VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1929-1932 31' Special Sedan Rear Window Install

Well they finally started painting my car today. Of course it won't be done before I leave for vacation this Friday so it will have to wait till I get back home to start assembling the body and doors back on the chassis. At least when I get home I should have a real pretty body to look at!
One question: I can't seem to find the procedure on installing the rear window. I know there is a rubber gasket that goes around the glass and it has a slight lip that I assume goes onto the sheet metal around opening. I don't understand how the window is held in. I would also assume you put some sort of sealer around the opening so the gasket is sealed but what actually holds the window in place? Is it just the opening wood frame, the garnish moldings, and sealer? I asked a VCCA member about vulcanizing the ends of the gasket together and he told me that is not done. Not sure if I could still do it just to keep a cleaner/tighter end seam. Where is the seam placed on the window, the middle bottom? Sorry for all the questions but I couldn't find the answer anywhere I looked.

Another question. As some here know, I am painting my car Fawn Brown and Coffee Cream (incorrect colors for the SS, I know). The lower body/cowl will be Coffee Cream and I know the color runs up the windshield pillar and at least ends at the front roof cap which will be Fawn Brown. The sun shade will be Fawn Brown also. The the outside of the pillar where the body molding is will be Fawn Brown too. My question is: does the windshield header get painted the Coffee Cream seeing that it is basically an extension of the windshield posts? I know the header is mostly covered by the sun shade but I didn't know if it is painted the cowl color, roof color, or black to help keep it dark under the sun shade.

Thanks in advance, Ted

The rear window seal on my 32 was super glued together on the ends. The installer said he cut it a little short, super glued the ends and then stretched it over the glass to keep the corners smooth. Not sure about the sealer.

I replaced my rear window ('31 Coach) recently including getting new rubber seal from FS. The window is just pushed snugly against the outer sheetmetal, and held in place by the interior steel trim pieces.

Getting the rubber to take proper shape around curves in glass is tricky, especially so for the tighter lower corners. Left to its own properties, it buckles dramatically at corners. Some people cut small slits/wedges to allow rubber to bend around corners, but this is not recommended.

What I found works was first centering the rubber on top of glass and taping it firmly in place, making sure outside is facing outside. Then start molding the 2 top corners. This requires use of a mild heat source, some duct tape, and a couple of clamps. Pull rubber around one corner firmly, tape it to hold in place, heat rubber gently with an electric paint removal gun or similar tool, when good and warm, use a clamp and some wood pieces to clamp sides of molding flat against glass, removing all buckling, and let cool. Repeat on other top corner and allow to cool. When rubber has completely cooled, remove tape to confirm rubber is holding its new shape, does not need to be a perfect curve, as long as it is close the rough opening will hold it in place once installed on car.

Repeat this same proceedure for bottom 2 corners, they will be a bit more difficult due to the sharper corner. However, if heated carefully, and clamped properly, they should form nice flat corners. Finally, once all corners are cooled, tape rubber carefully to glass at all 4 corners, and trim rubber to proper lenbgth at bottom, better to have a tiny gap (1/32") than have it too long. Don't use any glue at joint, not necessary, hard to make neat.

When installing in car, you may want to tape rubber to glass on inner surface until rubber and glass are seated in rough opening. No gasketing material or sealant is advised, nor was any used in factory as far as I could tell. The inner trim is 2 pieces, install snug against glass, if new glass is same thickness as old glass, the screws wil likely go in the original holes in wood carcass. Bring out the Windex and clean your greasy fingerprints off!

Meant to add, the windshield header was factory painted lower body color, while the visor was usually black to match upper body color.

Thanks on the procedure on the rear glass. Another member emailed me with his similar procedure.
On the header color question: One person has said to paint the color of the roof and you are saying the lower body/cowl color. Now I'm confused. LOL So who is correct. With my car being Coffee Cream on the lower parts/cowl and the upper parts/roof, Fawn Brown, then my header would be the Coffee Cream?

I need to get this correct as I am leaving for vacation this Friday and my painter is going to start painting the car on Sat. I want him to have the proper information before I leave.

As you stated earlier, the color combination that you are using on your car is incorrect, therefore, it really doesn't matter what you do. You can paint the header over the windshield either Fawn Brown or Coffee Cream....whatever suits your taste.

JYD, I never thought to look at it that way. I guess I was just thinking regardless of the colors, what was the proper procedure. The main reason I stated that I was using the wrong colors is I've already had people say those are the wrong colors, rather than answer the question. So my statement was to make them aware I knew of the obvious.

You have to keep in mind that it is your car and if you are not restoring the vehicle as a show car for judging then you can paint the car any color that suits your taste. You chose Fawn Brown and Coffee Cream apparently because you like the colors. Cool! Then it really doesn't matter what color you paint the windshield header as long as you are satisfied with the outcome.

I'll repeat, factory correct was windshield header trim piece was same color as lower body. Only combination when this piece was same color as upper body was when car was all black. But as JYD says, your choice.

One thing you may want to consider is the pattern of the pin stripes. In normal factory application, the pin stripes go up the windshield posts along the bead/molding to visually seperate the 2 colors. If you do the windshield header trim piece to match upper body, you have the issue of a short joint each side where paint changes color without a pin stripe to define the break. Just my 2C'$ worth. Enjoy your holiday.