Windshield H channel : What would you do?

[Mark Osterman]

I finally got around to installing that rubber H channel that fits on the lower windshield and acts as a seal against the upper windshield. There isn’t enough clearance to close the windows. They have always been a little tight with the metal caps rubbing against each other (see picture). I always thought that the rubber gasket that fits between the lower windshield frame and the body was a little thick causing that problem. On the other hand it’s possible that the glass shop made the replacement glass a little too tall. So, I guess I could either find a different rubber gasket .. or double check the actual glass to see if it needs to be ground a little. Any other ideas. And does the H channel stop where I have it or is it supposed to also go on top of the metal caps?

[Rich Eagle]

The lower windshield frame is held into the posts by a roundhead screw on each side. The holes in the stanchions are slotted. Is it possible to loosen the screws and push the frame down some to give more clearance? Also there may be enough play in the stanchion mounting holes to loosen those bolts and move the stanchions up. It wouldn't take much.
Just my thoughts.
Rich

[Mark Osterman]

I have it as far down as possible. That’s why I was wondering about the thickness of the rubber gasket.

[John kuehn]

The windshield sealing rubber should be a little longer than the length of the glass. That allows cutting to fit the entire length of the glass.
Looking at your photo close up where the two end caps on the upper and lower meets the upper cap looks a bit cocked up. That may be a rubbing issue on the bottom cap. I have to say they look a little tight against each other.

Are you sure the windshield glass is bottomed out in the windshield frame top and also the bottom? Did you have the original glass so the replacement glass would be the same measurements for the new cut glass?

[Piewagon]

OK here is my take on it. I have never seen the factory drawing for the "h" rubber but the item I purchased many years ago that was sold to me as the correct item for between my 2 w/s halves of my '23 Touring simply could never work on my car. I checked others and so far as I know I have never seen anyone that has the item "installed correctly" but I suspect if it fits it will have to have a lot of rubber removed and I don't see how that can be done very accurately since a Stanley knife is about all that could be used. I keep a roll of duck tape under my back seat and if it really starts to pour I simply put a piece of duck tape across the windshield from far left to far right and that moves the water to either side and gets either my left sleeve soaked or my wife's right sleeve. I wonder if anybody has the actual Ford "Factory" number for that rubber piece or if anyone has an actual Ford print for that factory number.

There is/was a separate "flyer" or "folder" that lists ALL of the windshield glass sizes exactly with pictures and patterns shown. I had one when I was trying to fit up my "h" molding but I gave up on all of that. I do encourage others to find out what is wrong but I really do think that the rubber piece is either made wrong or the one I bought is really for another car year or make.

Hope this helps.

[Mark Osterman]

I do have the original glass windows but I checked them when I had the safety glass cut and they were the same size. I just looked at the set screws on the windshield posts and see that in theory the windows should be able to seat further down ... but the rubber gasket between the bottom windshield frame and the body won’t allow. Maybe I need to remove that reproduction rubber gasket and cut a new gasket from an old inner tube.

[Allan]

How does an H channel ever fit? It would indeed be a tricky operation to get it into position. Perhaps it could be done by opening both screens and slowly closing them, working both legs of the H simultaneously onto the two screen halves as they come together. I've always used an h rubber section, with varying degrees of success. About the best results were achieved by having the two legs of the h on the top screen and the single leg pointing down from the back side of the top screen. That single leg gets jammed against the lower glass. This is on a colonial built car which has screen glasses which overlap. Yours may be different.
Allan from down under.

[kmatt2]

That type windshield end cap was used on many makes of cars. Try finding another cap, or maybe even. a repo cap that fits a little better. As a alternate you may be able to dish out a little the inside of the part of the cap that fits over the windshield frame making it sit lower on windshield frame.

[Steve Jelf]

How does an H channel ever fit?

It doesn't. When people say H they mean h.

Here's the one in my 1923 touring.

It closes as it should. The gap between upper and lower glass is about ¼". The guys who restored this body did a fair job, but they cut this rubber a little too short. Or maybe it has shrunk over the years.

Allan's reference to overlapping panes applies to earlier cars like my 1915.

With the correct hinges the upper glass is slightly forward of the lower glass and overlaps it about ¼". Maybe somebody who has this setup intact can post pictures. Mine is apart for repairs.

[RajoRacer]

Good point, Steve ! Perhaps Mark can post a photo of his hinge from the side ?

[John kuehn]

The photo Steve posted shows the same way the windshield rubber fits on my 21 Touring.
As Steve says the rubber piece is an h and not an H.
In fact the one on my 21 doesn’t look or fit like the one Mark is having an issue with on his 23 Roadster. Could it be that it’s not the correct one?

[DHort]

Mark's roadster does not have a hinge like that. The upper glass is attached near the top of the windshield stanchions with a bolt with a handle. He has a picture on FB. So when it swings down, like in Steve's picture, the upper windshield bracket hits the lower bracket. In Steve's picture there is a gap where the rubber can go. Mark does not have that gap.

[Mark Osterman]

Ok guys. The 1923 model T was the first with the windshield that tilts back ... often called a “slant” windshield. Unlike the the 1921 and earlier that allow the top windshield glass to fold down the slant windshield has the hinge up higher allowing the top windshield glass to tilt outward at the bottom. See picture. The h gasket (Steve was right that it looks more like a small case h not a H) goes on the bottom glass of the windshield and forms a barrier to rain when the top windshield glass up against the rubber h gasket.

[dhosh]

Mark... Do you remember if the bottom plate of glass extended up over the top of the channel the cap sits on? I.e., if the glass was out, would the bottom cap fit on it's channel, with the top cap now being able to clear it? Of so, maybe the bottom one isn't fully seated in that brass channel... Or the brass channel isn't setting all the way down in the frame. Is it new brass channel?

Mine is a tight fit, with the caps, but the glass panels are happy.

Dennis

[Steve Jelf]

This looks like the right rubber.