Windshield Replacement Help or Advice Wanted

[1project2many]

I'm replacing the windshield in a 36 P2 and I'm not happy with the seal provided by the filler. The frame is in excellent condition and the original windshield was removed in one piece. The replacement glass was cut by an experienced glass tech and as far as I can tell doesn't vary in size from the original by any significant amount. I have some experience replacing door and ventilator glass using a channel type seal but never a windshield so some of this might be inexperience.

I tried several different thicknesses of modern rubber filler strip and selected a thickness which provided a snug fit between the glass and the sides of the channel. Using linseed oil as a lubricant I was able to install the glass in the upper frame but I could not install the lower frame far enough into the upper frame to thread the screws into the corner braces. After multiple attempts including playing with different thickness filler I gave up and brought the parts to the glass shop for assembly. They returned it assembled. They've used the thinnest filler available which left the windshield loose in the frame at the top. It's snug in the sides and bottom. No advice from glass shop, just "here ya go." Can't throw too much criticism at the glass shop because the glass, several lengths of filler, and the labor to assemble have all been at no charge. Antique cars aren't their business so they may simply not know or be experienced with this.

Now the questions:

1) I have replaced glass in '40s and '50s vehicle using NOS rubberized filler which needed to be coated with engine oil on assembly. The engine oil swelled the rubber filler which created a seal. This was old filler found on the shelves of an even older dealership and I no longer have any. Will engine oil swell the modern version of the filler?

2) I am not going to urethane the glass into the frame because I want to be able to replace it if it's damaged. But I could disassemble the frame and put urethane between the filler and the glass. The urethane won't swell so I don't know how good the seal will be. Is this a bad idea?

3) Is this modern rubber filler the wrong material for this job? Should I try to locate something like the old filler I used to have?

The windshield has been apart and out of the car for almost two years now and I'm at a point where I'm getting tired of futzing around. I really want to get this done. Any help will be appreciated.

Edited February 27, 2011 by 1project2many (see edit history)

[1project2many]

For the sake of anyone else who might be looking for similar answers, here's where I'm at. I spoke with the man at the glass shop. "Use cork strips instead of rubber. It's the right stuff for that old car. It swells with moisture." Well, I'm the guy taking the original glass out and I'm here to tell ya it doesn't look like cork in this car. So I guess I'll have to figure this one out on my own.

I laid two strips of the rubber channel filler side by side and coated one with engine oil. After a few days the oil was gone. Grab the rubber strip... sticky. Looked for a change in thickness but if there's any, it's small. But if I squeeze it hard between my fingers I can see that the oil was absorbed into the strip. So the oil softens the new rubber strip just like the old roll I had pulled off the dealer shelf years ago. I've got to pull the windshield back out of the frame so I can repaint it, then I'll reinstall using a little oil, just like I've done before.

Edited March 7, 2011 by 1project2many (see edit history)