Windscreen brackets, simple to make

[fletcherson]

Only guys who do this stuff get why someone would make or modify a part rather than buy one. I appreciate your workmanship!

 

[Hackerbilt]

Really nice work there!
I was looking for some info on making posts/raising the windshield frame slightly and found this little gem.
Very helpful.

 

[iajjpop]

I like them. Look very nice....

 

[Gerry]

On to the flat bars at the back of the bracket. As mentioned, I don't want the normal tie bars from the screen to the HLight mounts, so I had to think of a way of reinforcing the bracket against the air pressure. Not sure yet if it will all work out, once the glass is in, but hey, you gotta try these things.

I wanted to transfer the force into the body, but still allow the screen to be removed once the interior was in place. As always a few sketches of what I had in mind was the first step.

I welded a 'drop arm' to the flat bar from the bracket, which was bent to follow the shape of the body and bring it into contact with the side. Once that was tacked into place I needed to captivate it. Pic below shows the drop arm



it was now just a case of making up a framework to contain the arm but leave if unattached for removable.





As you can see there is a tab on the bottom to stop the arm from flipping out.

Just the final bit to do by glassing all over the frame work. The joint between the flat bar and the screen bracket now has a triangular block in the corner to pass the forces down.






Oh and the final bit to add is that the bottom run of the frame itself is bolted up through the body and bracket.
G

 

[Hackerbilt]

My car has doors, suicide at the moment, but will need stronger front door posts to allow the changeover to regular hinge mounting.
In my case I can plate the inner area where the windshield bracket bolts normally come thru and then weld that directly to the new steel post.
Just another way to skin a well skinned cat! LoL

 

[volksnut]

Gerry, I copied your idea on mine a while back, worked like a champ

 

[Gerry]

You did a good job with those guys. Happy I could help

 

[butch27]

Dang: we are a clever bunch.

 

[TheYeti]

I had a brass plated original style screen but no brackets and couldn't find any I liked, so decided to make them from scratch. These were not difficult at all and only needed some hand tools, a welder and a few pieces (off cuts) of mild steel. (You might need a lathe or a friend with one)

If you have a welder, grinder, hacksaw and some files in your workshop then with a bit of elbow grease and time you can make your own custom brackets. If I remember the width of the screen and the body are so different I would have needed to mod any that I bought.

As you will see from the pics I took a little bit of a different approach to the brackets and their resulting support structure in the hope I would do away with the rod ties to the front light stands. For some reason I have always thought the tie rods distracted from the look of the engine and seemed to 'unbalance' the overall proportions of the T. Course its only my personal preference.

From the onset I decided that the brackets should be an integrated part of the body and dash, so with that in mind I drew out some ideas. The one that hit home was to carry the bracket into the dash and then make the dash around it.

Started out with 2 bits of 1/4 MS plate for two reasons. I wanted it to look right and I knew that a lot of grinding, filing and sanding would reduce the thickness anyway.

I drew a line on the body the same shape as the bracket I wanted and transferred it to the steel plate, then cut them out. Using heat (could be cold bent, and I did cold bend them for the final fit) curved them to fit the body contour as close as I could. Using my faithful power file I 'sculpted' the inside of each bracket to get a reasonable fit.

Then to the dash parts, I used 1/8th plate for the bits that would run along the dash and once again transferred the profile from a pencil drawing, cutting them out with a hacksaw and file. I taped the parts to the body and tacked them together before moving them to the bench and fully welding inside and out .









G

Gerry could you upload these photos again. It just shows image unavailable.

I need to make brackets for mine and looking for ideas.

 

[Gerry]

Here are the bones of the pics I put up.

 

[Gerry]

 

[Gerry]

Pics don't do justice to the PC brass finish. Look like rear brass thats been lacquered.

 

[choppinczech]

Gerry, how do you build up the filler metal? MIG welder? And sculpt the shape as you go?

 

[old round fart]

Is the frame welded to the brackets? Very nice. I like the little steps on the dash surface.

 

[Gerry]

Gerry, how do you build up the filler metal? MIG welder? And sculpt the shape as you go?

Exactly right. Too big a gap use a little bit of metal and MIG the crap out of it. Grind, weld grind weld grind weld. No real problems with heat on this application so no need to normalise and re temper.

I enjoy getting things from nothing to a finished piece using just time and effort. Bit like you and your excellent Glass work.

 

[Gerry]

Is the frame welded to the brackets? Very nice. I like the little steps on the dash surface.

ORF.

No. Its a push fit in to the half round parts, but does have a bolt up through it into the frame. You can make it out in this picture. The bolt goes through the body and has a loctite nut put on from inside the cowl. Not an easy job. I have ringed the bolt in red.

 

[old round fart]

Nice Gerry. Very well thought out and executed. Color me impressed.