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Thread: Fitting New Seals - Tropical Top

  1. #1

    Default Fitting New Seals - Tropical Top

    So my project this weekend will be fitting new seals to the alpine windows in my newly acquired tropical top. Has anyone done this before? They're presently not installed and I'm wondering if there is a reason for this! (ie..hope they're not very difficult). If anyone has any experience with this, I'd appreciate it. Thanks!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Kingsport
    Posts
    613

    Default

    BTDT. Not a fun job. You need the right tool. Picture a screwdriver, with a can-opener screwed onto the end of it, with a hole in the middle of the can-opener.... (I'll see if I can find a pic of one.)

    Put the glass into the main piece of the seal, then put the seal onto/into the opening. Then you use the tool to spread open the channel in the seal, then feed the locking strip into the channel through the hole in the tool. The straights aren't bad; but when you get to the curves, it's hard to keep the tool moving onwards....

    And..... good luck!
    -L

    '72 SIII SW 88"
    '60 SII 88" RHD

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Catawba River Basin NC
    Posts
    80

    Default

    The seals can be changed out on the alpine windows using a screw driver to pry the locking bead back in place....... " But" ....it's slow going and will take a couple of hours a window to do in the best of circumstances, though Leslie is correct and would not recommend doing it without the tool.

    Snap-On sells the tool for $20

    and/or the below

    http://www.houseoftools.com/product.htm?pid=169836



    Dave
    Last edited by Dav1550; 11-10-2006 at 04:08 AM.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Kingsport
    Posts
    613

    Default

    Yep, that's the tool.... it's one of those that, you don't use it a lot, but when you need it, you need it. Also, I used a touch of Dawn to lubricate the rubber as I was getting it into place... it washes away well.

    Also, don't trim your strip too short, or you'll have a little bit of a gap... leave the strip a hair long, then tuck it into place... I put the beginning/ending of the strip in the middle of the window at the bottom, logic being, that the place where the ends meet would be a touch more sheltered on the bottom than on the upper side of the glass. Enough to matter? Probably not, but... maybe it'll help, just a tad...
    -L

    '72 SIII SW 88"
    '60 SII 88" RHD

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    city of maples
    Posts
    398

    Default

    just finished doing this on a restoration.you'll need the right tool for the job,should take about 20 mins to do both sides.
    go to any glass shop,they should have the tool,rent it ,borrow it whatever. ask for a fixed glass seal tool.
    use wd 40 to lube it up,with the right tool its fairly straight forward job
    cut the seal to fit after installation.,you'll get a better fit...
    http://singingcamel.com

  6. #6

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by singingcamel
    just finished doing this on a restoration.you'll need the right tool for the job,should take about 20 mins to do both sides.
    go to any glass shop,they should have the tool,rent it ,borrow it whatever. ask for a fixed glass seal tool.
    use wd 40 to lube it up,with the right tool its fairly straight forward job
    cut the seal to fit after installation.,you'll get a better fit...
    http://singingcamel.com
    thanks Singingcamel! is the tool you describe the same one as what people mentioned above?

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    Portsmouth, VA
    Posts
    321

    Default glass tool

    You can make one from a LARGE cotter pin and a piece of round dowel. Worked for me just fine and since you'll only use it once-in-a-blue-moon why spend the $$ for a pro quality tool.
    Jim Wolf
    Elvenwood Kennel

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Kingsport
    Posts
    613

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by lrdukdog
    You can make one from a LARGE cotter pin and a piece of round dowel. Worked for me just fine and since you'll only use it once-in-a-blue-moon why spend the $$ for a pro quality tool.
    Now there's a fella who's thinkin'! Good idea Jim. I know I'd have ended up breaking the glass, tearing the rubber, etc., if I'd tried to do it that way, but, that's what you're doing is spreading the rubber enough to insert the strip then push along. In my case, David had one, so I borrowed his so I wasn't out any green...

    FWIW, while I was past a part-store yesterday, I noticed they had the Lisle one hanging on the board, for $17.

    More I think about it, though, you don't need the other three ends, only the one... ya know, with a pop-top opener welded into an old screwdriver, might just be able to make a nice tool that could work... hmmm...... Well, I worry about that when I cross that bridge again, if ever....
    -L

    '72 SIII SW 88"
    '60 SII 88" RHD

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