Triumph Spitfire Mk3 doorglass and lifting channel

[Joachim Moeller]

Hi all,

while dismantling my Spitfire Mk3 doors I was able to pull the doorglasses easily out as they had disintegrated from the lifting channesl. Now I have cleaned the channels and got a pair of new fixing rubbers but  I cant get the glass in the channels (I don't want to break the glass with to much force).

Now is there an alternative to the rubbers method that would fitting the glass in the channel make easier?

Cheers Joachim

[PeterH]

Don't know if this will help, but on my Mini the rear quarterlights fit into a chrome frame by means of a rubber strip, very similar to the lifting channel, and like you I couldn't get it to fit.

Advice from the Mini forum was to forget the rubber and use a sealer /  adhesive intended for modern windscreens e.g. Sikaflex 221. I got an equiverlent from my local car body supply company.

Peter

 

[Joachim Moeller]

That's what I thought might be the way to go. I just wondered whether someone has done this before and can recomend -well- glueing the window in the channel. TZhank you for your help Peter.

Cheers Joachim

[NonMember]

I had a loose drop glass on the driver's side of my Spitfire. I left the original slightly shrunken rubber in but added a bit of sealer to hold the glass. That seems to have worked fine but I'm not sure how well it would work with no rubber at all.

[Pete Lewis]

On production the glass would sit in a wooden felt lined frame, a long handled over centre lever would cam the slide and rubber onto the glass, ,  it takes a good load to get them to fit.  

The glass is toughend and will take a lot of abuse but nothing sharp 

Sikaflex  sounds a good plan as a diy repair

Pete

[thescrapman]

I have fitted new rubbers (strips of cut up inner tube) and then used a rubber mallet to hammmer the metal strip back on.

[Joachim Moeller]

Thanks for all your help. I've ordered some Sikaflex and will give it a try.

Cheers Joachim

[Joachim Moeller]

Fixed the windows in the channels with the use of Sikaflex and it worked very good. The bond is still curing but I expect it to be strong enough for several years of winding the windows up and down.

Cheers Joachim

[Adrian]

A bit late I’m afraid but I tournaquade mine into place very successfully using the proper rubber. I did post it a couple of years ago on here.