VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND NEWER 1946-1948 windshield divider strip 48 coupe

I am installing a new windshield and rubber on a 48 stylemaster coupe and I am having difficulty determining how the vertical stainless divider strip is installed. I have the retainer rubber strip that is supposed to attach it, but the rubber is too bulky to allow the stainless strip to attach. Can anyone explain the procedure for this? thanks

If you are talking about the SS reveal molding on outside of windshield and you have a Stylemaster car, they don't have a reveal molding listed per the 42-48 Chevrolet Shop Manual. They only list that for the Fleetmaster and Fleetline models.

That shows up on page 1-14 of the shop manual.

Don't know if this helps, but if necessary, ask more questions.

Jim.

thanks for your reply. I have a stylemaster business coupe. The strip I am trying to install is the one single vertical stainless strip on the outside where the two windshields meet. It does not have the reveal moulding around the perimeter. I purchased the rubber from Steele Rubber,referred to as a retainer part #70-0373-51 which attaches the stainless to the body. However , the stainless moulding and the mounting strip on the body are both 1 inch wide, leaving no room for the rubber. I have seen the diagrahm in the manual [top view] and it verifys what they are saying, but it just doesn't work.

Not quite sure I understand but will try.

I cannot find my Steele Rubber Catalogue so am assuming that you have ordered correct part as I don't know what, if any, difference there is between the retainer on the Stylemaster and the Fleetmaster/Fleetline models.

My shop manual shows the retainer inside the reveal moulding laying up against the w/s rubber seal. My body manual says, along with my shop manual, that this reveal moulding is to be installed before w/s is installed. Per my shop manual, looking at picture, you have the ss reveal moulding with the retainer inside laying up against the rubber w/s seal held in place with "T" nuts inside retainer attached to the interior garnish molding with screws. When tightening the interior screws, they just pull and swell the retainer to hold the ss reveal molding in place. The ss reveal molding is supposed to be a "snap-on" type hence the retainer inside the molding.

Don't know if I helped or hindered you on this.

again thanks for taking your time to help. I too have the shop manual and have read the same info but it isn't that simple working with what I have. Maybe this will help explain. The metal divider strip welded onto the car is 1 inch wide. The stainless strip is also 1 inch wide. Hence once the rubber retainer is snapped onto the metal body strip , due to the thickness of the rubber, it becomes 1 3/16 ince wide, therefore making it too wide for the stainless strip to snap over it. Unfortunatly, all of this was removed by someone else and the original w/s rubber disgarded [long story] and I didn't have the benefit of removing it myself, thus the problem. I have checked and found the body strip and stainless are the originals that were removed from the car. The steele rubber part is their standard and matches ones from other parts sources. I feel this should not be a complicated job as many windshields have been installed in restorations but it is stumping me at the moment thanks.

Hi coupeman, I went through the same thing when I put my 41 sedan delivery together in 2001. I left the rubber out. Just snap the stainless divider onto the welded in divider, apply a liberal bead of urthaine windshield sealer between the windsheild center rubber and backside of divider. Then tighten the inside center garnish divider before the urthaine sets up. pump a lot of urthaine between liped WW rubber and body and the glass and rubber. I've been 10 years and 35,000 miles with no issues or water leaks.
The 41 parts book lists two outside division mouldings in group 10.052 - master 4114980 and special dlx 4114948 probably same numbers for 48. The master is narrower.
Hope this helps, Jay
PS if your break a windsheild it will require a new gasket.

Hello Carguy, thanks for sharing your experience. Glad to hear that worked for you. It may be the only option I have unless someone can tell me of a better way. I talked to Steele rubber, C.O.T. 40's, and The Filling Station, and neither of the 3 could tell me the proper installation procedure. They merely sell the rubber strips, and neither of them had a person on board that had personaly installed one. Again thanks for your time.