Morris Minor Owners Club

I am finishing off the restoration of SMM-25604, Sept.49 and have hit the 'early windscreen rubber' wall. I have searched pretty thoroughly but can find no posts since philclem in 2006 who had solved it with 2 rubbers glued together. I am hoping in the 15 years since that others have had this problem and someone has developed a 'work-around'?

I am talking about the style that was used until maybe October 49 where a chrome surround was put in place around the windscreen aperture, before the seal was put in place. I have all the bits, but my seal was like concrete after 41 years of storage and I have no clue as to how it was meant to look as original. Is there a 'cross-section' of how the various components look when in place? My manual has one, but only of the later style. I know the current rubbers not correct. and am keen to get the wind-screen back in and looking correct.

Hope some one can help!

Chris in Tasmania

Hello Chris,
this is Paul Follett, ex-patriot Aussie now living in Yuma, Arizona, U.S.A. I have just completed a 3 year restoration of my '52 Series MM. I have a few contacts who are working on the earlier model with the different windscreen rubber/seal that you are asking about and so I have reached out to them for advice. At the moment I have one reply from a gentleman in Melbourne, Victoria who suggests a good starting point would be https://www.oldrubber.com.au I have visited the site and the on-line catalogue is quite impressive, page 6 would seem to be reflective of what you are looking for and of course you can call or email them about your specific situation. Hope this helps and I will be in touch if someone comes up with further information.
Regards,
Paul Follett manlyvaleaussie

Thanks Paul, I have seen your posts over the years and thanks for helping, I have used the old auto rubber company many a time oldautorubber.com, 218.079 would seem to be closest perhaps, my problem is that I am not quite sure what I am looking for as I had no remnant seal! Thanks for keeping your ear to the ground.

Cheers, Chris

Old Auto Rubber will not be able to help, despite what their catalogue says. The early rubber was remade in a small length a few years ago by an MMOC member but that has all been accounted for unfortunately.

Scott wrote: ↑Tue Aug 10, 2021 8:58 am Old Auto Rubber will not be able to help, despite what their catalogue says. The early rubber was remade in a small length a few years ago by an MMOC member but that has all been accounted for unfortunately.

Scott, the member you are talking about saw this post, Frank McDonagh and sent this reply

" Early windscreen rubbers " again and scot got involved today - did you want to reply and say you have spoken to the chap Scott refers to and that Frank said he had the tooling made in 2008 the die number in storage is number 3684 tooled for 5 mm glass 6mm will not work and that when he went for glass the only auto flat laminated glass available in 5mm came from a Fiat panda first generation 1980-2003 cut to size is held at Hills rubber in Reading . Hills rubber are on the internet but do not do emails and that it is now a one man band he only works 9-3 mon to thur

Hope this helps

Frank has sent this photo of the profile, he had 50m made back in 2008 but this is now all gone

Thanks David and Scott for getting involved. That photo of the repro. rubber section is valuable, but, call me thick, is there meant to be another rubber section as well? what does the metal retaining frame that you see from the inside of the car bear onto? As I said, my old seal was doing an impression of a concrete block, but there was certainly rubber to be found under that frame ( and a brown vinyl/cloth wing-piping-like piece of fabric between it and the dash).

Has anybody ever drawn a cross section of the windscreen installation? I would love to see it.

On another topic, I read in Ray Newell's 'Original Minors" that all the early Tourers had beige hoods and window frames. I would like to reproduce this. Don Hoods (UK) do a beige Mohair roof, is that the fabric of choice for most restorers? My Heritage Certificate notes no colour recorded, so I am assume it was beige as a default.

Cheers,

Chris

Chris check your private messages please

David Mc and Manly Vale Aussie, I'm hoping have sent you both a PM! Cheers Chris