Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[whiteshadow]

Got to replace all the windows on my '33 saloon, once the wood & Ally body is painted.

The windows were held in place by some sort of putty (now rock hard!).....what should I use when I replace them?. I was thinking of some UV stabilised mastic as it will have to be waterproof and the body will flex..!?!?.....any ideas?

[clogs]

Hi there. will be having the same problem myself quite soon.....

go to a proper body shop and blag 1/2 a tube of "Sika-flex" or find a body shop supply.....Does Brown Bros still exist ???? well u can always google
a body shop supplies......this stuff is bomb proof, overpaintable, uv proof
and never sets, well always stays flexable.....they use the same product to hold down fiberglass (Translutant) roofs on trailers, and many other stick-um aplications.....also used to seal van panels seams, after repair and before painting...just leave it for 24hrs to go of......

when I glue the screens in my tractors I use a couple say 4 blocks of black rubber to act as a leveling pads so as the glass makes the correct level (this is where poss with the door etc is laying on it's back, put a bead of Sika-flex down on the door edge, which will be under the glass edge and then lower the glass onto the leveler's.....if u have to do it with the glass upright just use a couple of those rubber spacers to lift the glass
to the correct position......
the first one u do, u'll make a mess.....wait untill it's cured and the razer blade off the surplus......just how much to use come's with experience......
If u make a complete hash of it u can always cut the mastic - clean up and do it again......it's just take a little more time.....of which make sure everywhere is clean and think ahead.....get somebody to help and have plenty of paper towel....it's real easy....just do a dummy run before u use the mastic.....

on my job's where ness. I paint the panels and then fit the glass....

have loads of fun, just take ur time.....
Frank

[ukdave2002]

Are you sure the mastic is original? Many cars of the era used flat glazing rubber strip, woollies sell it in different widths and thicknesses, it fits round the glass and then is trimmed flush to the frame with a sharp blade.

Dave

[petermeachem]

My 1934 Austin rear side windows have metal frames and rubber round the glass to seal them, certainly no mastic

[whiteshadow]

Thanks for the replies (especially Frank!)

The stuff I chipped off is a black putty like substance- now rock hard, with the same consistency as old window putty.

The aluminium body tub is folded over the wooden frame, creating an uneven surface that the pane would have to sit on. The shapes of the windows apertures sort of mean that rubber strips and channels would be lots more work, and is not really in keeping with the way the rest of the car has been manufactured.
I believe it's unlikely that the windows have been replaced, as one big selling point of the car was the new 'Safety' glass (Laminated!!)....this is now so old that the cellulose sandwich layer has gone crispy and delaminated......there is no evidence they have been touched for 80 years

Mark