Safaris discussion thread

[swharris]

[BarryL]

[BarryL]

[thom]

I can't catch a f'in break (well, I guess technically I did). I installed the seal and then latched the window for the first time, and it cracked shortly thereafter. The latches aren't even that tight. The passenger side is fine. A short while later, a second crack appeared, moving right-to-left, but I can't get a good picture of it. At least they're not the cheap tempered glass, which would be all over the floor by now.

_________________
-Thom
1956 Single Cab
1957 Porsche 356A Sunroof
1957 23-Window Deluxe
1957 Mercedes Westfalia single cab
1963 Unimog 404
1965 E-Type

[thom]

[swharris]

[thom]

Here's an idea I had to attach the sliders to the windows - I used a stainless steel binding post bolt. $8 for 20 of them on Amazon.

_________________
-Thom
1956 Single Cab
1957 Porsche 356A Sunroof
1957 23-Window Deluxe
1957 Mercedes Westfalia single cab
1963 Unimog 404
1965 E-Type

[von_hansel]

[thom]

Both windows are installed, and I haven't decided if I'll try to fix the wrinkles on the passenger-side. For one: how in the hell do you get the windows back apart?

_________________
-Thom
1956 Single Cab
1957 Porsche 356A Sunroof
1957 23-Window Deluxe
1957 Mercedes Westfalia single cab
1963 Unimog 404
1965 E-Type

[stevo]

My safaris were installed at a shop widely recognized for their restoration trailer-queen work. WW inner seals were cut then glued again. One glass was original Sekurit, and the other was Brazilian. Original German frames. Photos show the seals puckered in three corners. Uncertain what was used for silicone, etc.

At the time picking up the bus I was told much of the problem had to do with the Brazilian glass [although puckering happened on both pieces]. Just so there was no issue next time I purchased two pieces of safari glass from Stacey. Broke the bank but I wanted tightness. Returned to the shop that did the work with brand new glass and WCM pop out seals, latter were not used. Upon return I found puckering, and one of the new safari glasses installed with a crack. Saving money for the next step.
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When you cross an Irishman, they never forget. I mean, never.

[campingbox]

[peecee69]

[thom]

Last night I bought some silicone spray, and then re-assembled the driver's side safari window. I found that the trick with the silicone is you just just have to douse it - I was trying to be conservative, clean and tidy and it just wasn't working. My house smells like a robot orgy now.

With the silicone spray, the frames slid together a lot easier. I still had it bunching up at the joint, which could be alleviated if the seals were shorter - there's too much slack in them.

The CE glass compared to Stacey's glass.

_________________
-Thom
1956 Single Cab
1957 Porsche 356A Sunroof
1957 23-Window Deluxe
1957 Mercedes Westfalia single cab
1963 Unimog 404
1965 E-Type

[thom]

Ok, I think I found a good combination: Creative Engineering frames, Stacy's glass, Wolfsburg West inner seal, and probably the outer seal mentioned above - haven't received it yet.

It was a PITA to get these together, and I think my big mistake was trying to use dish soap as a lubricant instead of running down to the hardware store and getting some silicone. The inner seal bunched up in a few spots, which I think wouldn't have happened with better lube.

I tried both a WCM popout inner seal and the WW safari inner seal. While the popout seal is difficult to get stretched on the glass, once you do, the curvature in the corners is absolutely perfect. The WW safari seal is a lot longer, so it fits sloppily over the glass - it needs to be a few inches shorter. However, the WW seal is a .5mm thinner, and for this operation, you need all the help you can get. In addition, I filed small "chamfers" on the insides of the mating edges of the frames, so they're less likely to catch the seal. If there was some way to take 3 or 4 inches out of the seal and glue it back together, it would be perfect.

I should really take this one back apart and re-assemble with better lube and a new seal, but I'm going to get the other one assembled first and see how I feel.

The popout seal on the glass

_________________
-Thom
1956 Single Cab
1957 Porsche 356A Sunroof
1957 23-Window Deluxe
1957 Mercedes Westfalia single cab
1963 Unimog 404
1965 E-Type

[swharris]

[thom]

[swharris]

[stevo]

[thom]

This afternoon I tried using a WCM popout frame-to-glass seal. It takes some effort to get it stretched over the glass, but when you do, it's nice and tight, with no wrinkles in the corners. However, when I was sliding the frames on, I tore the seal, which meant I needed to take it all apart again. One half of the frame came off fairly easily, but it took almost 2 hours to persuade the other half to release - a lot of rubber/glass/paint stiction. I didn't take any pix though.

Here's a pic of how sloppy of a fit the CE glass/seal/frame is

I went ahead and installed the one window with the thin glass for now, as I want to do a quick test drive around the block.

_________________
-Thom
1956 Single Cab
1957 Porsche 356A Sunroof
1957 23-Window Deluxe
1957 Mercedes Westfalia single cab
1963 Unimog 404
1965 E-Type

[swharris]

Check out a video by TheWagen on YouTube. He mentions Butty Bits Safari window seals. A seal that is supposed to be better than all the others. I have not personally used it or seen it.

Link


Just re-read your post. Are you only asking about the glass to frame seal? I forget if he mentions that one or just the frame to body seal.

Apparently the Butty Bits seal is only frame to body.
https://www.buttysbits.com/product/bb-021-safari-seals-enough-seals-to-do-both-front-windows/