The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk 40's Era Crank-out Windshield Rubber Seals - tips?

OK folks, I'm thinking about fixing the rubber seal around the windshield. I've read the tech tip here on the Stovebolt written by Mike Reese. He did a nice job explaining what he did. I'd probably go with the Steel Rubber Company vulcanized rubber surround. My question is, who out there in Stoveboltland has done this and what kind of success did you have in the end? Can they be made leak proof?

I did my 37 about 20 years ago with Steele Rubber Products ,when Mr. Steele still owned the company. I did every piece on truck at that time. To this date there have been no failures on any part.
The windshield rubber was easy to install and has held up well.
I would recommend all of their products.

I did my '40 with Steele seal....installed easily. Steele advised type of cement to use on the butt joint - worked great. Seal is soft and pliable against metal. Only issue I have is a slight leak on the upper right corner. I think this is more an issue of not being able to pull the frame in tight with the crank mechanism. I have seen a truck where the guy installed " cam -type " levers on the inside post which seemed to work very well - he used stainless steel boat hardware which was good quality.

I got mine from Jim Carters and it was a steele brand seal. The seal installed very easily, and stopped 95% of the leak. The other 5% is from the division bar seal, but I'm a little afraid to take the windshield frame apart to fix that. I think that might have to be one of my first spring projects this year.

Lucille, by the way, beautiful truck!

I used two other seals before buying a Steele Brand. It was by far the best sealing. On the '37 the Steele had a little relief formed in it which lets the windshield fold in tighter, the other brands were way to stiff, even in the hot summer weather I could not close the windshield 100%.

As a back up to the front seal, I added a really soft seal to the inside of the windshield frame (cab side) that seals the frame to the cab sheet metal. Its a seal from the trunk of a car, you know the super soft foam rubber stuff. It can't go 100% around the openings due to the hinges and crank arm, but it seals both corners really well. It cut down 90% of the wind noisy and no water ever gets in anymore. With the windshield shut, the extra seal can hardly be seen, with the glass open, it looks like it should be there.

Joe

Holy Smokes! All you guys have great looking trucks!!
Happy to hear so far that sealing that crank-out windshield doesn't seem to be too big of a deal. Someone along the way installed the wrong profiled rubber seal. It is way too big and too stiff. Doesn't have the soft flexibility to contour itself against the cab shell. In doing so it won't allow the windshield to close tight at all. I've got major air leakage along with all the wind noise and rain showers! Looks like you folks have solved this issue with using Steele's gasket. Can't wait to order it and get that gasket installed! I'm also going to check and make sure that the angle of the windshield frame matches the cab opening angle.
BTW, did you guys remember to open up the drain holes in the window lower corners and run the drain line?

i opened the holes but never took into consideration where it went until i was wiring a friends 41 chevy. added tubing and 95% of window leakage was gone.

...and remember the drain from the cowl vent as well !!