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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Windscreen frame fitting!!!!

In the next few days Im going to re-unite the windscreen frame with the car, will it be a match made in heaven(I fear not!!)whats the best way of doing this, Ive bought the 3 new seals,Ive heard of jacks and ratchet straps being involved!!after this Ive got to refit both doors,(a week to look forward to!!)Anyone got a passenger door chrome strip they could flog to me?. Cheers Martin. (framemartin@hotmail.com)
m a frame

Hi martin,

Just did this ourselves using Guy's method. Suggest you put both doors on first & get them fitting properly. Once these are on, move onto the windscreen. Reason for this is 2-fold:
1) you need the top door hinges for your ratchet straps
2) you need the door quarter light frames to work out the angle of the windscreen.
Another good job would be to check that the captive your winscreen strut to scuttle bolts are clean & easy to move. I didn't and so spent an hour clearing primer out of them once the windscreen was on. grump.

Once your doors are on, lay numerous trips of duck/gaffer tape, sticky side up, on the scuttle. I held these on with masking tape as it was windy. These are to help you pull the bottom seal out once the frame is fixed.
Then, fix a ratchet strap around the top door hinge and over the top corner of the windscreen. Then its just a case of tightening until the holes line up. Actually fairly easy with this method and very controllable. Don't forget to replace the shims between the windcreen fixing and the body.
Once you're fixed, pull each of the tape strips forward and the seal will uncurl itself. I also wrapped gaffer tape around a scraper & used that to push the extra bits through.

Good luck!
-Craig
C Robertson

Maybe I've misread your post but as I understand it you are simply adding a windscreen frame to the shell. On the numerous occasions that I've done this, I've only ever needed to offer the various (different) screen/frames up to the apertures, slide them in and then bolt them up. Granted Craigs suggestion regarding the bottom seal is a very good idea to get the seal to be seated correctly, however I've never had to resort to ratchet straps or similar.

Yes if the glass is being changed then ratchet strap and copious amounts of fairy liquid (other washing up fluids are available!) is required.

We had to change the configuration of the car at MGCC Silverstone International between two different races where we were competing in different class structures. We had 15 minutes from getting back from Parc Ferme to being called for the next race adn we had to install Windscreen, Hartop and two side windows along with removal of the tonneau cover. Two of us did it in 12 minutes.

I wouldn't be too phased about it tbh.

A.
Andrew McGee

Eh... I would think the holes in Andrews shell for the windscreen bolts may have been extended upwards? Quite a common modification particularly on race cars I am told. I did NOT use the ratchet strap method, I used the 4 people, lots of choice swear words and 3 hours method! I'd highly recommend the ratchet strap method if it works as well as suggested.
AndrewF

Don't forget to use spacer washers between the screen and body... the screen should be a close fit with the body to ensure no distortion when bolted up...

A
Anthony Cutler

Nope, the holes on the race car haven't been modified and neither have they been modified in my Road midget or on the shell that we are slowly prepping at the moment.

Guess I'm just lucky I suppose.

Andrew
Andrew McGee

My guess is that as with all things on these cars, there is a range of experiences depending on the particular cussedness of the car / job / participants.

I have fitted several screens to different shells now. On just went straight on, the only "trick" needed was to open the doors and tilt the frame backwards slightly more than its final rake. This lifts the centre and eases the pressure on the screen/scuttle seal. One bolt each side, then pushing the top of the screen forward compresses the seal and aligns the second bolt holes.

twice I had really difficult screens that I struggled with on my own. But eventually succeeded by by knackering various screwdriver blades used as levers through the fixing down holes.

But the last occasion I devised my ratchet method that Craig describes. On a freshly painted shell I wanted a gentle controllable method at this seems to be it!

I do like Craigs "sticky side up" strips. I used a credit card pushed from the inside to ease the lip of the seal into position.





Guy

Yes I used the tilt method as Guy states, must have simply stumbled on that one when I did my first screen install.

I never realised it could be that much a pig of a job.
Andrew McGee

I've never had any problems fitting a screen, although I haven't done it with a new seal.
Dave O'Neill 2

The duct tape and ratchet straps is a brilliant idea. I shall get a pair for when I do mine later this year. The last time I did it I had my good lady wife sitting on a cushion on the top of the frame with her bare feet on the bonnet top. That did it.
Mike Howlett

I wish I had received all of the advice here years ago before I fitted my screen a while back. It was truly the worst job ever - not least because I did not remove the dashboard (just loosened it a bit) and had my hands lacerated by all the sharp things under the dashboard while trying to get the bolts in place!
Chris H (1970 Midget 1275)

Wow!!! Thanks guys for all your help, must say didnt realise i would get so many replies, feeling confident now with the ratchet strap method, will give it a try at weekend when my sons here,will report back!! Martin.
m a frame

Incidentally, the ratchet straps I used are mini-ones,bought for £4.99 a pair on a local market stall. Should be obvious from the photo. I think proper manly ratchet straps as used by truckers would be just too bulky to work for this application!
Guy

Guy, are the ratchet straps about 1" wide and 15 ft long? I've seen some on ebay for £2.47 each. (Item 390243693895)
Mike Howlett

Yes, look very similar. And 5p cheaper!
Not that you will need all 15' of webbing - at least not for a standard height screen. You might if you have one of the rare double-decker Midgets though.

I used the same straps for gradually increasing the pressure when fitting the frame to the new glass too.
Guy

just fitted my new to me screen car not had one fit since i got it managed to get bolts in on both sides with straps and worked seal out found perfect tool for job playdoh knife but i found the center bracket is 1 inch of dash looks like it will pull up just wondered if this is normal


mark (1977 1500 Midget) Preston Lancs

I wonder if the frame is not fully squashed down on the glass. When I put mine together with a new glass I clamped it up and got the screws in, but then found that there was a long way to go at the centre of the frame. Using rope tournaquets and a mallet I got it to close up by over half an inch. The measurement between the inner edges of the aluminium frame wants to be about 290mm.


Mike Howlett

The measurement between the inner edges of the aluminium frame is 287mm the panel has pulled up and seems ok will only know if its the right shape when i fit dashboard
mark (1977 1500 Midget) Preston Lancs

Get a friend to help. The worst job I found was renewing the bottom seal - that was a pig as I couldn't get the screen apart. Took ages, a gallon of Fairy Liquid and a lot of bad language - that did it.

Jeremy
Jeremy 3

This thread was discussed between 30/05/2011 and 03/06/2011

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