Morris Minor Owners Club

Hi there. I am a new member who has only joined today. I have been labouring hard for the last 12 months with a complete bare shell refurbishment of a 1959 2-door MM Saloon which is now close to MOT status.

I have refitted the windscreen but am having the devil's own job figuring out how the plastic/chrome trim is fitted. I rang Charlie Ware earlier and they sold me a special tool but I am still no wiser as to how the heck the trim is supposed to be slid into the rubber surround. CAN ANYONE OUT THERE PLEASE HELP?

The screen is the non split-screen type.

Thanks for reading this.

John (browniecool)

I afraid its just hard work.

1) cut your finger nails before you break them.

2) start in the middle at the bottom

3) use white grease as a lube

4) lever enough gap to get started then work your way round pushing the trim in and levering the rubber over it.

5) don't give up

6) don't give up

7) finally dont trim it to fit until a few days have passed so that if it shrinks a bit you won't have a gap.

and do it on a warm day and try and keep the rubber warm and flexible.

Thanks. The tool came without any instruction/tips on how to use it but I guess it is just used to lever up the rubberlip on each side and feed the strip in inch by inch? I will take your advice and leave it to the next sunny day - starting after its been parked in the sun a couple of hours.

chuck the tool in the bin i have one and other ppl have said the said a load of rubbish and £12 down the drain.

the last screen i put in i did completely dif and it went in in 1/2 hour
i astoneded myself with that one and my missus was dreading us doin it but we were but chuffed to bits.

i soaked thew rubber in really hot water for 15 mins or so.
attached the rubber to the screen and then fitted the chrome strip.
u need a couple of ppl holding the rubber on preferbly as it wants to jump off and run away

then just offered it up to the hole and used a good strong thick string or thin rope and pulled for all my worth while my missus pushed and tapped heavily on from the outside.

and it just popped in place

then used a screwdriver to seat the outides of the rubber where it needed it and to fit the chrom where it had and will pop in a few places but small bits are a lot easier than all of it.

but even this way the rubber did tear in a couple of places
a friend said he done his by putting the chrome in after and he used vaseline in the groove and it went in easy too
he pushed one side in by hand as much as poss and then used a screwdriver to push the other side in

just see which way suits you best and good luck and try and keep the patience levels high as its really annoying thing to do

It is important to identify the type of windscreen insert. The early type were in two halves and are made of stainless steel. They are fitted into the rubber, with the glass fitted too, and then the complete assembly is fitted to the car. (I have watched the professional do the job, he made it look easy). The later type is 'plastic chrome' and is fitted after the screen and rubber have been fully fitted to the car.

I have to do this to or at least only in part, as the drivers side screen on my saloon leaks at the bottom. So I was told, as a short term solution only, to lift off a bit of the insert and inject mastic below the seal. So this is something I have to do too in time.

My front one was easy - my rear one was pure hell.

I guess it depends as much on pure luck as anything else.

I put my 'plastic chrome' strip in with a flat screwdriver that had rounded off corners - so as not to nick the rubber.
I didn't use a tool because they're unobtainable locally.
I had to pry up a bit of rubber then stuff the trim in the hole.... did it about an inch at a time. When you come to the corners you'll find bits you've previously done trying to pop out again.

Its just a slow process. Its not fun, its a pain in the rear. Accept this and just get on with it. Warm tea and biscuits be your eventual reward.

I used what is called on the box " personal lubricant", the first car part that I ever bought in boots.
S

I often wonder what people must think if they spot the tube of

FlyingScot wrote:" personal lubricant"

on the shelf in my garage! Now you mention it I'll think I'll move it tomorrow if I remember!

Oh dear, I hope you haven't got a tin of 20-50 next to your bed!

Minor screen is easy (compared to many) to fit - but I have never heard of fitting the chrome finisher before fitting the screen! Hot day/warm sun essential. Important to NOT use washing up liquid as lubricant - in fact have never used any lub when fitting chrome strip. I have a simple home-made tool to do this - diamond shape of wire in a wood file handle. Dunno what the CW tool looks like - but if it's similar the idea is to feed the strip in through the centre hole while spreading the rubber lips with the pointy end of the diamond - and work forwards ensuring the lips close over the strip as you go along.

Willie wrote:Oh dear, I hope you haven't got a tin of 20-50 next to your bed!

I knew my father was getting senile when I found the loo brush in the sink and the washing up mop in the toilet!

Only joking - he never got to be that bad! -but he would have enjoyed the joke

Willie wrote:Oh dear, I hope you haven't got a tin of 20-50 next to your bed!

most excellently funny


have heard the "personal lubricant" tip from other, good sources

as willie also says it's important to distinguish between the two types of "chrome" insert! they are dealt with quite differently

the correct tool should have a roller incorporated as well as the diamond-shaped thick wire, I believe

Indeed - but a bit tricky to 'home make' - and it works fine without the little wheel which sometimes tends to 'crack' the plastic chrome anyway!

bmcecosse wrote: the little wheel which sometimes tends to 'crack' the plastic chrome anyway!

ah - the plastic perhaps not sufficiently heated into compliance?