Windsheild seal

redp · 03-20-2004, 03:02 PM

In the 15 years that I have owned it, the windsheild seal on my '73 911 has always had gaps between it and the body at the upper corners and about halfway accross the top. The seal flange seemed to be too short to completely cover the recess in which the windsheild sits. I assumed that either the rubber had shruken over time or that the seal that had been used when the glass was out in '79 for a repaint was an ill fitting aftermarket piece. Leaks from that area in the last monsoon season caused me to finally decide to replace the seal. I bought a seal from our host that was supposed to be from the OEM supplier and reinstalled what I believe to be the original glass from its markings. Although the seal now reaches accross to the body both top and bottom, it now sinks into the windsheild recess at all corners and along the entire right side. The seal barely covers the gap on the left side, so I wouldn't gain anything by moving the glass to the right. From the records that I have and from 15 years of poking around, I don't believe that the car has had any accident damage. I'm stumped. There was nothing unusual about the install and all of the related parts seem OK. Any ideas?

Zuff911 · Zuff911's Garage

When I replaced the windshield seal on my 73 I had no problem with the seal not being large enough. Are you sure you have an OEM seal? I have heard that most aftermarket seals do not have the correct corner sections molded in and fit very poorly. Filler is required in the sides anf corners of these seals to make them work at all. I assume you are using the metal trim that goes in with the seal. If you are not this would lead to a poor fit also.

-brad

RoninLB · 01:30 PM

this may not help; but,

I had to remove and replace my windshield 3X in order to center it using dum dum placed in the channel corners.

walt · walt's Garage

I had the same problem and had to install it three times before I got it right. As the wife pulled the rope from inside the car, I forced the rubber out towards the frame in the corners. That was three years ago and it still looks fine. I had both an aftermarket and an OEM seal, they looked both about the same. Wound up using the aftermarket.

redp · 03-24-2004, 07:18 AM

Thanks for the replies. Yes, our host verified that this seal was supplied by the OEM source and I had spent the better part of 2 hours installing the chrome bezel in the seal before the install. In my frustration, I took the car to a glass shop that had experience with 911's. First, the installer popped the glass out without removing the bezel (!). Then he lightly lubed the the recess in the car and we roped in the windsheild. At this point, his result was no better than mine with gaps at the corners. Then I held my breath as he slapped and tugged on the glass and seal with much more force than I would have ever used until he was able to actually force the glass slightly further into the body, gaining just enough of the seal flange to cover the corners. His experience has been that the glass position is so critical that he can never count on centering it and uses the lube to allow him to move it to the optimum spot for seal coverage. Essentially what two of you had done with your multiple installs. Thanks again for the clues.