Manx Club

I'm in the process of mounting my windshield but I'm having problems. The rubber seal is preventing me from pushing the frame down onto the dash to where the holes will line up for the bolts. The seal just won't spread itself apart. Has anybody else had this problem and does anybody have any solutions? Thank you for the help. Matthew

I am assuming that you have holes drill through the windshield frame and the bolt needs to pass through that, the hood and then the dash support. Did everything fit together before you restored the car? Is the windshield or seal new? I have seen people need to use a come-along (ratchet strap) over the windshield and down to a secure area to cinch it (windshield) down. Warming the strip will also make it more pliable, perhaps giving you the needed space?

The windshield and seal are brand new. The seal doesn't want to slide outwards when trying to get the holes lined up. I bought a dash support kit from Berrian Buggy that came with windshield supports and so I am following those instructions as far as where to drill the holes and all. They aren't that far off when trying to mount, but the seal won't sinch down enough. The strap idea might work, but a little scary about messing something up...we'll see. Matthew

I had to use a butter knife to carefully work the seal out from under the the windshield frame. Oh, don't forget the 2 friends to help hold and move the frame around.

I had to trim the rear lip off mine with a craft knife. That type of rubber trim is made to fit the old type Manx with the seperat dash and hood. The dash fitted inside the hood and left a step but cars with the dash moulded into the hood don't have this step to take up.

You can try some liquid soap to make it slippery and spread. I pre-fit mine and then drilled the holes. Measured 3-4 times before drilling and it still was tight. :2cents: Jimbo

I put painter's masking tape all along that edge of the hood then used a long piece of dental floss and slid it back and forth from both sides of the windshield (one hand was in front of the windshield, and one hand was on the passenger side of the windshield) to get it to spread out. It helps to lay down some liquid soap and use plenty of it both on top of the masking tape and on the bottom of the rubber seal. It helps to have a friend help because you have to keep doward pressure on the windshield as you move along the length of the windshield. Make sure you watch the tape because the dental floss will wear through it if you stay in one area too long.

One thing you can try is to pop the seal into the microwave for 5 seconds at a time until it warms up and begins to soften. Then try to install it before it cools. You could also spray alcohol or window cleaner (wet method) or baby powder (dry method) on the hood surface to act as a lubricant while you are putting it down. Be careful though, as you don't want to over do it and melt the thing. I did this with my rear torsion arm bump stops, and it worked well.