Windshield location

Here is a shot of McQueen’s car I took at the Peterson last year. 

The windshield frame base needs to be approx. 1/2" rearward of the wiper shaft bump outs on the cowl and farther back and you have no room under the cowl to slide the 3/4" spacer and washers . Too close to the bump outs and the spring on the wiper arm will hit the rubber.

Ahh. I see. The originals had a special box and tube structure welded in that the posts just dropped into. Sounds like moving it back causes issues on multiple fronts. 

@PaulEnvemo, tell us more about what you are contemplating.

Actually what I’m pondering is not a speedster but a roadster and trying to determine how to address the cowl and windshield post area as I will likely use a speedster kit as the base.  I have all original roadster parts-  top frame from a t-5, windshield posts and frame. Also have a source for fiberglass roadster doors. 

@PaulEnvemo

Paul, as an additional bit of info, a majority of Speedster replica bodies are from the same mold with the wiper shaft bump-outs located as @Alan Merklin mentioned resulting in the gap between the position of the windshield post and top of door. See pic below. Click on pics to enlarge.

Intermeccanica positions their windshield posts closer to the door gap to accommodate a rubber strip for their roll-up window option. See pics below.

Hope you find this info  helpful! 

Yes. Definitely helpful. If I have to shave the wiper bumps/ move them back a little it shouldn’t be too difficult. Concern is where the posts go into the cowl. A redesign there that somewhat mimics the way it was done originally with a permanent tube for the post molded in rather than the spacer tube and washer is something I’m thinking of.  I have several original roadster windshield posts to experiment with. One set has been modified to accept a threaded rod. Plus I have original with the cast in threaded tube. We’ll see. 

Years ago BarryH (NC) sent me a drawing of what he had done to add roll up windows.  He sourced OEM Cabriolet parts ($$$$).  I don't see him on SOC any longer so here's what he sent me.

Yes. Barry sent that to me years ago. He kept the wipers in their location on his build.  Interestingly, if you look at that recently sold CMC roadster in NJ you can see that CMC really didn’t change much to make their roadster. Basically just cut slots in the tops of the doors and then mounted the roadster windshield back further. 

One might ask, why go through the headache of all this and just buy an IM roadster. Reason is I don’t really want to build an A roadster. Looking at doing a t-5 or t-6. 

Here’s how CMC did it. No reshaping or cowl/door top. 

That's the taller roadster windshield post....  BTW all the windshield discussion was bad mojo. I  went out to the garage today, the new &$#@ windshield I just installed has a crack in it.  All the years of doing this it's only the 2nd one out of probably 40 or so. Call already made to Carey for a replacement

Yes. That one is a fiberfab cmc roadster.

That’s awful with windshield. positive windshield thoughts!

Here's CMC ad for the rollup option.  $1895 (but often offered for 1/2 off).

You know........    $1800 bucks was one helluva markup for a pair of 1969 VW window regulators and someone to cut a slot in the top of the door with a router.

No wonder they sold so many of them.  Like 10 or less, I bet.

It looks like it also includes a new top which makes it a little more reasonable.  Plus, you could sometimes get it for half off.

Yes different reinforced doors, taller windshield frame with taller glass, taller top with larger rear window, window regulator, door glass with tracks.  Looks like even a different tonneau to cover top when it was down. On an $8k kit - it was 22% more so a lot of buyers passed on it.