Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Maintenance & Servicing Windscreen angle adjustment 1970 4/4

I'm looking for advice regarding the removal and particularly the re-fitting of the windscreen and side pillars on my 1970 4/4. The problem is that someone in it's past has fitted the screen at the wrong angle - the picture should show the side screen rubber overlapping the pillar at the top. The windscreen needs to be mounted more upright i.e. more towards vertical. I have purchased new base rubber gaskets (don't ask how much!!!) but was wondering just how much adjustment (towards upright) I can make when refitting everything. Any advice is welcome - I will likely be doing this without a helping hand (i.e. just me) - is this possible?
Thanking you in anticipation of your advice.
Peter H

It's a bit of a bugger, this. The windscreen mounting brackets are bolted to the scuttle and if the holes have worn oval then it can be very difficult to keep them in the correct alignment.

I guess the 'correct' thing to do would be to fill the holes with weld and then re-drill them in the correct location, but I didn't want to get into that level of interference when I re-aligned mine. Instead, I made up a couple of alloy blocks with adjusting bolts that braced against the scuttle frame to help keep the windscreen frame in the correct location. It worked well enough for a few years and then when Kevin Vernon fitted the new chassis the scuttle had to come off anyway so he realigned the holes properly.

Before you take the mounting brackets off, just check that the pillars aren't bent.

Mine were for some reason.

Also check it's not the sidescreen that's been fitted incorrectly

Arwyn

Yep! Depends on what year your car is but the holes in the scuttle are slightly elongated in the later classics to allow for a small amount of adjustment. When fitted in the factory they have/had a jig which aligned the screen and pillars as a unit and to be honest there isn't much adjustment available. Generally as Arwyn said it is usually to do with how the door/s align with the screen pillar/s. now, don't think that Morgan got it right during the build, there were many a car that was delivered or hit a showroom with awful gaps and misalignment issues here leaving the supplying dealer to sort it out! Or you might have picked it up direct at morgan and the owner would either live with it or sort it themselves. Firstly I would bet your pillars have some element of not being tightened correctly, mine weren't and most I've seen are loose somewhere. I'll not go into great detail here but if you search in (forum search) sewin, in my posts I have written an article on replacing the screen to scuttle seal and that will help you no end. You will have to drop the dash out to get to the pillar fixings but don't panic its easier than you might think! When you have ascertained that the screen is fitted correctly you will first need to check the door fit. Open the door so it clears the B pillar, so not open very far and at the non hinged end by lifting up and down see if your hinges have pin wear, you might be surprised how much movement you can feel and see, this movement is due to worn hinges. Re approximate the door in the hole holding the door up and assess the fit of side screen to pillar.
There are ways to repair the hinges and indeed improve them but most will buy new, there are both old style and new hinges so buy by the cars year! However they are ridiculously expensive, about £90 each....... yep its a hinge but its a Morgan!

If you are handy you can buy new oversize pins and ream the hinges to fit, much cheaper and more satisfying too! When the door is back where it should be you will have to then assess the side screen fit and adjust it to fit the opening. Again, not as difficult as it sounds but if you get here and are struggling you can PM me and we'll take it from there.

Thank you for all the advice. I don't think the door hinges are the problem - I already have new, oversized stainless pins from Paul on this forum, but I will check this along with the door fit carefully. I will certainly examine the pillars very carefully to check for any noticeable bend before dismantling (thanks for that - I wouldn't have thought of it). There is no discernible movement of the whole assembly but I will look out for elongated mounting holes when I get things apart. Thank you all so much - I feel more confident now to tackle this, I just need to find the time. I will report back (it may be a while).
Peter H

I can't access your picture to see which pillars you have are they the two part type with the upright bolted to the scuttle mount or the one piece type which are cast?

Two part - a base casting and a bolted on upright ... 1970

Just a little point to note, if you move the 'screen more upright you may find it makes it impossible to fit the hood (which looks like everflex in your photo)

It may even be a previous owners tweak (bodge) to compensate for hood material shrinkage