Oct 2 - Windshield plan

So I was thinking about all of the ways that I've seen people install their windshields and I was trying to think of the most simplistic approach possible.  I was thinking of the fewest parts required.  How to hold the windshield securely for high speed driving, you know, just in case.  ;-)

I was walking around my typical home improvement store and looking at different materials and then it hit me.  I could make strip that adheres to the back of the windshield, that holds its own screws in.  So when I unscrew the nuts from the back of the flanged area around the windshield, I could pull it from the car complete.  The screws would stay with the windshield.  The windshield would have the area around the edge of it painted black so no one would see that strip typically. 

This is an Optic Armor windshield, 1/4" thick, tinted.  I was thinking also about how to make a clean edge to the windshield, so when you see the edges of it, there's no trim that would be obvious about how it is being held in.  So it would look more factory (as much as I can with this gen of the D&R body).  As you're not supposed to see any frame between the door and the edge of the glass.  But I'm using what I got.

And as I've said before, this car will be a mule for my open sourced 100/200 mpg fumes car R&D so I'm not trying to make a perfect Lamborghini replica that makes it so hard to tell them apart.  I know most people still will not know the difference, but those builders amongst us will see some obvious stuff. And I'm ok with that.  I'm doing the best with what I have and that includes time.  I'm trying to get this car in some drivable state for the conference I'm going to in Ohio before Halloween this year (2016).

Here's how it is going so far.  I've got flat floor strip that I've cut and bent into shape.  I countersunk the existing holes that was in it.  Got some 1/2" long #6 screws and backed them with washers and nuts.  Here's what that looks like.  Then there will be a plastic sheeting I'll put under it (between the strip and the body) so I can keep the Gorilla Glue off of the body.  Then I'll cut the windshield to fit.  Tape off its border, scuff it and paint it.  Then setup the glue and it does expand.  It'll make good for filling in in between everything that doesn't match up just so.  I'll let it cure and then pull the whole unit out to get the plastic sheeting cleaned up from it.  It should actually make a nice gasket between the metal and the fiberglass body.  The glue will be the gasket between the metal and the Optic Armor.  :-D

I'll be cutting the screen today but probably not painting it and installing it just yet.