57 upper windshield s/s trim moulding .

Has anyone had any experience installing and adjusting this upper two piece windshield s/s trim molding on a 1957 Hardtop/Nomad ? My windshield on my 1957 Nomad had been replaced along with a new windshield gasket prior to my purchase . During my restoration we did not remove the windshield or the upper two pieces of s/s trim . It seems like the passenger side upper trim needs to come down a little bit for the trim hole to match the body . It is possible that maybe when this windshield was installed they may have used re-production trim ? I have seen that Danchuck carries the trim clips for the lower s/s windshield trim but have not seen the upper molding clips in the catalogue . My friend says that the clips push into the rubber gasket. How much of a pain could it be to adjust ? Are new clips available ?

Domenic,

I doubt very seriously if you could adjust the position of the upper trim stainless without removal of the windshield. The trim has an 'L' shaped extension on it's rear side that is fitted into the rubber channel with the channel on the glass BEFORE the assembly is installed onto the car. If it's something that bothers you, then I'd suggest removing the windshield and refitting the stainless into possibly a new rubber channel prior to reinstalling. Depending on how the windshield assembly was installed (with or without adhesive sealer), you might be able to reuse the channel, although a new one is probably less than $50.

There are no 'upper moulding clips' used as the trim is embedded into the rubber channel prior to install. The channel has a 'lip' which is pulled around the pinchweld which retains the glass in the car (along with the screws that are installed at the lower ends of the stainless trim which you are asking about. Was the screw missing in the bottom of that trim piece?

Did you repaint the car from canyon coral to turquoise without removal of the windshield? So there is 'canyon coral' paint under the windshield gasket? That's another reason to remove/reinstall the windshield as it would give you opportunity to paint that area to the correct color.

If you can take a couple of photos and post here it would help...

PS. If you or your restorer have never installed a tri-five windshield it would benefit you to view a *few* of the online windshield installation videos (there are many, and some are good or have good information and some aren't so good - like everything else online!).. :) If you view a few of them, you'll pick up on the important points and learn enough for the two of you to do the job... :)

Gary , thanks for responding with all this information . No wonder I could not find the upper windshield clips for sale .Yes we did leave the front windshield in the car as theirs not a mark in it .The Video's that you suggested are so helpful nowadays . You can spend hours sometimes trying to find the last screw on a car's door panel , or just go and look it up . We are losing the pro's who would want to work on old car's , the local glass guy doesn't want to be bothered anymore with the old car's only the new ones . Dom

Domenic,

We all had a FIRST time doing each task that we became familiar with over time! Just read (and watch the youtube videos) and get a friend (or your restorer) to assist you .. go slow and be careful and 'get it done'.. :)

PS. I have installed several windshields and rear windows over the years, and I recall the first time I did it myself (30 to 40 yrs ago), and most of the other times.

A couple of years ago, I assisted a friend installing a windshield and rear glass; he had never done one before, and it went pretty well and quickly. This past year, I had a difficult time installing a new windshield in my '57 Nomad... I, with assistance of another person had TRIED to get the windshield in several different days but gave up for fear of breaking the glass. Finally I ordered a new glass specifically for the '57 Nomad, and my grandson (early 20's) and I had the new one in in a couple of hours! Afterwards, I fitted the 'faulty windshield' (which was supposed to have been an NOS windshield for my '57 Nomad which came along with it when I bought it 30 yrs ago), and when I positioned the glass in the open frame (no rubber), it became obvious to me that it was NOT for a '57 Nomad; I suspect it is actually for a '55-56 Nomad which are slightly different... I wasted several days over several months trying and worrying with the WRONG part, when the right one installed quickly!

In your case, you KNOW your windshield is correct for your car since it's installed in it now. Worst case you carefully cut out the rubber channel around the glass, remove the glass and set it aside and clean it well, and order a NEW windshield channel for the reinstallation. It's actually a pretty easy process, although it HELPS if one of you have done one (or at least assisted) before. OR you can leave it in place and drill a new hole for the screw to retain the upper passenger trim stainless... FILL the unused hole to seal it against water leakage. If the missing screw was not obvious to you before (covered up by the triangular corner piece, then it should be OK now too.

Gary the restoration that my friend had just done prior to this Nomad was a 1963 Chevrolet Corvair Spyder Convertible w/4 speed . Thiers a place called "Clarks " that has all the parts . I went with my restorer friend Bob to help him retrieve the Corvair from the glass shop . That may have been the last straw for the glass guy and old cars . He told us what a pain it was to install the windshield , theirs a piece of trim that goes into the rubber on those cars . If you work with the pro's you have to be willing to remove all the garnish molding's and help prep in any way you can , be willing to sometimes wait for an opening and pay what it's worth for the extra time that's needed and sometimes they still do not want to do the old ones . He installed the windshield on my restorer's 1958 Impala which is a big one .

I've never used any 'pros', I just try to spend time to figure out how the factory 'did it', then look at what others have done, then maybe get some help from one of my enthusiast friends (unfortunately most of them are OLD or GONE).. :) That's my excuse for why I'm so slow! I wish I knew a 'reputable honest' pro to take my '55 Nomad to get stripped and painted... as it's looking like I'm never going to get to it...