Windshield Mounts

So I bought a project t-bucket car a few months back. I have no idea who made the body. I bought short windshield mounts from Speedway and they don't even come close to fitting the body. Are there other mounts from another supplier? I don't want to have to do a bunch of alteration to the body just to mount these posts. IF it helps, the dash has a clove box and radio mount on the passenger side.

 

Welcome, Dan! Of course, pictures would help, but I'm afraid that even identifying your body won't help with those windshield posts. Most guys spend some time using bondo and fiberglass to build up the corner area where they mount. I didn't bother with that on mine, but made sure I have a good secure mount with bolts through the body and a steel plate on the inside.

 

Here's how I do mine. Takes me a couple of hours and are very solid. I use mold release on the post. I grind the post to get best fit first.

 

Certainly, not the first time for comments regarding the Speedway posts. A number of people have been critical of the fit, or lack of.

 

Thanks for the pictures Jet. Looks like I will need to fill in the void with kitty hair like you did. Did you fill the bracket with the kitty hair and then stick/tape it to the body to fill the void? Or did you just build it up and sand it down to fit?

 

No tape. I work both post's for best fit then bolt them in place along with the frame. That way everything is square and fits correctly. Then I do one post at a time taping around the outside with it bolted in place to help with the mess of any filler that might ooze out. I also tape the post to keep cleanup to a minimum but lacquer thinner will remove any that might get on them. I spray the post liberally with mold release, fill post with a liberal amount of filler and bolt in place. When filler gets sticky and not fully cured I pop the post loose and do any cleanup that might need it. I do each post in 2 to 3 steps until satisfied. Once done the post is a perfect fit and becomes a part of the body rather than simply a bolted on part. It helps cut down on windshield vibration as well because the posts are solidly mounted. WORD OF CAUTION : the posts are tricky to get off and on. And this is why I do them in 2 or 3 steps. You will need to clean the mount holes in the body of any extra oozed out filler and massage them a bit. Once done the post's will go on & off easier while holding your mouth right. I find tipping them out slightly at the top and then rolling them aft works best. And because they are an exact fit of the post they can not be painted. Also remember to reapply fresh mold release on each application and you can use lacquer thinner to chemically sand them before they fully cure. Here to help if you need more clarification.

I've used several different brands of posts in the past and none have ever been great. The way I do them is probably a little over the top but they are hell for stout.

 

So you basically mount the bracket doing some minor fitting and then fill the void with the kitty hair in 2 or 3 batches. This will make a solid exact mount for the bracket to the body. Sounds easy enough.

 

Correct. Easy peasy.

 

Couple of things , I used some old paste floor wax as s release agent , the tinfoil tape used for HVAC work will not stick to bondo/ resin as well as clear packing tape and shrink wrap ......instead of using your windshield. frame , cut a piece of 3/4" ply to take its place , it needs to be flat . You can run deck screws into the wood to hold the posts in place ....
As an addendum , I made the top of the dash straight/ flat before starting on the posts.....

 

So I have another issue I found when I went home for lunch. My posts are going to about 36" to the inside measurement. I notice that most frames are 39-5/8" or 40-1/8". Are these inside or outside dimensions of the frame? Looks like I will need a custom frame.

 

If you don't have a frame yet , CCR has frame material ( aluminum extrusion) that you can make any size you like ....

 

39 5/8 inside to inside is what a Speedway body uses. If you have the dimension at the bottom but not the top then obviously they are rolled out at the top and need to be brought in. A custom frame would be out of the norm unless something is really out of whack. Sounds like to me your post's may be too low on the cowl. Is that possible ?

 

The nice thing about having the proper frame on hand is it helps locate post height. It also alows you to get them vertically true to the frame as well as side to side.

 

Just another possible option, you don't need a windshield frame if you use 3/4 inch Lexan. Just measure
between the posts and have a plastic shop cut to order.

 

Indy , what is the " angle iron " visible behind your headlight cup ?
Sorry for the hijack ....,

 

That's my front engine mount.

 

Looks like a Chevy small block. Are you using the early style mounting holes on the front of the block like a 55-57 style?

 

Are you using a mid-plate ??.......

 

Yes it's the Dart SHP version of the SBC. Yes it mounts to the front of the block in four places.