Which supplier for supple windscreen rubbers?

[paydase]

I know this issue has been raised many times.

Based on the knowledge and experience shared on this forum, I purchased all my new rubbers to put on my S1 after her new paint with Baines.

To my surprise, the restoring shop tells me that the rubbers to be fitted around the rear hatch window and the windscreen are too hard and could not be installed using the rope technic unless risking breaking the glass.

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Is there any trick to install these rubbers safely, e.g. by pre-heating or else?

[paydase]

Bump
Please help, I am stuck with this issue, my restorer is reluctant to go ahead with these apparently hard rubbers...

[rswaffie]

I had mine from baines as well. I fitted the rear hatch myself, I just cleaned of all the white powder from the rubber and left it on the radiator to get nice and warm, which made it more flexible. I didn’t fit the windscreen myself, I got Autoglass (they have a classic car department) to fit the original glass. I cleaned and heated up the rubber for them in the same way. From memory, they didn’t use the chord method.

[Series1 Stu]

My seals came from Hutson but I don't know who supplies them.

I've recently done the rear screen myself using the method described in the service manual, not the cord method. It went well although a very tentative approach from me due to not having done it before.

I will get a professional to do the windscreen. Possibly someone local to me who is slated to do my bonnet alignment.

Regards

[paydase]

Thank you to both of you.
Could be very useful.
Ia am transmitting these advices to the shop.

[Cgarside]

I had the same problem with my FHC a few years ago. The problem was down to a NOS seal which had hardened with time. Bought a new seal from Baines and the rear window went in no problem.
Lesson I learnt was to only buy the seal when you are ready to install and get it from the actual manufacturer (COH Baines) then you can be sure you’ve got fresh rubber.
Chris

[paydase]

Hi Chris,
Thank you for your comment.

Actually I bought the rubbers from COH Baines recently (received last December).
I would not imagine that COH Baines sells long standing rubbers...

We discussed the issue with my restorer.
When looking at the seal in detail, its internal rouded part looks hard because it is rather thick, while the external part looks more flexible because it is grooved to host the chrome finisher.
He will therefore try installing the seal all around on the body first (without the glass) and then only, because of the more deformable external part, insert the glass from outside.
I hope it will work...

[paydase]

Finally there, using the method described above (inserting the glass inside the rubber only after that one already in the door frame)

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