Hi all, i'm a new member from New Zealand. I own a 1975 convertible which I have restored and used over the last 11 years. I have replaced the windshield twice so far and I'm due to fit the third one tomorrow. As a lot of you will be aware, on the top of the windshield frame, under the stainless header moulding,is a large open cavity. When I originally stripped this out,it was full of sponge foam which appeared to be soaked with some type of rust preventative/bituman product. I replaced this with RTV which surprisingly didn't stop the rain getting in around the mirror. I thought that this time I would do what they did on the production line...... if I can find out what they did. Does anybody know if the foam was standard ..... and what they used to coat it with...or the equivalent today.. Thank you all in advance for any advise you may have

From your description, it sounds like your windshield frame is rusted away.  There shouldn't be any foam or filler, just hard metal painted black.  If I am misunderstanding your description, and the frame is solid, a normal winshield installation kit should seal.

Larry

The rear glass has a butyl rubber/urethane impregnated rope seal, but as far as I know, the front glass(windshield) doesn't use anything like that. It should be bonded directly to the metal framework, as the glass is a structural member...
I kinda agree with Larry's thought...the header must be rusted, and someone has tried to "fill in the gap" with something.
Can you get a photo of the area, perhaps? That would help a great deal.


Welcome to C3VR, also!!

The windshield installation kit is simply a rope of the correct compound in the correct diameter.  It does bond the glass to the frame, but provides the proper spacing and vibration absorption. 

Larry

Thanx, Larry! I've never had the front glass out of one, so I wasn't sure what was there. So it's basically the same set-up as the rear glass, eh? Rope seal/spacer, and urethane sealant?

It's actually a strip of butyl rubber adhesive.  It cushions and fills the space, but there is no foam, or should not be any foam.  They are sealed and installed, but they are not bonded per say.

Thank you to all you guys that replied I received my AIM in the mail and it does show a detail of that area with a notation saying "28 in sealer". More investigation showed they used a strip  of open cell foam in the forward edge of the w/shield frame (inside) to (I guess) stop any moisture from going further back. My plan of attack is to coat the foam with rust preventative oil and put it in. My car has always been in the San Diego area (good or bad?) and the only rust I've ever found has been just surface. The w/s frame is in ex condition and I think now that the foam was original. Anyway,,thanks again and I'll be keeping an eye on the forum and I hope I can help any of you out there.

Yay !   Another Kiwi on C3VR...   welcome, it's a great place, you'll have a lotta fun here. I'm in New Plymouth, but frequently come past your way en-route to Tauranga or Coromandel. Even took the vette once, those nice long straights out the back of Morrinsville are just made for great cruising !!   Chris