'54 Hornet Windshield installation

Ricko
Ricko Member
in HUDSON

Can someone give me the step by step installation instructions/tips for installing the front and rear windshields in a '54 Hornet? I have the gasket rubber bought from Wildrick Rubber. I have a friend who has installed dozens of windshields over the years to help me but he has never seen a gasket that wasn't bonded into 1 continuous piece. I called a local glass installer and he has not either. Help on this would be VERY MUCH APPRECIATED!!

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  • 54coupe
    54coupe Member
    Answer ✓

    Your rubber should have come with instructions on how to install... I'll tell you what I remember...

    You have to wrap the rubber around the glass (Try not to stretch it. Rubber continuously shrinks over time, and you don't want to have that shrinkage trying to pull your glue joint apart.) and cut it to length to fit your glass. Use a sharp, non serrated blade to cut the rubber (a little water with some liquid dish soap can help lubricate for a smooth cut). Cut as smooth and straight as you can. Then glue the ends together with super glue. Your back glass gets the rubber put around the glass, first. Then install the stainless trim. Then install the glass with stainless trim as a unit from the outside, and rope it in from the inside. the rubber has to go over the pinch weld, and the headliner will be under the rubber as well.

    The windshield will need two glue joints. One at each lower, outside corner. Make miter cuts here, and glue them as above. For installation, you put the rubber on the car, lay the glass in the rubber, then install the little round rubber locking strip. The stainless trim is put on last.

    I hope this helps. There are copies of factory manuals available on the club website that give good instruction of how to do this. They can be downloaded and printed from there.

    Good luck.

  • Ricko
    Ricko Member
    Answer ✓

    Thanks

Answers

  • ratlee2
    ratlee2 Expert Adviser
    edited February 15

    I have not done a 54 before, but on a 53, you cut the gasket using a sharp razor blade and glue the ends together using super glue. I did the back window gasket and front windshield on my Super Wasp 20 years ago and it is still in great shape at the seam.

  • Ricko
    Ricko Member

    '54 is 1 piece - do you know about using a stiffener

  • 54coupe
    54coupe Member

    The reason that the rubber isn't bonded into one piece, is cost, and convenience. 1948-1954 all used the same profile of rubber for the backglass. However, there are at least four different sized window openings used in that seven year span. It makes sense, as a supplier, to inventory one part number, and supply the customer the proper length of rubber for their application, let the customer cut it, and join the ends together. The same applies to the windshield. 53-54 Jets, 54 Wasps and 54 Hornets all use the same profile rubber. Jets use less rubber than Wasp and Hornet models.

  • Ricko
    Ricko Member

    Thanks - that this very helpful! Did you use any particular glue for the ends - something that holds and sets up fast?

  • 54coupe
    54coupe Member
    edited February 16

    Either Super glue, or Krazy Glue. The package specifically said it was good for rubber, among many other things. It did set up fast, and was liguid, not gel.

  • jjbubaboy
    jjbubaboy Senior Contributor

    I have been following this helpful thread!

    I am curious about any kind of sealer. Would anything be used to seal the glass to the rubber and/or the rubber seal to the pinch weld?

    Thanks,

    Jeff

  • 54coupe
    54coupe Member
    https://openforum.hetclub.org/discussion/comment/253500#Comment_253500

    Certainly a good idea. I have used 3M weatherstrip adhesive in the past. It's a mess. Wildrick recommended butyl to me. I haven't tried that, but probably will next time.

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