Windscreen new rubber seal

[wayneesch]

I purchased a new rubber seal for MB 1968 280SL from MB Classic Center for my new windscreen. The new windscreen is about half the thickness of the MB windscreen installed in the 1980's. The old windscreen is delaminating at the bottom passenger side and spreading upward.

The new replacement rubber seal is different - the old seal appears to have additional rubber flap. Is the new rubber seal a different shape because the new windshield is much thinner?

Can anyone confirm the current rubber seal is different than 40 years ago?  I do not want any leaks or changes to original appearance.

Note I read the posts on installing the new windscreen that I will share with installer - I cannot find anyone in southeastern Michigan who has installed in W113. I finally found one installer who actually knew the chrome is installed before roping the assembly in place. He is going to look at the job this weekend.

[zoegrlh]

Is your new wind screen a PPG brand?

[wayneesch]

I looked in the US for replacement wind screen. I wanted to keep the clear vs. shaded glass. After a number of phone calls including MB Classics, I was told only the shaded glass is available in the US.  So I went online to Niemoeller and ordered 113 671 00 10 from them. Looking at my new wind screen, logo says: Lamishield, M158 AS1 DOT825, E4 43R-000738.  I did not know about PPG manufacturer, is their glass thicker?  FYI - I purchased the rubber seal from  MB Classic part# 113-671-02-20. Should I use this thinner wind screen?

[Duncan200]

I had my screen fitted yesterday by a guy who has done a lot of the 113’s.

I refitted my original screen so I can’t vouch for the windscreen thickness.

In regards to the seal, mine too was a genuine seal and the extra piece you speak of was cut off by my installer prior to fitting the screen in to the car.

He advised me that MB had that extra piece added to the seal to try and stop leaks. He says all it does is bunch up behind the rope and in fact cause leaks.

I’m pretty sure I have another genuine seal in the garage somewhere. Happy to try and find it and take some pics for you as a comparison. Maybe MB have removed the extra piece from their new seals as it was doing more harm than good?

Doug.

[wayneesch]

Thanks for your response Doug, very helpful.  The first installer (2.5 hours of labor), roped in the wind screen and rubber seal;  and then inserted the aluminum locking trim. It did not lock completely in at the corners and the seal leaked.  This installer gave up.
I found another installer with 40 years experience and he knew that the aluminum lock trim is installed before roping. He also decided not to trim off the new extra flap on the rubber seal.  He also used an automotive bedding compound 940 sealant.  He roped everything in in less than 1 hour -- pulled right in and hook tool needed for only one foot bottom center..  And NO leaks. I had removed my dash pads to recover and emoving the hardtop and sunvisors made it a little easier.

[Duncan200]

Great to hear you had a successful outcome.

One thing my installer advised me was that once I start driving the car, the windscreen will settle in and I will find that more of the bedding glaze will ooze out and it’s just a matter of wiping it off with a rag and kerosene.

Given my engine is not back from the machine shop yet, I have a long wait before I have to clean my screen up.

Hoping to be driving by Christmas, just in time for summer.

Doug.

[Francis Abate]

"Can anyone confirm the current rubber seal is different than 40 years ago?  I do not want any leaks or changes to original appearance."

I can confirm that the car I am working on had an old rubber seal that did not have the flap, but the new one from MBCC does have the flap.  The old seal measured about 5mm wider (inside to outside edge).  And the windscreen is a new one from MBCC, I don't know how much it varies in thickness, if at all.  As I said in another thread, I am trying to figure out the corner fit issue with the aluminum molding - at this point I suspect it is bent to some degree or slightly different in shape, meaning the older ones as in this case where I am reusing it, may be different than a brand new one.  Or as mentioned in the tech manual on this site, it takes several tries to find a new molding that's not bent to fit.

[mauro12]

Guys just for personal curiosity , the original windscreen that was installed in the 60s doesn’t have any uv filters right ? Mine is still the original .