Windshield install...How hard?

[RICH MUISE]

May be time to give Carpenter a call. It's hard to figure what to do when experimenting on an expensive gasket can quickly get costly. I think the major sealing (glass- to- gasket) is on that flange, and I just don't see how you could get a good seal with all that puckering.

[Ford_Crazy]

I haven't had much luck talking to Carpenter.  I had a serious problem with their business coupe side window gaskets and they told me no one else was having the problem and that I was doing something wrong.  I'll bet they tell you the same thing about the rear window gasket.  I have nothing against Carpenter, but it's very frustrating...

[RICH MUISE]

Just got off the phone with Carpenter's. The guy I was refered to was real helpful and is going to look into the problem when their machine shop opens next week. He said he'd try to have some answers for us by the middle of next week, and was going to talk to some of their installation tech experts to see if the problem had come up before.  Rich

[RICH MUISE]

NO PUCKERING AT ALL!!!
When I talked to the rep at Dennis Carpenter this morning he had told me the windshield gaskets for '57 ford was a popular item, and in fact he said "believe it or not we sold 267 of them last year alone". He also said the puckering problem I was having was one he hadn't heard of before. Well, Monday morning I get to call him back and tell him the reason he hadn't heard of it before was that he apparently has 266 customers smarter than I am!
I got to looking at it when I got home from work tonight and realized I somehow had it assbackwards and was putting the glass in the wrong grove. The v-shaped grove I was talking about is actually the grove that fits the flange around the body windshield opening. I still don't know how I did it, but I did and except for the puckering at the corners, it appeared to be on correctly until I started to fit the stailess trim into the slot and realized the grove way in the back of the hinged flap that grabs the 1/8 hook on the end of the stainless inside leg was going in the wrong direction. I think it was like uncoiling a bandsaw blade, if you don't do it right the teeth face the wrong way. Apparently that's how I uncoiled it from the package and was looking at the configuration backwards.
Anyways, now that it is on correctly it fits like an O.J. glove and is completly smooth and tight against the glass even in the tight back corner.
That said, it would be nice getting a cross section view of the gasket with the components installed with the gasket. I did later find one in the trim and sealant manual. Guess I should have started there in the first place.  Rich

[Ford_Crazy]

I have no puckering or any other problems at all with my windshield gasket.  My problem is with the back glass gasket.  The rear gasket and stainless trim all fit flush on the outside of the car.  The puckering is on the lip of the gasket inside the car where the gasket touches the headliner. It puckers at the top of both ends.  Here's a picture http://www.lakefrontflorida.com/57ford/pics/puckering.jpg

[outcruisen]

I am one of the 267 that bought the seal last year, and I guess 1 of the many more that bought the front.. I had a professional screen installer do it for me as living in Australia, a new front screen was worth $1400.00 in supply and shipping costs to get here so was petrified I was going to break the thing.. He fitted front and rear screens, with the Carpenters new seals, and used nothing more than an open hand to make sure the screens were both seated.

It was like watching an illusionist do his work, cos within an hour or so he had both screens in, seated and all clean.. Wasn't worth the money (or chance of breakage) of me doing it.. Will use the carpenters seals, and my windscreen man Brent, next time.. No leaks, no mess, no breaks.. Happy man, cos bits have a long way to come (and heaps of money) to get all the way to the bottom end of the world in Australia..

Cheers

Mark

[Frankenstein57]

Now if I could just get that guy up to Wisconsin?   Mark