Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Maintenance & Servicing Windscreen replacement - Classic Morgan

After having a very small chip repaired on the passenger side of my screen it set me thinking what replacement of the screen would involve. I picked up somewhere on the site that obtaining a replacement screen can be problematic and time consuming.
The screen assembly looks very similar in design to my Caterham screen, i.e 2 mitred joints at the bottom corners of the frame. I've replaced a couple of the Caterham screens over 20 years and the challenge has always the removal of the grub screws that secure the bottom section of the frame to the top section and thus pull the mitred joints together, they were always seized and needed to be drilled out of the ali spacers housed within the screen frame. I was thinking of whipping the screen out of its stansions in order to remove and lubricate the grub screws assuming that the assembly was indeed similar to the Caterham assembly, purely as a pre-emptive measure.
Has anybody carried out a screen dismantling and reassembly exercise, if so are my assumptions correct re the grub screw and aluminium spacer assembly?

There are really two sorts. If you have vents on the dash to demist i.e. a short door car before c July 97 then it is simpler than the long door cars as they have heated screens.
I have never done it. Gomog has advice etc
http://www.gomog.com/allmorgan/screens.htm

Does the normal windscreen replacement section of your insurance cover it with Auto glass?

I had a new screen on my P4SS last year..insurance company were great and swiftly directed me to Autoglass York.

I pointed out and showed them it was a nine stood frame and would need to come as a complete unit at about £1000.

They said no problem ..we can get glass only and fit to my screen frame..I said good luck with that I don't think it is that easy !!

I left the screen with them took the car and ran with aeroscreens..so far so good...luckily for me the main screen was not urgent.

Long story short..the whole thing took 5 weeks !!!..they tried twice to fit replacement glass in frame ..broke one glass and decided couldn't be done.
So they ordered full unit...you guessed it wrong windscreen type !!..eventually got the correct screen.

Make sure you get complete unit !!!..My Morgan Dealer Ledgerwood keeps a few units in stock.

To further complicate matters there are two different profiles of the lower screen rail on recent (long door) models. If you get the wrong one it will not fit properly to the top of the scuttle.

The top of the scuttle, being hand made, is a variable too. If you get even a slight difference you may have water entering under the seal.

Also if you have a limited edition LM 62 Morgan (2001--2002 ) the windscreen is 10mm taller than standard screen to allow for hardtop fitment.

Or you might have a taller 4 seater screen fitted to a 2 seater. That was a factory fit option.

Make sure you specify the stud numbers on the header rail my Plus 8 has 10 whereas my previous Plus 8 and my Sport had 9 it is easy to overlook. Good luck.

As John says a lot of taller folk have the 4 seater screen fitted.

Gents thanks, a lot of good input, yes John V6, i now see lorne on Gomog has got much useful experience and suggests getting one cut to profile and size although fitting was a challenge. I didnt have that problem of fitting one to the Caterham.
Its all very well passing it over to your insurance company if your covered but if the repair isn't executed expeditiously and you get an experience like Kev Fitz you could be Mogless for half the summer season. I had a screen replaced on my Elise a few years ago, phoned on the morning, screen replaced on my drive by 14.00hrs same day, thats the sort of service i was expecting.
I may investigate getting a glass cut, and do without the electric demist facility, show me an MOT tester who'd check that!

Just made a phone call to my local man, said if i take the screen round to him he can cut me one (proper windscreen glass) about £70.00, ready in 2 days. An interesting option, at that price i can afford to break one practice fitting it, alternativly i could see if he would do it.