VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1937-1945 37 coupe windshield r&r

How much trouble is it to replace windshield glass and rubber in a 37 coupe? Anything y'all could tell me to help save time and help me get it right the first time! Any suggestions on best place to purchase glass and rubber? Did original glass have any tint color? What color tint would look best in an original black "real patina" paint coupe? Thanks

If the rubber is still pliable You might be able to pull the garnish molding and work the gasket lip over the body lip to remove the windshield. Normally the rubber is too hard and it all has to be cut out. I would buy the new gasket from Steele. The glass can be cut by a good glass shop. It's easier if they have your old glass to use as a pattern. There are also vendors on line who sell precut glass kits. I reused all of the original glass in my '38 except for the windshield. I was going to reuse it as well but it got cracked trying to get it out while doing the body work. The original glass was "clear" but had a slight green cast to it. You can see how it looks by checking the links in my signature.

It's not fun. If you replace the rubber, the old rubber can be cut out and the glass will come out easy, could even be fun. It’s putting them back in that is not fun. You may have more luck with wrapping string around the lip than I did, but no matter what you do you still need to install the middle divider. I would read the section on installing front window glass for a 37 in the Fisher body manual. You can find a copy here:
Manual

Definitely tape up the dash, and tape it good, it saved me. Buy some wide wood shims so you can use them to force the window glass apart to give you enough room to fit the center divider. I used wood strips, shims and a rubber mallet to spread the glass apart. All my rubber is from Steele and it all did fit but it is really tight, which I assume it should be. I tried using soap during the installation but it just made the glass too hard to hold. Buy some soft, thin flexible plastic spatulas to help slip the lip over the glass.

My opinion is that the glass had a slight green tint but it was not “tinted”. In the Engineering Features manual for 38 they talk about how they switch from laminated safety glass to safety plate glass for the rear window in 38 and there is no mention of tinting, how it’s not tinted, nothing. Maybe the plastic material between the sheets of glass could have had a tint but it could be that the glass was just not that pure, who knows.

Brian

Here are a few posts I wrote on replacing my 41 windshield's glass and rubber. A lot of the info should be the same for your year as it is for 41 to 48. Of all the restoration work I did on my 41 this was by far the most frustrating.

41-48 Windshield Glass

41 Vertical Windshield Divide

Good luck, Mike

What I found unusual on my previous 38 Master was that the windshield glass is actually larger than the opening in the body. The glass sits behind the body lip inside the rubber. On my 51 truck the glass sits inside the body opening inside the rubber. Also on my 51, I ordered untinted glass and then found out that the other windows had a slight green tinge to them.

I bet this is going to be fun!!! Thanks for the tips

For what it's worth cross section of the windshield rubber.

Tiny
I thank you for posting this as I had been looking (dreading windscreen fitting) on my 38 1/2 ton. I was having trouble finding the style of rubber (original rubber badly distorted) and trying samples with the glass outside of the hole. Your post shows it inside the hole with a screwed on strip to hold it all in place.
Tony

Hi Tony,

It looks like Steele has the windshield gasket for your pickup. 2 Door Standard Cab Pickup

I have gotten good service and quality products from Steele.

Good luck, Mike

I agree - use the gasket from Steele. Also, have a friend with previous experience or at least is good with mechanical skills, around to help. You'll need an extra set of hands.

Tools were not mentioned but when I did the windshield on my 51 truck, I found using some small suction cups was very useful. I have the kind that use a lever to seal them.

Mike
I had a quick look at my cab today and it seems the Aus built models are slightly different at the windscreen opening. On mine the pinch weld is deeper than Tiny's post and the cover strip only goes across the bottom and about 3" up each side with the rest of the rubber uncovered.

I have no doubt of the quality of the Steele product and service as I haves seen others making complimentary postings.

Tony