1931 Cabriolet Windshield Frame

E

Ed in Maine

Well-known member
At the bottom of the windshield frame there is a wind baffle that goes under the dash when the windshield is closed. I had to remove this to repair a very rusty frame. Now I can't remember if the rolled edge on the outside of the wind baffle faces up or down. I don't want to get this thing on backwards. This feature is the same on most Model As. Thank you, Ed
 
Ed,

Are you intending on reusing this frame on your cabriolet?

It is not recommended that you replate an original frame as they tend to rust through much faster then you would hope. Since the cost of replating the frame is sooo much money it is not worth the risk.
There is great value in seeking out a very nice rust free slant window bottom and using the original top (or transfering the wiper mount). Also, I highly recommend, getting the Bouncy reproduction frame plated ready to go (I do not often recommend a repro part).

None are cheap options, but the 68c is not a cheap car to restore.

If someone does not beat me to it, I can answer your question when I get home tonight. I am pretty sure the roll goes down.
 
My 68C windshield was rechromed 42 yrs ago by the previous owner. It still looks perfect (the car did set for over 30 yrs. in a heated garage & wasn't used). On the other hand my 35 Ford 5W cp. windshield was replaced by the previous owner because it rusted badly after a new plating job. I think it depends on the plater. I have also talked with a guy that invested well over $1000 into restoring a 68C windshield and was not happy.
 
Thank you everyone for your answers. I will get back to later with pictures of what I am doing, that is if I am successful. Thanks, Ed
 
Kevin in NJ said:
Ed,

Are you intending on reusing this frame on your cabriolet?

It is not recommended that you replate an original frame as they tend to rust through much faster then you would hope. Since the cost of replating the frame is sooo much money it is not worth the risk.
There is great value in seeking out a very nice rust free slant window bottom and using the original top (or transfering the wiper mount). Also, I highly recommend, getting the Bouncy reproduction frame plated ready to go (I do not often recommend a repro part).

None are cheap options, but the 68c is not a cheap car to restore.

If someone does not beat me to it, I can answer your question when I get home tonight. I am pretty sure the roll goes down.
Click to expand...

Kevin, can you explain more about why the frame plating will not last long ? Does this also go for the 68B ? Could you give contact details for those who are manufacturing the good repro frame ? Is the company named "Bouncy" ? Do they also make frames for 68Bs ?
 
The problem lies when the acid doesn't get rinsed from the hollow portion between the two surfaces. When I got my 35 Ford I got the orig w/s that had been replaced. It had been replated & rusted from the inside out. The rust swelled up & caused the glass to crack in several spots. I saw a very expensise 400A for sale that had blisters on the chrome w/s frame where it was rusting from the inside. If the acid gets neutralized OK then it s/b OK. If I were doing a car now that needed a chrome w/s I would probably buy one from Gene Bunce.
 
I plated the w/s frame in my 400A about 15 years ago and it looks like new today. Prior to plating I drilled small drain holes in the channel where the rubber gasket sits and instructed the plater to thoroughly rinse the inside of the frame after plating. When I got it home, I flushed it again with a baking soda solution, completely dried it and flowed POR 15 over all of the inside surfaces. This process seemed to work fine although it was time consuming. Also I started off with a mint original frame which certainly helped.
 
I am pleased with my Gene Bunce repro frame on my 68C which I have now had maybe four years and it looks real good.
I have not heard complaints about it.
Give Gene my regards along with Kevin and Joop's.
Once Gene stops making them, I would think there will be NO REPRO 68C chrome windshields forever.
 
The original frames were dipped in acid to plate them. Depending on where they lived they have been rusting from the inside out. You can not see what you have inside. So if you are lucky to have a windshield from a good climate then the rust will be minimal.

Once it gets plated you risk disturbing the inside and adding new stuff to help more corrosion. Ya, it can be sort of neutralized, but it is tough to really get stuff inside to and ensure you are fully neutralized. Then there is the plating quality. I believe the plating is not properly done more often then we would know. For average parts you are pretty safe. BUT one minor pinhole to the back side of the plating and you have trouble brewing.

I have talked to a lot of cabriolet guys. Quite a number of guys told me they had plating failures or knew of plating failures from behind on the frames. So you have to do the math. I believe they get around $900 to plate a frame. So is it worth risking redoing the original when for a couple of hundred bucks you can get an excellent frame from a regular car as insurance?

Then there is Bouncy's frame.

I did a direct compare to my original frame. It was a perfect match dimensionally (I only have the slant window frame).
What is different is the mount point for the swing arm which is the repro item. The edge of the frame is slightly different and was only noticed cause I had the two frames on top of each other. Once mounted in the car only a handful of guys could tell you have a repro.

For the 68C/400A guys the wiper mount is the repro one so it is a bit thinner metal. For those who need spot on I would bet Gene could work with you on using original parts.

I do not know how he managed it, but Gene has one of the best repro products on the market. That was not an easy part to make.
 
"I do not know how he managed it, but Gene has one of the best repro products on the market. That was not an easy part to make"

He did it by collecting and comparing original windshields and have master craftsmen do the work in the US.

I know him well and was a contributor.
 
Well let me expand on How he managed to do it statement. I really was commenting on actually making the tooling that could do the job right.

I have been fortunate to meet Gene and have been very impressed with the person behind the product.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top