Well actually just the once, on the last trip to Bicester. Ordinarily I would have turned back if I wasn't organising it !

On my FHC I applied it all around the "valley" of the seal . On an OTS it is probably not as critical,although bearing in mind that when driving along there is pressure forcing the water into the seal/glass join, I still think it is worth putting it in the whole seal even at the top where the capping goes

I would agree with Chris. I fitted a Pilkington screen to my OTS last year with sealant all round, now completely leak free. It can be done single handed but takes a little time.
It may sound obvious but don't trim the tops of the seal until the screen is fully in place.
I followed the book and took the front fascia out completely which certainly made fitting the screen easier.
However getting the fascia back in was the trickiest part of the job. I suspect the screen can be replaced with the fascia in place. S1/2 may be different from my S3.
Good luck!

ok chaps, many thanks. I will speak with the installer chap on monday. Although I anticipate I will be doing as much as him, if only to protect my paintwork. Luckily the dash top is not in the car so we should be good to go. as for the top chrome fitting on an OTS, presumably there is a rubber seal that fits under this which can be trimmed off after all its fitted ok?

There is a flat rubber seal that needs to be folded into a u shape in the top chrome trim. That was the source of my previous leaks. Water would run up the windscreen and then between the glass and the rubber and then drip down onto the centre console. Worth checking that the top chrome trim is not distorted. Mine had opened out in the centre section, I think due to over-tightening of the centre stay rod in the past. I closed it up gently to a consistent gap along its length and fitted the seal with sealant both sides. Fiddly, but worth the effort to get rid of the leak.
Cheers

perfect, thanks Adrian. I will check my chrome finished for the top is not distorted. I have had it rechromed so I hope they have not put to much heat into it. I am hearing that the rubber seal that SNG supply is too thin to allow the top chrome to slip on. Where I have had this sort of problem before I have stretched the rubber to allow the chrome to fit and then when you release it tightens up .

I have just fitted a Pilkingtons screen to my OTS. Well, I say that I fitted it but in truth I like to treat my wife on Valentines Day so with screen in hand she accompanied me in to the garage.

About 3 hours of wrestling with strips of rubber and shouts of “ use more lube” and we left it done and sneaked in for a cup of tea before the neighbours gave us strange looks.


Tim