Rear side screens - convertible

Post by **Peetee** » Tue Mar 16, 2004 6:08 pm

How on earth do you reassemble the rear side screens on a convertible?
They nearly had me in tears of frustration today. The top rail bolts to the b-post with two bolts hidden behind the screen rubber. It is only when the whole assembly is together ie glass, rubbers and frames that the bolt holes line up, but then the holes are hidden by the glass and rubber!!
Arrrggggg

Post by **Willie** » Tue Mar 16, 2004 8:35 pm

I assume you mean side WINDOWS as opposed to the earlier
side SCREENS? I changed the rubbers on my side windows
with the metal frame in situ and I believe this is how you
should do it but, it was so long ago that i forget the method I
used unfortunately, but I repeat, I did not undo the window
frame.

Post by **Peetee** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 12:10 am

I took the top metal window frame off to spray them because they had become badly scratched by the hood frame.
The problem with refitting it all is complex.
First problem: the top rubber has a tendancy to dissapear into the top metal frame when the glass is pushed home. this means it has to be fitted first and held firmly in place.
second problem: with these three elements held together the glass has to be pushed down and forward into the bottom & side rubber. At the same time the upper frame has to fit downwards into a narrow slot in the bodywork at the rear. The join between the upper frame and b-post is held by an internal 'L' bracket. Because the lower screws of this bracket are hidden these have to be done up first. Because of this the upper frame has to be slid forward over the L bracket. This is not possible however because, as already mentioned this is moving down into the rear slot.

I hope this makes sense.

Post by **Willie** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 8:43 pm

Crikey! I'm glad I didn't undo my top rail

Post by **Innovator** » Sat Apr 17, 2004 8:12 pm

The design in my opinion could be improved a lot.

Here are a few tips.

To stop the new window channel rubber disappearing I put a strip of thick foam (camping matt) in the channel first.

Modify the bracket that goes at the top of the B pillar. If you make a new bracket that fixes to the B pillar from the DOOR side it is a simple job of assembling the whole window, rubbers and frame and dropping it into position. Then you put 2 screws through the B pillar to fix the top frame in position.

I spent quite a bit of time cursing when trying to put my convertible rear windows in. I came to the conclusion it was another bit of design on the Minor that could be easily improved.

John