Slant Window Leaks

I just returned from a trip in the 31 Slant Window (160B) and we were in a heavy rainfall - I had not been before in this car.

Water cascaded down the inside of the windshield, over the dash, soaked the carpet and my jeans from the knees down (headliner did not seem to be wet).

Actually, I thought I had pretty well sealed up the car - no way! Don't know where the source of the leaks are - can't pin it down.

This is a critical situation because i found out that the car is not drivable in the rain - if you get caught in the rain you're done. That much is coming in

ANY help as to your experience with resolving these water issues would be GREATLY appreciated.

Thanks everybody.....

John S
 
The first place to look is the rubber seal between the windshield hinge and the wood header. The second place is the seal around the windshield between the glass and the frame.

I sealed my S/W where the rubber gasket goes between the hinge and the wood header. I also sealed around the window at the edge of the frame and the glass. I used a product called big Stretch®. I used a wet sponge to wipe down the seam after putting down a seam of caulk. Soap and water cleanup.
I used black along the gasket and clear around the window it is 100 % acrylic latex, high-performance caulk with powerful adhesion and elasticity.


Available in 13 colors

I purchased mine at an Ace Hardware store and have used the Black and the clear. Great stuff.

http://www.sashco.com/hi/bigstretch.html
 
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I think I read in the service bulletins it was recommended practice to insert "dum dum" behind the windshield hinge pivot gap. Dum Dum was sometimes used inside doors etc for sound deadning. Kind of a heavy asphalt consistancy.

RV supply stores sell something like that backed by paper tape but it is lighter consistancy than dum dum

Richard
Anaheim CA
 
Make sure you have the correct seal along the top. Slant window cars require a different one from others. I think Bratton's is the only one that carries it.
 
The first place to look is the rubber seal between the windshield hinge and the wood header. The second place is the seal around the windshield between the glass and the frame.

I sealed my S/W where the rubber gasket goes between the hinge and the wood header. I also sealed around the window at the edge of the frame and the glass. I used a product called big Stretch®. I used a wet sponge to wipe down the seam after putting down a seam of caulk. Soap and water cleanup.
I used black along the gasket and clear around the window it is 100 % acrylic latex, high-performance caulk with powerful adhesion and elasticity.


Available in 13 colors

I purchased mine at an Ace Hardware store and have used the Black and the clear. Great stuff.

[URL]http://www.sashco.com/hi/bigstretch.html[/URL]

I need to add that I had the front window out and replaced the rubber gasket with the correct one for the S/W between the window frame hinge and the header, I used dum dum and had the front glass replaced. When it was all done I still had minor leaks around the rubber gasket at the header and some moisture leaking around the seal around the new front windshield glass. Then I resorted to the Big Stretch.

see photo below. I sealed around the top and bottom edge of the rubber gasket

picture.php
 
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Every slant window I've ever seen in the rain has leaked. That includes vicky's and a400's. What a lot of people around here do is carry a role of black duck tape and if it starts raining, they just put it around the front window to seal it up.
 
Every slant window I've ever seen in the rain has leaked. That includes vicky's and a400's. What a lot of people around here do is carry a role of black duck tape and if it starts raining, they just put it around the front window to seal it up.


I was able to cure all my leaks using the method stated in my previous post. Also I have an original top and was able to seal it with some original Dupont Top dressing.
 
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