Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2007 12:44 pm Post subject: M38a1 vented windshield restoration parts needed
I just picked up a vented windshield. Paid $50 for it plus shipping. Of course it needs a lot of work. I got it all taken apart and am trying to replace/repair what needs to be one. I need the latches and the support arms. But what I am having a hard time finding is the rubber seals. Both the glass to frame and inner frame to outter frame. Any leads on that? I also need to replace the center divider. Mine is rusted pretty bad. I can make something but I'd really like to have the right part.
I also would like to know why some windshields are two piece and some are one piece. Any ideas on this? Mine is a two piece. And my mirror mounted on a peg that has a ball and socket joint that wnet through the center divider to a brass cap nut on the front of the windshield. All the other photos show the mirror attached to the upper frame.
Any help or suggestiosn would be appreciated. I've got a lot of work and I want to make sure it's done right.
Hello Allison,
The ventillating windshield is not a common item on the M38A1. The Army didin't order them with them. They were common on the CJ5 and the M606A2 and A3's which were militarized by Willys jeeps that mostly went to foreign buyers. Their parts list can only be found in the CJ5 manuals. The CJ3B and M606 version of it also had a ventillating windshield option and the parts are virtually identicle. The glass size is different and the rubber seals are contoured the same but shorter. Mahindra in India still produces a licensed version of the CJ3B and still produces that windshield and it's parts. I have been thinking of ordering two seals for the 3B and use them on my 60 CJ5 with the ventillating windshield.
These are photos of an NOS CJ5 ventillating windshield I saw at Iola 3 years ago. He was looking for well over $300.
Review the CJ3B Forum board for the reference to a group purchase of these seals from Mahindra.
http://www.film.queensu.ca/ConferWeb/CJ3B/Index.html _________________ Wes K
45 MB, 51 M38, 54 M37, 66 M101A1, 60 CJ5, 76 DJ5D, 47Bantam T3-C & 5? M100
Well I just went through mine and did the same thing. After it was all said and done it would have been worth moneywise to get a NOS one and spend the money. If you have the equipment, time, and the patience it may save you some money to do it yourself. I had neither the patience and the equipment, and facing a deployment to Iraq (which is where I am currently) so I "farmed" it out and had it redone. Mine was fortunatley in decent shape. The inner frame does not have a seal. The glass slides into the frame and is sealed with a cloth like seal. Butyl tape is what I used. I researched some restoration vendors and came up with soemthing similar but it was much too expensive for my budget. Someone else might have a better idea. The inner seal to outer seal is available through Pete Debella. He has the CJ3B seal as well as the CJ5 venting seal. Keep in mind it is a NOS item, but it had little shrinkage and was still very pliable. My problem came when I was sent a 3B seal and was short. He was very good on sending me the correct one and now his stock should be separated between the two. As far as the single pane and the double pane it almost seems to me that maybe someone modified by cutting out the inner metal strip for a single pane of glass. Dunno. I will include a link of pics of mine as it was taken apart and a link to another website that might help. Also, the swing out arms are the same as the arms on a deuce and a half and 5 ton military vehicles. Also, the latch brackets are the same. The latches are different but can be brought to a machine shop to make like the original. You may have the tools and no how to do this. For the purest this may not be the way to go, but you can not beat rust free materials to worth.
Kiowamtp - I posted a write up on Earlycj5.com. I went to saturn surplus and asked about the adjsting arms. I only see one side. but the price is less than other places I've seen. And I checked on the latches. Mine are rusted and in rough shape. Only source I've found on the inner frame/outter frame seal is Debella.
Did the upper door hinge tabs come on your windshield frame or did you fine a source for them? Did you decide to keep the vacuum wipers or replace them with electrics? From what I understand to be functional, they really need to be replaced.
Thanks for the help. These old vented W/S parts are hard to find but it should be worth it. Very high on the cool factor.
And thank you for serving. Be safe over there. If you need anything or want anything, pm me with an address and needs. I can get a care package together.
The swing out arms are the same. Just order two. Merely flip over and install the other one the same way. Take a look at your existing ones and imagine taking one off and putting it on the other side. As far as the upper door hinge tab: I think you are referring to the hinge part welded on the top side of the windshield that holds the inner frame. I didn't really search too hard fro tose as mine was in good shape. However, I would think you could just have one made and welded on from a good sheet metal guy or machine shop. If I were you I would def get it sandblasted to see where you are with your frame. You will be surprised at what "surprises" may pop up. I went with electric wipers just for functionality. I had a good pair of American Bosch motors on my CJ5 already and will resuse them. My original v windshield came with one vacuum and one electric cheapy motor. Althought the deployment kept me from completing my v w/s I was just waiting to mount the motors and get the replacment seal from DeBella. I def like the cool factor and rareity of them. Good Luck with yours.
Vacuum wipers have always gotten an undeserved bad rap. When properly maintained or rebuilt and when used with the correct vacuum boost fuel pump system they work very well. They do not do well running off engine vacuum only. If you do not have a dual vac/fuel pump then it would be better to run the electric motors. The windhsield came with two different wiper set ups. Option A was a one vac wiper on the right and one hand operated on the left. Option B was two vac wipers.
The small hinge half tab for the entry doors can be taken from your old windshield. They can also be fabricated easily. _________________ Wes K
45 MB, 51 M38, 54 M37, 66 M101A1, 60 CJ5, 76 DJ5D, 47Bantam T3-C & 5? M100
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