Windshield won't fit ????

[retired & glad]

I've had a AMT 1957 Chevy Stepside truck on my started kit shelf for a good while. When I was working on it, I got a lot of body parts and frame, motor and running gear painted and made. I didn't dry fit anything since it was going together pretty good. The body is primed and I thought about checking the windshield fit and dang-it, it won't fit at all. It is too small width and height. It just falls in and out with no proper fit. I need a few suggestions on what to do to get it to fit. I thought about chopping the top a little but that won't cure the width problem. Maybe I could chop and heat the windshield and spread the curved part out. ?????  The kit was looking good until this came up.

HELP PLEASE

Thanks

Richard

[MrObsessive]

Richard, one thing that might help is to possibly (and carefully) build up some kind of "border" for the glass to rest on. When I make windshields for my models, that's basically what I do-------give the glass some kind of positive location for the glass to rest on, or fit into. 

Here's a pic of Johan's Chrysler Turbine Car I was building years ago. The glass was so scratchy and distorted that there was no way I wanted to use it. I ended up using clear stencil sheet and I reinforced the pillars to hold the glass.

Since your glass is already molded, you can move your strips of plastic closer to the edges of your A pillars. Of course, they don't have to be as thick as what I used here (.040" half round), and you could perhaps paint them to represent weatherstripping.

Hope this helps..........I have this kit and yes, the glass does seem like it's too small for the opening. That was one of the brainstorms I thought of if I ever had to build it-------or simply toss the kit glass and make my own.

[retired & glad]

Thanks Bill. I had thought about doing that but didn't know if it would look right. I really enjoyed building this kit but when it came to that part, well, it went on the shelf until I could find a cure.

Thanks a bunch and hope the New Year is a good one for you.

Richard

[vintagercr]

Bill, thanks for sharing the tip.

[Longbox55]

The problem really isn't the windshield, its the opening in the cab, which is too tall and incorrectly shaped. On the 1:1, the glass does not fit flush to the opening. How it fits in the kit is pretty close on the sides, as the glass does sit inboard of the A pillar. At the top, though, there really should be a header panel with a slight downward angle to it that meets the glass at the top. The top of the glass sits approximately 3" back from the edge of the roof.

Edited December 30, 2015 by Longbox55

[MrObsessive]

Ahhhh, so I was partially there with my suggestion! Make your border pretty much as the pic that Bill posted.  That's the first I've seen that up close, and that's a very good reference shot! 

[retired & glad]

Thanks Bill and Bill. That's the way I'll go. I'll find the right size rods or angle stock and foil it like the photo. I knew there was a very good way of making it work. This forum is great for answers on a problem.

Thanks

Richard

[MeatMan]

Great stuff guys!

[zenrat]

I made the hole smaller with styrene rod.

Not prototypically correct but it stopped the "glass" falling through.

[retired & glad]

I made the hole smaller with styrene rod.

Not prototypically correct but it stopped the "glass" falling through.

Great job on this truck. I am going today and get some rods and work on mine again. I am glad I am not the only one with this problem. I thought my kit was the only one that had a bad windshield. 

Thanks for posting this and showing what needs to be done to correct the fit.

Richard