Anyone wanna contribute some step-by-step instructions for a home-built a hot-rod (flat-glass roadster) windshield frame?? I (for one) would really appreciate it!!!!
Yhea there's a good tech-o-matic post on a DIY 'V-style' windshield for a hotrod, but I already have 2"chopped roadster posts and simply want to make a frame and have a piece of glass cut for it. If noone's got how-to pics, just give us the run-down on what to do. Or at least what to start with. Channel?? Round Tubing??? What's the best way to make the bend on the lower piece???
You can make a 32 style roadster windshield frame with 1/2 x 1" x .060 rectangular tubing. (Model A frames are round tubing.) There are two types of 1/2 x 1" rect tubing, one with very square corners and one with rounded corners. I understand the square corners stuff is for construction and the round corners for decorative. Regardless, use the round corner stuff if you can. Know anyone who does wrought iron? Most times they have a roller bender that will put a nice curve in rect tubing for wrought iron work. Take the cowl piece off and use it to gauge the curve as you bend. (On the 30-31's anyway, not sure about the 28-29's, you may have to have the car there for that - or knock out a pattern.) The lower windshield corners of the A's don't have the additional curve to them that the 32 does. It's a straight down shot for the vertical pieces that meet the bent bottom part of the frame. After the bottom piece is bent to shape, cut it to length and angle for the vertical pieces. Cut out a top piece as well. Clamp the pieces in a mill and mill out a suitable sized groove for the glass + the glass tape - rubber stuff - to sit in. Said groove on the 1/2" side. The curved piece will have to be laid on it's side in a vertical mill like most shops have. Be aware the rect tubing may open up a bit after the groove is cut. Simply clamp it in a vise to bring the sides back to parallel. Cut your vertical piece and lower piece side angles very carefully and tack together. Cut the angles for the top bar. Make up a couple of "L's" out of say, 1/4" wide by 3/32" or 1/8", maybe 1 1/2" long, drill and tap for 10-32. Drill the top bar to match, countersink the holes. Do a rosette weld in a couple of places on each "L" to pull the top bar down to the vertical side pieces. Remember to weld in a piece for the windshield studs for mounting. As well as drill and tap for mirrors and/or windwings. Finish weld. Chrome plate or paint, take it to a glass shop. Take a real close look at a 32 windshield and you'll see what I mean. The 32's do have a groove on the bottom for the weatherstrip rubber, but you can glue weatherstrip to the bottom side for the cowl/frame juncture.
Plenty of good info in C9's post (as usual). If you want to do it all at home, the lower piece has a large enough radius that you should be able to bend it over a wooden former. Get some 1/2" plywood and shape it to match the cowl (it will probably need a bit more curve than the cowl to allow for it to spring back). Either clamp or screw some wood to the sides to stop the tubing from slipping off, then clamp the tubing to one end and bend over the form. If you use a piece of tube longer than you need, it will be easier to bend. If it springs back too much, add more curve to the form and repeat.
NOW WE'RE TALKING!! Thanks C9 for taking the time to reply. I don't have access to any milling equipment, so I wonder if I couldn't carefully cut the glass groove with a cut-off or grinding wheel?? I'm a little lost on the function of the "L's", but this is more than enough to start with. Thanks.
The frame has to have the top bar removable for glass installation or replacement. The "L's" are how you clamp the top bar to the vertical pieces. They are rosette welded from the outside and remain on the inside. Look at the top of any commercially made 32 roadster windshield frame and you'll see two flathead slotted screws holding the top bar down. Phillips stainless are better, use Neverseize on them. I see no reason why you couldn't cut the groove out with a cutoff wheel and die-grinder. Gonna take some patience, but a guy's gotta do what a guy's gotta do. Unless you're a girl....
I made the frame for my deuce roadster.I bought some 304 grade stainless steel rectangular bar and had my machinist mill a groove for the glass in one side and a groove for the weather strip in the other and one length with just the glass groove and plain on the other side.I borrowed a repro screen frame from a mate of mine and drew it out onto a board for a pattern.I fastened it in the vive and gently pulled it round to shape and trial fitted it against the pattern, a couple of tweeks and it was a perfect match.Next it was just a case of mitreing the corners and making the sids and top piece.I drilled through the top sides and tapped a thread into the top piece and fitted caphead scews into these and fastened it together.The mounting studs were fitted in a similar way by drilling and tapping the sides. The bottom corners were tigged and the welds smoothed.The lower edges of the side pieces were ground to shape to fit in the screen posts like the original.I then introduced a rounded edge onto the inside edge of the frame and got the whole thing polished.I glued the weather strip into the lower groove and fitted the glass into the groove and bedded it in black silicone then wiped it off with panel wipe to leave a nice clean finish. The whole thing including polishing cost £120($180)and took no time at all.I`ve since drilled and tapped two holes and fitted the interior mirror to the top piece.The beauty of stainless....it won`t rust and it cost me less than the inferior after market frame even before adding the cost of chroming.I hope it helps. all the best, Nige Stephenson.
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