Thanks for the input so far. I will try to clarify a few things so hopefully I can figure out what correct is?
- My manual makes no reference to cutting the side windshield mounting brackets even though they have been cut. It states the following:
" Use the procedures outlined below to trial fit the windshield:
1) Install the windshield through the mounting holes with the trim rings in place. Tilt the windshield so that the side arms rest flush against the square shaft welded onto the cowl bar and clamp the windshield in place. Adjust the openings in the body for the windshield side arms if necessary. There should be an 1/8" of clearance around the side arms.
2) At the two mounting holes in the cowl bar drill two 3/8" holes in each leg of the windshield frame. Secure the windshield in place with four 3/8" x 1-1/4" bolts, flat washer, lock washer and nut. Remove the windshield for later installation after painting."
In the added pictures I will attach I tried to show that when my windshield frame was originally mounted it was not located against the "square stock welded onto the cowl bar" which would set the angle. Mine are at different angles on each side.
This led me to the question of how far up and down should the windshield mount be? Obviously you can not go to low because the windshield would not mount and if you went two high the rubber seal would not contact the body. I would just like to know if there is an ideal?
My assumption is that the windshield should be an equal distance left to right from the passenger compartment and the engine compartment. Mine was not setup this way which is what started me down this path. This was obvious when you would look at how close the windshield wiper drive holes were from the windshield. I am sorry I didn't take a picture of this prior to disassembly. I have confirmed that the two windshield wiper drive holes are equal distance from the passenger compartment and the engine compartment so that means the windshield was not placed properly. This is further confirmed by the fact that when I measured the windshield frame to various reference points from the left to the right side of the car I would get different measurements.
My goals:
1) Get the windshield mounted so that it is equal distance left side to right side from the engine compartment, passenger compartment, and windshield wiper drive holes. These are all things I can measure and make the necessary compensation for.
2) Place the windshield at the proper angle and height so that in the future when I mount the soft top it goes as easily as possible. I am going to assume the angle is set by the square stock welded to the cowl. What I need to know is approximately how high should the windshield sit above the body as it can slide up and down along the square stock?
I don't think the windshield mounting brackets were cut at the factory as the cuts are very poor consistant with the other workmanship on the car. The ideal would be to have them rest on the bent flange the comes out of the cowl similar to the square stock. My problem is that I don't know if they were cut properly and based off my experience with having to redo and fix almost everything on the car I don't trust the cuts. The ideal would be to have some measurement that the windshield should sit above the body so I could just place shims down prior to setting the windshield in place. Then slide the frame against the square stock and drill new holes.
Anyway thanks again for all the help.
Kind regards,
Chris