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David Gore
Moderator
Username: david_gore

Post Number: 3601
Registered: 04-2003
Posted on Saturday, 22 February, 2020 - 13:40:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

Vladimir speaks.......

"Some old sage some years at sometime uttered "If it's not broken don't fix it" and the other day this maxim proved true.

Around the front windscreen inserted from the outside around the top and sides of the rubber seal is a steel chrome strip.

I noticed on the top driver's side the chrome corner was not sitting flat upon the rubber seal there being a gap of 4 - 5 mm.

I should have ignored that gap or at least pretended it was not there. Nobody but myself or a Concours cucumber sandwich munching judge would have notice the gap and I have subzero interest in Concours or Pebble Beach.

So I pulled at the chrome corner and cleaned the dirt and dust in the groove then tried to reinsert the strip.

The mongrel would go all the way in but after a few minutes would pop out again creating a 50 mm gap between the strip and the seal thereby producing a hideous eyesore.

I noticed a small piece of the rubber seal was perished. Easy temporary fix I thought would be using Sikaflex to hold it in place with cloth tape to hold the strip down during the curing time.

Having run out of Sikaflex I put it down on my shopping list and for days tolerated the hideous sight of the 50 mm gap until I decided I could not tolerate it any more and proceeded to remove the entire strip and store it in the boot compartment. I removed the window wipers and started to remove the body panel bolts under the wipers before realising the chrome strip could be pulled upwards out of the seal parallel to the angle of the windscreen.

Then I went to the passenger side noticing a 3mm gap on the top corner. I then attempted to remove the chrome strip running from the top corner down to underneath the body panel below the wipers. The top five inches of strip came out but but below that the strip was held in a death grip by the swollen seal and it was not going to allow any removal.

What a right mess I had gotten myself into over a 5mm gap !!!

For reasons I cannot explain I grabbed hold of my water bottle spray and soaked the entire strip and the groove in the rubber seal. I then pushed the strip back into place and like magic this time it all held into place.

The combination of the strip and the seal when lubricated works like a ratchet.

Now about the gap - what gap ? I never saw any gap.

I did see on Flying Spares 277 to 508 Sterling for a second-hand to new windscreen plus 135 Sterling for the new seal and double those figures for government fleecement and freight insurance etc London to Mount Coolon.

There never was any gap. Nor can there be as the Deep Purple Spirit must be ready for the 6 hours round trip to the bridge club on the coast for nefarious purposes in December."

.
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Omar M. Shams
Prolific User
Username: omar

Post Number: 1944
Registered: 04-2009
Posted on Saturday, 22 February, 2020 - 16:27:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

Now we need to know what will happen in December 2020 at the Bridge club on the coast.... and who is also invited???
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Larry Kavanagh
Frequent User
Username: shadow_11

Post Number: 582
Registered: 05-2016
Posted on Sunday, 23 February, 2020 - 06:40:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

Be careful what questions you ask Omar, there's a risk that you might be corrupted.
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Vladimir Ivanovich Kirillov
Prolific User
Username: soviet

Post Number: 1680
Registered: 02-2013
Posted on Saturday, 22 February, 2020 - 18:01:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

Omar No Comment

(Message approved by david_gore)
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Larry Kavanagh
Frequent User
Username: shadow_11

Post Number: 583
Registered: 05-2016
Posted on Sunday, 23 February, 2020 - 08:30:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

not even a PM?
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Omar M. Shams
Prolific User
Username: omar

Post Number: 1946
Registered: 04-2009
Posted on Monday, 24 February, 2020 - 03:16:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

I am beginning to think the worst.
I will conjure up thoughts of people of the softer gender with big posteriors and a lot of spirit and maybe in a Spirit.... the Purple Nasty perhaps....
The person in question may even have freckles and ginger hair.

Perhaps not enough imagination on my part. Vlad do tell... how much of this made up story is close to the truth???
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Larry Kavanagh
Frequent User
Username: shadow_11

Post Number: 584
Registered: 05-2016
Posted on Monday, 24 February, 2020 - 06:04:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

Omar, tread lightly, you risk getting Vlad excommunicated again.
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Vladimir Ivanovich Kirillov
Prolific User
Username: soviet

Post Number: 1682
Registered: 02-2013
Posted on Monday, 24 February, 2020 - 08:46:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

Kevin is right. Omar I may not have attended that flasho private school in England like you but I spot an crafty set up a mile away....Sir will not get me this time and considering you have already suggested that I carry an empty fuel tank through customs in Dubai and Australia it's fair to say all Omarian suggestions reek of scallywag behavior and are more than likely direct from Flashman's Book of Disasterly Deeds a copy of which you have wrapped up in THE JACKET inside your safe behind the Van Gogh.

The Spirit uses the old fashion rubber seal and not the modern heat melt in caper to secure the windscreen.

I have removed and replaced many of the rubber seal type windscreens on other makes of cars but not Rolls Royce yet.

I have a pair of the specialised dual suction holding handles used for picking up and manouvering the windscreen into place.

Fitting a new windscreen is best with two people but one can do the job by yourself, but snail type patience and great care with meticulous observation is essential.

Many custodians will leave the job to a professional windscreen fitter and my suggestion if you do is DO NOT TRY TO TELL THEM HOW TO DO THEIR JOB AND OR DO NOT STAND AROUND AND WATCH THEM. INDEED THROW ALL ABANDON TO THE WIND AND GO TO THE BAR.

Windscreen fitters generally only fit windscreens and to turn any profit its definitely a stop watch game and I have known of windscreen fitters to down tools in the middle of the job and tell Directors of large bus companies to get totally $@#&ed because they annoyed a professional windscreen fitter.

I don't have this problem because I don't let anybody do any work on my cars except me. Thus no need for the after fitment explosive anger paranoid questions of " what's that scratch on the bonnet etc..."

With any removal of the windscreen I always replace the rubber seal. The seal is the only thing apart from the windscreen and sealant stopping rain water from entering all the fancy non waterproof electrical and air-conditioning parts between the dashboard and the firewall.

Secondly, if the windscreen seal leaks, rainwater will quietly travel down to underneath the floor carpet and then engage its lover Mr. Rust to devour the metal floor. Needless to say repairs to fix the damage rainwater can do inside the car can exceed the value or the even the asking purchase price of a greedy toffy nosed polished la de da accented high end car dealer.

Also, I never attempt to remove a laminated windscreen in the hope that it won't crack on removal. I always have a replacement windscreen on hand for that tragedy. I have observed many a windscreen specialist crack a perfect windscreen on removal for preparation of a full paint respray.

Once the seal and windscreen is removed careful inspection of the paint condition of the car body where the seal sits is essential. Mr.Rust loves to consume this area. One scratch through the paint to the metal by way of a knife used in a prior windscreen fitment is certain to produce a rust hole over time. Proper repair of a rust hole in this position by oxy, mig or tig welding can result in setting the car on fire unless the entire dash is removed and all flammable parts are removed all the way to the firewall.($ OUCH!)

I actually had a very old and extremely skilled panel beater spray painter proprietor suggest I just put a garden hose inside to soak everything inside dash while welding up rust holes in the inside cowl plenum area of a 90s Falcon Ghia in Sydney. Given the owner was a 7 foot New Zealand Maori I ignored the proprietor and removed the entire dash etc before welding.

So any scratches in paint down to metal in this area and one definitely needs to consider repairing the painted area properly rather than the popular swipe over with body filler prank.

(Message approved by david_gore)
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Darryl Watson
Experienced User
Username: inox

Post Number: 122
Registered: 04-2015
Posted on Tuesday, 25 February, 2020 - 06:23:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

Vladimir,
I don't know if it applies to your car but on our 1990 Mulsanne S the wind screen is held in place by four clips that hook round the rear of the metal insert - two each side - and are fixed inside the car.

These rust. I had the gap situation that you describe and the brackets on our car has rusted away.

There is also a threaded "J" in the vicinity if the interior mirror.

Dig through the manual - it's described in detail and from memory there was a post some years back.
Regards
Darryl
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Robert J. Sprauer
Frequent User
Username: wraithman

Post Number: 586
Registered: 11-2017
Posted on Tuesday, 25 February, 2020 - 12:09:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

I have replaced several windscreens on RR cars. I remove by using a utility knife and cutting the seal all around and then pushing outward. You will find in the workshop manual (I highly suggest reading the windscreen section) the trim is sometimes secured thru the seal on the top section with 2 studs and there would be 2 rectangular washers on the inside. The finish trim should never be aggrssively pried away from the seal. It is usually brass because it chromes well and can easily bend to fit the profile of the windshield. In fact the manual tells you to place the trim on the windscreen to check curvature especially in the lower corners.
The trim is set into the seal and together they are placed around the glass.
You then insert a braided 3/16-1/4" rope within the seal. The windscreen is then placed within the body. Suction cups are handy and I highly suggest 2 people. Someone has to pull the cord to make the seal flip over the body opening and the helper keeps pressure from the outside to keep the windscreen in place in unison with the guy on the inside.
Most important is to make sure the windscreen is centered to the opening. There are no second chances.
I have done 5 windscreens so far with no issues.
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Vladimir Ivanovich Kirillov
Prolific User
Username: soviet

Post Number: 1684
Registered: 02-2013
Posted on Tuesday, 25 February, 2020 - 13:21:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

Thanks Darryl and Robert for your valued input.

You both answered many questions I had before I even asked them.

As an apprentice mechanic in first year Technical College some 45 years ago I remember the teacher saying RTBM - Read The Bloody Manual. And I should have.

The Deep Purple Spirit was once Mason's Black when new in London and the original owner was a middle eastern Sheik who obviously had good taste given the car originally had burgundy leather, now beige. The Purple Metallic paint turns black at nightime which is super-cool.

I am pretty certain the clips etc which are used to hold down the top corners of the chrome strip have been discarded when the car was colour changed.

Given that sooner or later the present perfect front windscreen is soon going to be insanely cracked given the dismal quality of the road to my lair by flying stones, eagles (really enormous ones), owls, storks, cockatoos, galahs etc not to mention fast moving but totally brainless kangaroos and emus, I am going to leave the windscreen and its now barely noticeable chrome strip to seal gap well alone until the windscreen needs replacing.

(Message approved by david_gore)
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Darryl Watson
Experienced User
Username: inox

Post Number: 124
Registered: 04-2015
Posted on Monday, 02 March, 2020 - 21:28:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

And there I was thinking that pot holes were bad news.

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