Morris Minor Owners Club

How do you refit the metal insert in the windscreen rubber on a 57 minor. as my windscreen rubber is leaking was going to remove the metal insert squirt some rubber sealant under the rubber then fit the metal insert back in the rubber. ive been told that the metal insert can be a pig to refit so was wonder if anyone knew any hints or tips or special ways of doing this or is getting a new rubber and horrible plastic trim the only way of doing it.

You are right - it's a bit of a job to refit the chrome screen insert in the early 1000 windscreen.

Firstly, the plastic screen insert, used in the later 1000 is not interchangeable with the chrome polished finisher used in the earlier models, so if you do end up buying a new screen rubber, you need to make sure its the right one for the finisher you want to use. Second i think it is almost impossible to fit the chrome screen surround with the screen in place, it has to be fitted into the rubber BEFORE the rubber is fitted into the screen aperture itself. If the screen is leaking, I would try injecting some sealant between the rubber and the bodywork on both sides of the screen before I took the finisher off. It cannot make the situation any worse and may save you having to wrestle with new screen rubbers and the like!! Good luck

The chrome finisher on earlier 1000s doesnt help keep the glass or rubber in pace its merely decoration so if you do need to seal it up you dont need to remove the trim.

Good point David, I forgot to mention that!

ok will give it a go without removing the trim. the rubber is quite cracked though so might try smearing som of the sealer over the top of the rubber to fill the cracks. i have the proper windscreen sealer that doesnt harden so should be ok for this as it will retain its flexibility.

If the rubber is as hard/cracked as you mention then really the only option is to remove the windscreen and replace the rubber.
Once the rubber has started to crack it'll start to leak badly. Yes replacing this is a diffficult task, and the plastic chrome insert is not easy (understatement) to re insert, but it works out cheaper than having to get the interior welded as the floor has rusted away due to water ingress, and ruined you upholstery too.

ESM sell the chrome insert tools BTW.

Never fitted a windscreen before so not very confident of that route

Captain Tolleys creeping crack cure is very runny, I used it to cure a windscreen leak and it worked a treat.
I simply poked the nozzle of the tube under the rubber and squeezed, hey presto no leak.

-----another point to bear in mind is the rusting away of the actual metal flange area that the rubber fits onto, caused by water laying there for a time. A difficult repair. So if the rubber is cracked and leaking better to avoid this expensive possibility by replacing the rubber..

Search You tube for windscreen replacement and you will find some practical examples. It's fiddly but not impossible and much easier with an extra pair of hands.

If there is an independent windscreen company you might find that they will do it reletively cheaply as for them it is a small job done in a few minutes with all the tools and gear to hand - at this time of year they may even take cash.

hi my morris minor is a 61..it has the metal insert in the front rubber...I took the old screen/rubber out..and bought a realy good windscreen..so I had new rubber,screen,and sealer..i cleaned the area doing any repairs so that it would be a easy fix..to putting it back...so I started at 11 oclock one Saturday morning..after 2 hours.id lost it..so my son came to help..first fitting it in then the insert..impossible..then fitting both.and the insert popping out like a spring..around 4 ish I had called 5 car glass fitters..one said £150 labour plus call out..by 7 oclock in the evening..we both had enough..with the insert springing out..so after may be 10 refits in and out..we had one more go..fitting it in complete..and pulling outthe corners of the screen..we could get the insert to stop in..and using my wifes cooking utensils to prize the rubber from the inside back it whent in..and job was done at 10.30 in the evening....also a 61 windscreen is smaller.and thicker than the one I fitted..it came from a 68-9.....