Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

Hi All

Has anyone got any experience of fitting screens to dropheads?

My screen refuses to go in. I have converted FHC to DHC but am
confident the frame is correct in both dimension and alignment. It
is the same screen going back in a new (Susan Miller) rubber.

When offered into the aperture the screen seems to fit the hole but
with the rubber in situ it will not cooperate (

Any experiences thoughts and ideas greatly appreciated

Are they usually a pain in the .......?

John

John,

I just fitted my old windshield into a new rubber gasket on my Sprint
FHC, and, "I feel your pain!" I started with the rubber set on the
flange all around the window, then inserted the glass into the bottom
of the sill. I then worked the glass up both sides of the pilar using
half of a wooden clothespin and plastic bicycle tire levers... tools
that would break before my glass would. Once I had both pilars done,
I worked the top rubber from the inside of the car from one side of
the car to the other. Had to walk away from it several times in
frustration. Finally got it in, and then set the chrome filler strip
with my wooden clothespin "tool." It really made my day when it went
in. Slow and steady gets it done... I don't know that being a DHC
would make much of a difference in the approach. Good luck!

Gary
'71 Elan Sprint FHC


________________________________________________________________
--- In ***@***.***, "nebogipfel2004"
<nebogipfel2004@y...> wrote:>

The trick that worked for me was to flex the frame a little to help things along rather then trying to only work the rubber. With that said it still took 2 people and it was not easy. Best of luck.
----- Original Message -----
From: nebogipfel2004
To: ***@***.***
Sent: Wednesday, November 24, 2004 2:15 PM
Subject: [LotusElan.net] Fitting a S4 DHC Screen !!!!!!!!! HELLLPP!



Hi All

Has anyone got any experience of fitting screens to dropheads?

My screen refuses to go in. I have converted FHC to DHC but am
confident the frame is correct in both dimension and alignment. It
is the same screen going back in a new (Susan Miller) rubber.

When offered into the aperture the screen seems to fit the hole but
with the rubber in situ it will not cooperate (

Any experiences thoughts and ideas greatly appreciated

Are they usually a pain in the .......?

John

nebogipfel2004 wrote:

I hired a local glass shop to come to the house and install the
windscreen. It took two professionals about an hour and cost $150US for
the front and rear screen on a FHC. I did the same for a DHC last
summer and it was $100us. In my mind well worth the price.

--
Jim
www.unibrain.org

I agree with Jim - I did the same here in South Africa. Money very well
spent - and they inserted the chrome trim strip as well.
I know there are people on this list who regard getting someone else to work
on their car as being akin to having someone else sleep with the wife but
there are limits!

Jeff
66 S3 FHC - with new windscreen and trim

You mean you can pay someone to sleep with the wife?
T.

Jeff Wolfson wrote:

How is your wife doing, Jeff. Arno's friend was wondering if you needed your handbrake fixed?



-----Original Message-----
From: Jeff Wolfson [mailto:***@***.***
Sent: 2004-11-25 05:53
To: ***@***.***
Subject: RE: [LotusElan.net] Fitting a S4 DHC Screen !!!!!!!!! HELLLPP!




I agree with Jim - I did the same here in South Africa. Money very well
spent - and they inserted the chrome trim strip as well.
I know there are people on this list who regard getting someone else to work
on their car as being akin to having someone else sleep with the wife but
there are limits!

Jeff
66 S3 FHC - with new windscreen and trim

Does the S4 use the rubber two channel gasket and the chrome plastic lock strip as fitted on the S3 Coupe'? If so, I always did mine with a bottle ofliquid detergent and a length of parachute cord. Just curious.

Stan
----- Original Message -----
From: Jeff Wolfson
To: ***@***.***
Sent: Thursday, November 25, 2004 9:53 AM
Subject: RE: [LotusElan.net] Fitting a S4 DHC Screen !!!!!!!!! HELLLPP!




I agree with Jim - I did the same here in South Africa. Money very well
spent - and they inserted the chrome trim strip as well.
I know there are people on this list who regard getting someone else to work
on their car as being akin to having someone else sleep with the wife but
there are limits!

Jeff
66 S3 FHC - with new windscreen and trim

--- In ***@***.***, "Jeff Wolfson" <jeffw@i...>
wrote:



OH! come on now Jeff, I just fitted my front & rear screens after
replacing the headlining and its not too bad, you should have waited
untill I am there in Jauary and about sleeping with the
wife..........Well!!
Brian
64Elan/72Sprint/J.P.S.Europa

--- In ***@***.***, "Stan Aarhus" <saarhus@a...> wrote:

mine with a bottle of liquid detergent and a length of parachute
cord. Just curious.

Hi All,

Yes it does Stan. I have tried the rubber on the glass and pulling
it in with cord method. I have tried the rubber in the aperture and
then setting the glass in it. Two people and about 5 Hours later and
it is still not in.

I am getting to the point where I would put my leg in a sack of
rattlesnakes if I thought it would help .........at least your
replies have told me it isn't just me!

As a final thought, the problem with lots of the pro' screen fitters
around nowadays, if they can't stick the screen in with glue they
usually don't want to know
John

Here's a write up I did years ago that ended up on the
Golden Gate Lotus Club's web site.

<http://www.gglotus.org/ggtech/elan-windscreen/ELANWINDow.htm>

The ASCII art of the tool described in the article didn't
translate well when the "extra" spaces were removed from
the "article". The tool should look like:

/\
/ \
/ \
/ \
\ /
\ /
\ /
||
||
||
||
||
||

Tim Mullen

72 Elan Sprint DHC
Chantilly, VA



-----Original Message-----
From: nebogipfel2004 [mailto:***@***.***
Sent: Wednesday, November 24, 2004 2:16 PM
To: ***@***.***
Subject: [LotusElan.net] Fitting a S4 DHC Screen !!!!!!!!! HELLLPP!




Hi All

Has anyone got any experience of fitting screens to dropheads?

My screen refuses to go in. I have converted FHC to DHC but am
confident the frame is correct in both dimension and alignment. It
is the same screen going back in a new (Susan Miller) rubber.

When offered into the aperture the screen seems to fit the hole but
with the rubber in situ it will not cooperate (

Any experiences thoughts and ideas greatly appreciated

Are they usually a pain in the .......?

John

Has anybody found a source for the tool that the Lotus manual shows for
installing the windshield? I'll be up against the task soon, also.


At 09:36 AM 11/25/2004, you wrote:

Anybody's wife need some lessons????


How is your wife doing, Jeff. Arno's friend was wondering if you needed
your handbrake fixed?






I agree with Jim - I did the same here in South Africa. Money very well
spent - and they inserted the chrome trim strip as well.
I know there are people on this list who regard getting someone else to work
on their car as being akin to having someone else sleep with the wife but
there are limits!

Jeff
66 S3 FHC - with new windscreen and trim

I only have one comment to add....
Lots and lots of soapy water - 15% liquid dishwashing detergent solution -
to lubricate the screen and screen rubber
This makes it a cinch
Arno
The trick that worked for me was to flex the frame a little to help things
along rather then trying to only work the rubber. With that said it still
took 2 people and it was not easy. Best of luck.
----- Original Message -----
From: nebogipfel2004
To: ***@***.***
Sent: Wednesday, November 24, 2004 2:15 PM
Subject: [LotusElan.net] Fitting a S4 DHC Screen !!!!!!!!! HELLLPP!



Hi All

Has anyone got any experience of fitting screens to dropheads?

My screen refuses to go in. I have converted FHC to DHC but am
confident the frame is correct in both dimension and alignment. It
is the same screen going back in a new (Susan Miller) rubber.

When offered into the aperture the screen seems to fit the hole but
with the rubber in situ it will not cooperate (

Any experiences thoughts and ideas greatly appreciated

Are they usually a pain in the .......?

John

Arno,
Do you lubricate the wives too?

Pete
----- Original Message -----
From: Arno Church
To: ***@***.***
Sent: Thursday, November 25, 2004 6:44 PM
Subject: RE: [LotusElan.net] Fitting a S4 DHC Screen !!!!!!!!! HELLLPP!


I only have one comment to add....
Lots and lots of soapy water - 15% liquid dishwashing detergent solution -
to lubricate the screen and screen rubber
This makes it a cinch
Arno
The trick that worked for me was to flex the frame a little to help things
along rather then trying to only work the rubber. With that said it still
took 2 people and it was not easy. Best of luck.
----- Original Message -----
From: nebogipfel2004
To: ***@***.***
Sent: Wednesday, November 24, 2004 2:15 PM
Subject: [LotusElan.net] Fitting a S4 DHC Screen !!!!!!!!! HELLLPP!



Hi All

Has anyone got any experience of fitting screens to dropheads?

My screen refuses to go in. I have converted FHC to DHC but am
confident the frame is correct in both dimension and alignment. It
is the same screen going back in a new (Susan Miller) rubber.

When offered into the aperture the screen seems to fit the hole but
with the rubber in situ it will not cooperate (

Any experiences thoughts and ideas greatly appreciated

Are they usually a pain in the .......?

John