Here's an up date so far. The seal arrived from William's a couple of days ago so I got back on with the job. First thing, the blue and black heated screen wires were just not going to pull through from behind the dash! I know there's a fair length there but they were solid! So I dropped the dash down. just in case you don't know there's a lower plastic trim to the dash and its held in with two self tapping flanged screws each side, outer edges underneath! remove these first. lift the adjustable steering column as high as it will go, this then locks the dash in place.. Remove the off side dash retaining wood screw first then the center screw. Now support the dash and remove the left hand screw. Sitting in the drivers seat you will find the dash is still in place. Open the nearside door. With your left hand push the dash upwards and with your right hand release the steering column lock. Now lower the dash down to rest on the top of the steering shroud moving it slightly to the left and then resting it on top of the slightly open left hand door and steering shroud. You will now see the two bullet connectors for the screen right in the center.
Now remove the center tonneau dot fastener on the dash' 7mm socket. using your fingers ease the dash bumper and leather trim in this area, top of the scuttle so the screen wires can be pulled through. The dash bumper rubber is ridiculously held in with three expanding pin plastic fasteners to the scuttle and unless you puncture the leather to push the pins through you will only damage something however this access will allow you to remove the wires and more importantly refit them!
Now you can take the screen away to a more suitable location to work on it! Believe me don't think you'll do it with the screen resting on the bonnet of the car!...... carpet and space are required!
Interestingly I was now able to get the first clear look at my problem seal and could see where previous owners had attempted to refit the ends of the seal both sides near the pillars. Ummm! least said the better here but my car was a very clean and unmolested example so can only assume that these attempts were done by some self confessed expert!
Now to the seal! You'll be pleased to know that the old seal which apart from the two distal ends was still alright, no hardening or splitting and It pulled off as easily as cellotape coming of a roll! ALAS! fitting the new seal was not quite as easy, and when fitted it too pulls out just as easily as the old one did (I know I tested it) I'd rater hoped it would be the other way around!
Firstly you have to find the centre of the new seal and mark it ,then you have to punch the holes for the screen wires to go through, Study the old seal and use as a template. I used a leather punch tool on the largest setting, cheap as chips on ebay!
Unfortunately you have to start fitting the seal at it's centre point with a heated screen because of locating the wiring, more on that soon! Right! inserting the new seal! Make sure you have it the correct way around! start on the outside edge of the wires. you need to push the scuttle side into the channel of the screen frame as best you can, you'll feel it sort of partially locate and then you need to push the other site into the channel. You need a tool here and its a bl....y pig of a job. Trust me it will feel as if it's impossible at first. I tried all manor of trim tools and they might as well be made of cheese. Eventually searching my workshop I came across my American pattern putty knife. it's about 11/4" wide blade and resembles a scraper but it's blade is about 3/16! thick and is radiused on one side of the end only, it is also not sharp. It turned out to be the perfect tool but you still need Arnold Schwarzenegger on hand to allow rest breaks! It is certainly the hardest trim I have ever fitted to anything in almost 50 years!
When I came to the end I fitted the last two inches each side using Amazing goop as I really don't want those ends failing again!
Now back to the fitting order, for information you understand! After inserting the first side then come back to the centre and fit the seal through the wiring, caution! take great care you don't damage the wires. My black wire had an insulation cut in it from I assume the original fitting, fortunately its the ground wire! not the live feed! then proceed to fit the other side. Now depending on whether you are right handed or the other you will have fitted the seal so far on the naturalistic side for you, you will now find that it's the wrong way around for you as you tackle the other side. It takes so much effort that I found it impossible to do, so I loose taped the seal to the screen in several places and started at the outside edge which worked fine.
It's now sitting upstairs in a spare room waiting for the Goop to fully dry and then I'll get on and fit it back to the car, Incidentally, both my screen pillars were loose when I removed the screen so that would have been a dash down job anyway!
One final thing, before you re secure the dash take a good look around for evidence of leaks and inspect the screen washer tubing. If it's a clear tubing you are probably alright as it will have been upgraded but if you have the dreaded black stuff take this opportunity to change it! It will leak, trust me!
I will post a final report when I have refitted all back! Hopefully it will be short and go well but...... it is a Morgan!
