Hey Guys, Any 1930 or 1931 Model A coupe owners out there that could post some pics ( or advise on how the fitment should work )of the proper alignment of the front window and the dash cover piece. The dash and the lip on the window frame " hit " each other and when the dash rail is in I cannot close the window. I have not had the dash piece in until now so I was not aware of the issue. With out the dash the window will swing closed no problem. I can't tell if the lip on the window goes under the dash rail or over the top of it.
Is your header panel and the braces and stuff under it all original? Could you have the windshield frame up too high (if you have some homemade header parts in there)? The windshield lip is supposed to go under the dash rail. The windshield frames are the same on 28/9 and 30/1 except for the lip. Could you have the wrong year? Or maybe you have the wrong top hinge, since those are different too.
No the car's interior was non existent, and I'm piecing things together one at a time. I have my doubts if the front window / frame is the correct one for the car. But that's why I was hoping that a member could post some detailed photos. glass, frame , hinge , dash , weather strip , pillars , prop arms, ect
Goes under the dash rail. Close the window with the dash rail off and the lip on the windshield should just clear the arched piece between the windshield posts. I've seen the lip on the windshield bent and hitting the top rail of the dash. You might have a 28-29 dash rail, they have a different curve, the earlier dash has noticeable bump in the middle.
Went to the garage and took a couple of pictures, in the picture of the green pickup you can see where the lip on the windshield is in relation to the dash rail, about 1/2" below the rail. On the primered 30 sport coupe you can see the dash rail is tight on the arched piece between the pillars and the inside in is shown the other picture. I also included a picture of my 29 coupe and the windshield is taller and won't fit a 31, but don't think the dash rail would cause a problem.
The dash does not look like a model A...unless some after market one.. any modle A.the back wall of the gas tank is 9o% of the dash.then it has a small panel the covers the stock gas level indicator and an ign switch
Ok. I got some pics to show you all. Look at the dash: ( most likely a 1930/31 ) Look at the wood header: ( came with a pile of parts in the car when I got it so ?) Look at the window: ( Probably the culprit here.) The window was a swapmeet find that was tagged as a 1930/31 Ford closed car. When the window is screwed into the header the dash and window lip "hit" When the window is low enough to close nicely, the top is not even close to screwing into the header. .
And there it is. Any idea what windshield I'm working with here then? Guess who needs a new windshield?
No it's not, gas tank is cut out and has a 32 style dash welded to the top rail. The dash still mounts the same, the top rail screws to the arched piece between the windshield posts. If his windshield closes with the air flange below the arch piece putting the top rail shouldn't change anything unless it is hitting the mounting screws.
you did not state in your original post that you trying to make Chicken salad...who ever welded the 32 dash in screwed up..plain and simple...time for you to make necessary repairs to correct it all.
Difference of opinion, I welded the modified top rail to the 32 style dash and it still mounts with the same screws that held the stock top rail. My avatar is a 28 I built years ago and used the stock gas tank but did this one different. I'm building the car for me and that is what I like.
You also need the windshield header cover that wraps below then the windshield hinge screws in. Then there is seal thst goes between.
BFD???? You DO realize that "Model A Gomez" is NOT the original creator of this thread and is NOT the guy having issues with his windshield? Correct?
Not that it has any real bearing on your problem exactly; but here are a couple of pictures to help ID '28-'29 ws frame in comparison to '30-'31; and I suppose to help identify a non-Ford frame. Both the hinge and the lower lip on your parts do not look Model A, and the metal cover for the header does not seem to be there.
The OPs picture of his windshield frame does not show a clip welded along the back side of the frame to mount the weatherstrip, (see Rich's post). His frame has a slot along the outside edge. Canuck
bingo- screw holes on the FRONT of the header are incorrect model A screws up through the metal angle across the top of the windshield POSTS and up into the wood header. There are holes already in the angle to do this. You have to have the swing arms DISCONECTED and open the windshield/ hinge assembly to almost 180*. ( sometimes better with 2 people on a finished car) Once the windshield is in place and has the rubber (useless) weatherstrip on it, when it's CLOSED, it will hit the filler strip that's bolted to the GAS TANK, not the DASH RAIL. ( or "dash board", because there's only a dash "panel" in the center) terminology is confusing for sure! The dash "rail" directs air down into the car when the windshield is open.
Here's some links to details about the 30-31 headers and wood from http://www.fordgarage.com/: http://www.fordgarage.com/pages/193031headerpanels.htm http://www.fordgarage.com/pages/couperoofconstruction.htm
Thanks guys. Although the window more or less fit the car, it never seemed quite right. I have learned a lot from the posts.
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