The Murphy Builders Site

I'm installing the preformed windshield. There are no instructions in my
manual for the preformed, only the lexan make-it-yourself one.

Is the center winshield brace still needed with the preformed?

Are there any special gotchas I should look out for? How tight a fit should
be achieved around the wing root area? Does the wing root fairing cover
this part of the windshield?

Is there any improvement, or installation I should do around the panel
before installing the windshield permanently? I'm thinking about the
defroster holes, skylights, and the sun visors, etc. Thanks, Terry




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Terry,

Murphy has the entire manual on CD. I'm sure they could probably email the
current chapter to you.

Roger #687R
Eugene, OR USA!

On 6/2/02 9:36 AM, TASACK@GCFN.ORG wrote to MURPHY-REBEL:

-> I'm installing the preformed windshield. There are no instructions in my
-> manual for the preformed, only the lexan make-it-yourself one.
->
-> Is the center winshield brace still needed with the preformed?
->
-> Are there any special gotchas I should look out for? How tight a fit should
-> be achieved around the wing root area? Does the wing root fairing cover
-> this part of the windshield?
->
-> Is there any improvement, or installation I should do around the panel
-> before installing the windshield permanently? I'm thinking about the
-> defroster holes, skylights, and the sun visors, etc. Thanks, Terry
->





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In a message dated 6/2/02 12:05:15 PM Central Daylight Time, tasack@gcfn.org writes:

I'm installing the preformed windshield. There are no instructions in my
manual for the preformed, only the lexan make-it-yourself one.

Is the center winshield brace still needed with the preformed?

I called MAM on that years ago and they said yes the brace is needed.

Are there any special gotchas I should look out for? How tight a fit should
be achieved around the wing root area? Does the wing root fairing cover
this part of the windshield?

The instructions you can get from MAM are pretty straight forward. Fit and trim, fit and trim. Yes the forward wing fairing does cover that section, another fit and trim. Get the smallest U chanel rubber you can find to cover the fairing edge. Over size you're attachment holes ( so they don't stress crack) drill with bits for Plexy - Lexan
they have a MUCH sharper angle on them. Or grind you're own. Don't rivet any thing use small screws and nuts, and Nut-serts or the likes on the fuselage for removal later.

Is there any improvement, or installation I should do around the panel
before installing the windshield permanently? I'm thinking about the
defroster holes, skylights, and the sun visors, etc. Thanks, Terry

Do it while it's opened up now.

Phil&Lisa Smith
N414D

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Terry!

If you received a moulded windshield, post 1995, it DOES NOT need the center
brace tube. Only the, very few, very first ones did (mine installed winter
1995 did not). They now (for the last 7+ years) have a proud spot moulded
into them that keeps them from popping in from air pressure in flight.

Also DO NOT drill any holes into the windshield like the original
installation showed. The windshield can be fitted and the retainer laid up
to hold it in place without any holes being drilled into it. This allows it
to free float, without a 100 holes to start a crack from.

The forward skylights (eyebrows) will need to be cut out before final
installation, as the windshield covers this area to the first cabin
bulkhead. I also like to leave the windshield out, if you plan on painting
before flight, as this allows the instrument deck and the "eyebrow" area,
carrythrough etc to be painted into your scheme.

I still prefer to use the aluminum strip, that was supplied in the older
kits, to retain the windshield sides and top, which then only requires
laying up a fiberglass retainer for the bottom edge. Then everything can be
removed, except the fiberglass retainer that can be riveted down to the deck
and sanded smooth etc and then everything painted. Then the windshield can
be put in place and the side and top retainers bolted in place. If you ever
crack a windshield at a later time, then it is very easy to unbolt the
retainers and tip the old windshield out of the lower retainer. Take some
tracing paper (or similar) and lay it out over the cracked windshield and
use an exacto knife to trim your pattern. Then tape to new windshield and
trace the pattern and trim. Throw back in with some new gooo tape and bolt
the retainers back on. As for the gooo, I prefer to still use butylene tape,
that is available from any auto/boat windshield installer (I pay my local
guy $5.00 cash for a good size roll that does about 3 windshields!). I don't
like the tube of goo that MAM has been supplying lately, as it just gets
everywhere and requires an assistant to work with it so someone can hold the
windshield back while you use a caulking gun to apply. Much easier to cut
off strips of tape and stick to the forward retainer lip and up the sides
and over the top. Then place the windshield with it tipped forward, slip it
forward against the retainer while tipping it down onto the roof and bolt
the retainers in place (practice this without the goo tape in place a few
times to get the motion right first!!). Put some thin weather stripping foam
on the inside of the aluminum retainers where they touch the windshield, so
they don't dig/wear into the acrylic. Then push the lower edge of the
windshield tight against the retainer to get the goo tape to stick and if
you can park it out in the sun to heat up and do the same again. Fill the
gap going around the leading edge area and the small gap, that usually is
present between the cabin roof and the windshield, with small strips of goo
tape and just roll and press into place to seal it off along the edge.

Think I took some pictures when I changed Charles D's from old Lexan to new
moulded windshield. If I get time later today I will post to site.

Cheers,
Wayne G. O'Shea
www.irishfield.on.ca

----- Original Message -----
From: "Terry Sack" <tasack@gcfn.org>
To: <murphy-rebel@dcsol.com>
Cc: "Norm Wandke" <newcog@aol.com>
Sent: Sunday, June 02, 2002 1:02 PM
Subject: Rebel windshield

I'm installing the preformed windshield. There are no instructions in my
manual for the preformed, only the lexan make-it-yourself one.

Is the center winshield brace still needed with the preformed?

Are there any special gotchas I should look out for? How tight a fit

should

be achieved around the wing root area? Does the wing root fairing cover
this part of the windshield?

Is there any improvement, or installation I should do around the panel
before installing the windshield permanently? I'm thinking about the
defroster holes, skylights, and the sun visors, etc. Thanks, Terry

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Wayne
I also appreciated the detailed windshield intructions to Terry.
Any easy way to tell whether my windhield is the new one or the old
preformed type. I was not aware that any of the preformed windshields
needed a center brace...
thanks
Ken

"Wayne G. O'Shea" wrote:

Terry!

If you received a moulded windshield, post 1995, it DOES NOT need the center
brace tube. Only the, very few, very first ones did (mine installed winter
1995 did not). They now (for the last 7+ years) have a proud spot moulded
into them that keeps them from popping in from air pressure in flight.

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In a message dated 6/2/02 2:36:25 PM Central Daylight Time, klehman@albedo.net writes:

I also appreciated the detailed windshield intructions to Terry.
Any easy way to tell whether my windhield is the new one or the old
preformed type. I was not aware that any of the preformed windshields
needed a center brace...
thanks
Ken

"Wayne G. O'Shea" wrote:

Terry!

If you received a moulded windshield, post 1995, it DOES NOT need the center
brace tube. Only the, very few, very first ones did (mine installed winter
1995 did not). They now (for the last 7+ years) have a proud spot moulded
into them that keeps them from popping in from air pressure in flight.

Got mine in 98 and no proud spot or mold in center. And a called MAM about brace, was told to install it.
Phil&Lisa Smith

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Strange for them to tell you that Phil!

For everyone's information, I guess to describe it as a "proud" spot isn't the greatest description, but rather a complex curve across the whole center face of the windshield would be better. The very first ones where rather flat in the center and Robin Dyck couldn't tell us when it bowed in, but he did know the exact speed that it "popped" back out when coming down final to land!

Like I said if you have bought the windshield since I bought my first one in early 1995, the forming mould hasn't changed since and it doesn't need a center brace. Still being moulded crooked though, with about a 1/2" usually needing to be trimmed off one side at the top edge (but not the other side) to make it sit straight along the cabin roof bulkheads rivet row (this is the last thing to trim, only if necessary, don't do it first!!).

LP Aero Plastics part # for Rebel windshield (and I presume Elite is no different) is # 1346 - Clear (or green, or grey tint)

Will see if I can find those pictures and get them uploaded!

Cheers,
Wayne G. O'Shea
www.irishfield.on.ca

----- Original Message -----
From: LisaFly99@aol.com (LisaFly99@aol.com)
To: murphy-rebel@dcsol.com (murphy-rebel@dcsol.com)
Sent: Sunday, June 02, 2002 4:15 PM
Subject: Re: Rebel windshield


In a message dated 6/2/02 2:36:25 PM Central Daylight Time, klehman@albedo.net (klehman@albedo.net) writes:

I also appreciated the detailed windshield intructions to Terry.
Any easy way to tell whether my windhield is the new one or the old
preformed type. I was not aware that any of the preformed windshields
needed a center brace...
thanks
Ken

"Wayne G. O'Shea" wrote:

Terry!

If you received a moulded windshield, post 1995, it DOES NOT need the center
brace tube. Only the, very few, very first ones did (mine installed winter
1995 did not). They now (for the last 7+ years) have a proud spot moulded
into them that keeps them from popping in from air pressure in flight.

Got mine in 98 and no proud spot or mold in center. And a called MAM about brace, was told to install it.
Phil&Lisa Smith

In a message dated 6/2/02 3:51:01 PM Central Daylight Time, oifa@irishfield.on.ca writes:

Strange for them to tell you that Phil!

For everyone's information, I guess to describe it as a "proud" spot isn't the greatest description, but rather a complex curve across the whole center face of the windshield would be better.

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In a message dated 6/2/02 3:51:01 PM Central Daylight Time, oifa@irishfield.on.ca writes:

Strange for them to tell you that Phil!

For everyone's information, I guess to describe it as a "proud" spot isn't the greatest description, but rather a complex curve across the whole center face of the windshield would be better.

That's what I thought seeing how it doesn't touch or support a thing. That's why I called MAM in the first place. But Frances at MAM said I should put it in. Lot of work for a compass mount :)
Phil&Lisa Smith

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Uploaded 13 pictures to Rebel Fuselage (or hit new), showing a windshield installation (when I was retrofitting from old style sheet to new formed windshield). For those with sharp eyes you will see what is left of the the old center post (from the lexan windshield), that I had to leave 3 inches of so his compass could stay where it was.

Hope these pictures help some of you out!

Mike Davis, can you PLEASE remove uploaded picture Dcp02377. Uploaded a shot of the Pegastol I was doing an engine change on by accident.

Cheers,
Wayne G. O'Shea
www.irishfield.on.ca

----- Original Message -----
From: LisaFly99@aol.com (LisaFly99@aol.com)
To: murphy-rebel@dcsol.com (murphy-rebel@dcsol.com)
Sent: Sunday, June 02, 2002 5:58 PM
Subject: Re: Rebel windshield


In a message dated 6/2/02 3:51:01 PM Central Daylight Time, oifa@irishfield.on.ca (oifa@irishfield.on.ca) writes:

Strange for them to tell you that Phil!

For everyone's information, I guess to describe it as a "proud" spot isn't the greatest description, but rather a complex curve across the whole center face of the windshield would be better.

That's what I thought seeing how it doesn't touch or support a thing. That's why I called MAM in the first place. But Frances at MAM said I should put it in. Lot of work for a compass mount :)
Phil&Lisa Smith

Wayne,

Great timing! As I left my shop today I laid my windshield on the Rebel then studied its anticipated installation for tomorrow. Then I come in and read your description about the windshield installation. I could not have timed it better had I planned it.

Blue skies and tailwinds,
Bruce G 357R

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Hi Terry !

Sounds like you're making good progress !!

I'll repeat what others have said, and add my 2 cents ... :-)

The center brace is NOT needed for ANY of the preformed
windshields - I flew on of the very early 'almost flat' ones
without a brace, for several years, with no problem.

Do not drill ANY holes in the windshield - it should 'float'
within the fiberglass fairing, as it can expand over 1/4" in the
summer heat ! You can hold it in place with the thick black goop
on a tape backing that is supplied, AND seal all the gaps/holes with
Bostick 1100 adhesive (recommended by LP Plastics). Also, don't
forget to slide the rubber U channel onto the bottom of the
plexi before installing - it cushions the bottom of the windshield
from the top of the panel (and a bunch of Bostick won't hurt,
either - to stop leaks).(Bostick 1100 comes in colours other than
black, and is in a caulking gun tube - about $11/ea., and doesn't
really ever go hard, but sets up in a few hours. ) One trick I
was taught for working with caulking or silicone sealers - if you
get big lumps where you don't want them, just wet a smooth rag
thouroughly, and use it to smooth the surface - the water stops it
from sticking to the rag and making a bigger mess ! ;-)

Keep the windshield clear of the fittings at the wing
roots, AND be sure there is at least 1/8"++ clear between the sides
of the windshield and those tall triangular pieces at the sides -
I've replaced TWO windshields on TWO Rebels because the windshield
was touching these aluminum supports !!! Even taxiing through a
deep dip, or a hard landing, will cause enough movement here to
start a crack !! A Dremel rotary tool is GREAT for opening up these
spaces ...

You might want to install rubber U channel around the
openings for the skylights up front that are covered by the
windshield... The bent aluminum strip that goes on last, at the
back top of the fuse/windshield should be all that's needed to
hold the windshield down into the fiberglass fairing that you
have to make up. You will likely want to hold that fiberglass
on with captive nuts and bolts with large washers, in case you
have to change it later.

By all means, do your painting of the carrythrough area
and panel first, as well as any upholstery you might be planning
for those triangular aluminum side pieces.

One other thought - if you are planning on going to
floats sometime - when you make up the front side sections for
the wing/fuselage fairing, make them so they wrap around the
leading edge and windshield, and extend back at least 5" or so,
to clear the front spar attach fittings. The reason is - to change
over to floats, you remove just that front cap, wrap a wide
nylon strap around the front spar attach fittings, and hoist the
airplane from there. Be sure to put a 2x4 or 4x4 with holes at
the right spacing between the straps on each side, so when you lift,
the straps can't pull inward - or you'll be relacing another windshield !!

Good luck ! And keep going, it REALLY IS WORTH IT !!! :-)

......bobp

-----------------------------------orig.-----------------------------
At 01:02 PM 6/2/02 -0400, you wrote:

I'm installing the preformed windshield. There are no instructions in my
manual for the preformed, only the lexan make-it-yourself one.

Is the center winshield brace still needed with the preformed?

Are there any special gotchas I should look out for? How tight a fit should
be achieved around the wing root area? Does the wing root fairing cover
this part of the windshield?

Is there any improvement, or installation I should do around the panel
before installing the windshield permanently? I'm thinking about the
defroster holes, skylights, and the sun visors, etc. Thanks, Terry


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Bob brings up an another old point here, that I should have pointed out
again this time around (I have done so before when showing the float fix
gusset installation to the Fus-9's). Don't forget to cut an inch or so off
the top of those FUS-9 side triangles so they can't hit the windshield when
things flex to a parallelogram, instead of the static rectangle shape the
carrythrough is supposed to have.

Wayne

----- Original Message -----
From: "Bob Patterson" <bob.patterson@canrem.com>
To: <murphy-rebel@dcsol.com>
Sent: Sunday, June 02, 2002 10:07 PM
Subject: Re: Rebel windshield

Hi Terry !

Sounds like you're making good progress !!

I'll repeat what others have said, and add my 2 cents ... :-)

The center brace is NOT needed for ANY of the preformed
windshields - I flew on of the very early 'almost flat' ones
without a brace, for several years, with no problem.

Do not drill ANY holes in the windshield - it should 'float'
within the fiberglass fairing, as it can expand over 1/4" in the
summer heat ! You can hold it in place with the thick black goop
on a tape backing that is supplied, AND seal all the gaps/holes with
Bostick 1100 adhesive (recommended by LP Plastics). Also, don't
forget to slide the rubber U channel onto the bottom of the
plexi before installing - it cushions the bottom of the windshield
from the top of the panel (and a bunch of Bostick won't hurt,
either - to stop leaks).(Bostick 1100 comes in colours other than
black, and is in a caulking gun tube - about $11/ea., and doesn't
really ever go hard, but sets up in a few hours. ) One trick I
was taught for working with caulking or silicone sealers - if you
get big lumps where you don't want them, just wet a smooth rag
thouroughly, and use it to smooth the surface - the water stops it
from sticking to the rag and making a bigger mess ! ;-)

Keep the windshield clear of the fittings at the wing
roots, AND be sure there is at least 1/8"++ clear between the sides
of the windshield and those tall triangular pieces at the sides -
I've replaced TWO windshields on TWO Rebels because the windshield
was touching these aluminum supports !!! Even taxiing through a
deep dip, or a hard landing, will cause enough movement here to
start a crack !! A Dremel rotary tool is GREAT for opening up these
spaces ...

You might want to install rubber U channel around the
openings for the skylights up front that are covered by the
windshield... The bent aluminum strip that goes on last, at the
back top of the fuse/windshield should be all that's needed to
hold the windshield down into the fiberglass fairing that you
have to make up. You will likely want to hold that fiberglass
on with captive nuts and bolts with large washers, in case you
have to change it later.

By all means, do your painting of the carrythrough area
and panel first, as well as any upholstery you might be planning
for those triangular aluminum side pieces.

One other thought - if you are planning on going to
floats sometime - when you make up the front side sections for
the wing/fuselage fairing, make them so they wrap around the
leading edge and windshield, and extend back at least 5" or so,
to clear the front spar attach fittings. The reason is - to change
over to floats, you remove just that front cap, wrap a wide
nylon strap around the front spar attach fittings, and hoist the
airplane from there. Be sure to put a 2x4 or 4x4 with holes at
the right spacing between the straps on each side, so when you lift,
the straps can't pull inward - or you'll be relacing another windshield !!

Good luck ! And keep going, it REALLY IS WORTH IT !!! :-)

......bobp

-----------------------------------orig.-----------------------------
At 01:02 PM 6/2/02 -0400, you wrote:

I'm installing the preformed windshield. There are no instructions in my
manual for the preformed, only the lexan make-it-yourself one.

Is the center winshield brace still needed with the preformed?

Are there any special gotchas I should look out for? How tight a fit

should

be achieved around the wing root area? Does the wing root fairing cover
this part of the windshield?

Is there any improvement, or installation I should do around the panel
before installing the windshield permanently? I'm thinking about the
defroster holes, skylights, and the sun visors, etc. Thanks, Terry

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Thanks, Wayne, Phil, Bob and others who responded to my question.
I bought my preformed windshield in 1996 and am just now getting to it!! It
does have the compound curvature that Wayne describes so, no brace will be
put in.

I do need some clarification of your instructions, Wayne. I'll use the
aluminum FUS-13 strip along the sides and top as you recommend. Does that
mean that the bolts will go through the windshield and the FUS-13? Or are
the bolts behind the FUS? And what bolt spacing do you recommend?

Does the rubber u-channel go all the way around the windshield or just on
the bottom edge and around the skylights?

I did cut the top one inch off of FUS-9 because it was touching the
windshield but it still seems to be touching. Do I trim more off the FUS-9
or can I open up the windshield clearance around the FUS? I don't know how
much the wing root fairing will cover here. (Thanks, Bob, for suggesting
that the fairing go only about five inches back for future float
installation access). Terry


-----Original Message-----
From: Wayne G. O'Shea <oifa@irishfield.on.ca>
To: murphy-rebel@dcsol.com <murphy-rebel@dcsol.com>
Date: Sunday, June 02, 2002 2:44 PM
Subject: Re: Rebel windshield

Terry!

If you received a moulded windshield, post 1995, it DOES NOT need the

center

brace tube. Only the, very few, very first ones did (mine installed winter
1995 did not). They now (for the last 7+ years) have a proud spot moulded
into them that keeps them from popping in from air pressure in flight.

Also DO NOT drill any holes into the windshield like the original
installation showed. The windshield can be fitted and the retainer laid up
to hold it in place without any holes being drilled into it. This allows it
to free float, without a 100 holes to start a crack from.

The forward skylights (eyebrows) will need to be cut out before final
installation, as the windshield covers this area to the first cabin
bulkhead. I also like to leave the windshield out, if you plan on painting
before flight, as this allows the instrument deck and the "eyebrow" area,
carrythrough etc to be painted into your scheme.

I still prefer to use the aluminum strip, that was supplied in the older
kits, to retain the windshield sides and top, which then only requires
laying up a fiberglass retainer for the bottom edge. Then everything can be
removed, except the fiberglass retainer that can be riveted down to the

deck

and sanded smooth etc and then everything painted. Then the windshield can
be put in place and the side and top retainers bolted in place. If you ever
crack a windshield at a later time, then it is very easy to unbolt the
retainers and tip the old windshield out of the lower retainer. Take some
tracing paper (or similar) and lay it out over the cracked windshield and
use an exacto knife to trim your pattern. Then tape to new windshield and
trace the pattern and trim. Throw back in with some new gooo tape and bolt
the retainers back on. As for the gooo, I prefer to still use butylene

tape,

that is available from any auto/boat windshield installer (I pay my local
guy $5.00 cash for a good size roll that does about 3 windshields!). I

don't

like the tube of goo that MAM has been supplying lately, as it just gets
everywhere and requires an assistant to work with it so someone can hold

the

windshield back while you use a caulking gun to apply. Much easier to cut
off strips of tape and stick to the forward retainer lip and up the sides
and over the top. Then place the windshield with it tipped forward, slip it
forward against the retainer while tipping it down onto the roof and bolt
the retainers in place (practice this without the goo tape in place a few
times to get the motion right first!!). Put some thin weather stripping

foam

on the inside of the aluminum retainers where they touch the windshield, so
they don't dig/wear into the acrylic. Then push the lower edge of the
windshield tight against the retainer to get the goo tape to stick and if
you can park it out in the sun to heat up and do the same again. Fill the
gap going around the leading edge area and the small gap, that usually is
present between the cabin roof and the windshield, with small strips of goo
tape and just roll and press into place to seal it off along the edge.

Think I took some pictures when I changed Charles D's from old Lexan to new
moulded windshield. If I get time later today I will post to site.

Cheers,
Wayne G. O'Shea
www.irishfield.on.ca

----- Original Message -----
From: "Terry Sack" <tasack@gcfn.org>
To: <murphy-rebel@dcsol.com>
Cc: "Norm Wandke" <newcog@aol.com>
Sent: Sunday, June 02, 2002 1:02 PM
Subject: Rebel windshield

I'm installing the preformed windshield. There are no instructions in my
manual for the preformed, only the lexan make-it-yourself one.

Is the center winshield brace still needed with the preformed?

Are there any special gotchas I should look out for? How tight a fit

should

be achieved around the wing root area? Does the wing root fairing cover
this part of the windshield?

Is there any improvement, or installation I should do around the panel
before installing the windshield permanently? I'm thinking about the
defroster holes, skylights, and the sun visors, etc. Thanks, Terry

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Terry, if you look at the last picture I posted you can see that the bolts
are on the rear edge of the aluminum strips and gives you a good idea of
spacing. What you do is place the strip so the one edge (the smaller of the
two flats on the strip) sits up on the windshield and then drill the holes
on the rear flat area of the strip into the fuselage. You DO NOT drill
through the acrylic ANYWHERE. Spacing across the top strip is plenty of
retention at about 3" to 3 1/2" spacing (pick something that works out
between the existing rivets in the bulkhead) and the holes usually end in
the cabin roof bulkhead flange for a bit of extra strength. Note in the
picture how the side retainer is trimmed to fit right up to and under the
carrythrough tube so the wing root fairing can but against it to close
everything in nicely. The side retainers at the bottom end get trimmed so
the area that sits up on the windshield ends up under the laid up fiberglass
and you trim the bolt side so it will sit flush with the top of the
fiberglass retainer. This gives you a "tab" on the side retainer that acts
better than a bolt at the bottom and helps hold the strip tight to the
windshield. You need to do this trimming before you lay up the fiberglass so
the fiberglass retainer will fit the shape properly and the area at the end
of the fiberglass retainer can be riveted to the Fus-9 and stop flush with
the aluminum retainers edge.

As for the rubber strip I have never put one on a windshield yet, as it
holds the windshield off that nice fiberglass retainer you lay up too far to
make usage of the tape style sealant. As Bob suggested use it if you can, as
it has +'s to do, so use it if you can and it only goes on the bottom edge.
The sides you just use the sealant tape and as for the skylight "eyebrows"
you need to roll the edge down all the way around the hole. Gives it a
little extra strength and keeps the edge from cutting at the windshield if
it sits down close enough to rub on it.

As for cutting off the FUS-9's. If you have cut off an 1" they shouldn't be
touching the windshield anymore. The FUS-9's of course have to pick up the
entire side of the windshield, it is just where it is cut out to clear the
carrythrough and wraps up around the top that is the problem area. IF this
area touches the windshield it is like a center punch being driven into the
acrylic in a one wheel/float landing, causing it to crack. Sometimes the
windshield fits just fine without cutting these off (as seen in the pictures
I uploaded) and other times it is necessary to cut them off a fair bit. It
all depends how the Fus-9's where installed during construction and how
tight their tip point fits to the carrythrough. If you look through all the
pictures I posted you will see that the windshield is trimmed to fit pretty
close around the carrythrough. If you get the clearance too great it can be
a problem to get the fairings to hide the cut out.

Cheers,
Wayne G. O'Shea
www.irishfield.on.ca

----- Original Message -----
From: "Terry Sack" <tasack@gcfn.org>
To: <murphy-rebel@dcsol.com>
Sent: Monday, June 03, 2002 9:02 PM
Subject: Re: Rebel windshield

Thanks, Wayne, Phil, Bob and others who responded to my question.
I bought my preformed windshield in 1996 and am just now getting to it!!

It

does have the compound curvature that Wayne describes so, no brace will be
put in.

I do need some clarification of your instructions, Wayne. I'll use the
aluminum FUS-13 strip along the sides and top as you recommend. Does that
mean that the bolts will go through the windshield and the FUS-13? Or are
the bolts behind the FUS? And what bolt spacing do you recommend?

Does the rubber u-channel go all the way around the windshield or just on
the bottom edge and around the skylights?

I did cut the top one inch off of FUS-9 because it was touching the
windshield but it still seems to be touching. Do I trim more off the

FUS-9

or can I open up the windshield clearance around the FUS? I don't know

how

much the wing root fairing will cover here. (Thanks, Bob, for suggesting
that the fairing go only about five inches back for future float
installation access). Terry


-----Original Message-----
From: Wayne G. O'Shea <oifa@irishfield.on.ca>
To: murphy-rebel@dcsol.com <murphy-rebel@dcsol.com>
Date: Sunday, June 02, 2002 2:44 PM
Subject: Re: Rebel windshield

Terry!

If you received a moulded windshield, post 1995, it DOES NOT need the

center

brace tube. Only the, very few, very first ones did (mine installed

winter

1995 did not). They now (for the last 7+ years) have a proud spot moulded
into them that keeps them from popping in from air pressure in flight.

Also DO NOT drill any holes into the windshield like the original
installation showed. The windshield can be fitted and the retainer laid

up

to hold it in place without any holes being drilled into it. This allows

it

to free float, without a 100 holes to start a crack from.

The forward skylights (eyebrows) will need to be cut out before final
installation, as the windshield covers this area to the first cabin
bulkhead. I also like to leave the windshield out, if you plan on

painting

before flight, as this allows the instrument deck and the "eyebrow" area,
carrythrough etc to be painted into your scheme.

I still prefer to use the aluminum strip, that was supplied in the older
kits, to retain the windshield sides and top, which then only requires
laying up a fiberglass retainer for the bottom edge. Then everything can

be

removed, except the fiberglass retainer that can be riveted down to the

deck

and sanded smooth etc and then everything painted. Then the windshield

can

be put in place and the side and top retainers bolted in place. If you

ever

crack a windshield at a later time, then it is very easy to unbolt the
retainers and tip the old windshield out of the lower retainer. Take some
tracing paper (or similar) and lay it out over the cracked windshield and
use an exacto knife to trim your pattern. Then tape to new windshield and
trace the pattern and trim. Throw back in with some new gooo tape and

bolt

the retainers back on. As for the gooo, I prefer to still use butylene

tape,

that is available from any auto/boat windshield installer (I pay my local
guy $5.00 cash for a good size roll that does about 3 windshields!). I

don't

like the tube of goo that MAM has been supplying lately, as it just gets
everywhere and requires an assistant to work with it so someone can hold

the

windshield back while you use a caulking gun to apply. Much easier to cut
off strips of tape and stick to the forward retainer lip and up the sides
and over the top. Then place the windshield with it tipped forward, slip

it

forward against the retainer while tipping it down onto the roof and bolt
the retainers in place (practice this without the goo tape in place a few
times to get the motion right first!!). Put some thin weather stripping

foam

on the inside of the aluminum retainers where they touch the windshield,

so

they don't dig/wear into the acrylic. Then push the lower edge of the
windshield tight against the retainer to get the goo tape to stick and if
you can park it out in the sun to heat up and do the same again. Fill the
gap going around the leading edge area and the small gap, that usually is
present between the cabin roof and the windshield, with small strips of

goo

tape and just roll and press into place to seal it off along the edge.

Think I took some pictures when I changed Charles D's from old Lexan to

new

moulded windshield. If I get time later today I will post to site.

Cheers,
Wayne G. O'Shea
www.irishfield.on.ca

----- Original Message -----
From: "Terry Sack" <tasack@gcfn.org>
To: <murphy-rebel@dcsol.com>
Cc: "Norm Wandke" <newcog@aol.com>
Sent: Sunday, June 02, 2002 1:02 PM
Subject: Rebel windshield

I'm installing the preformed windshield. There are no instructions in

my

manual for the preformed, only the lexan make-it-yourself one.

Is the center winshield brace still needed with the preformed?

Are there any special gotchas I should look out for? How tight a fit

should

be achieved around the wing root area? Does the wing root fairing

cover

this part of the windshield?

Is there any improvement, or installation I should do around the panel
before installing the windshield permanently? I'm thinking about the
defroster holes, skylights, and the sun visors, etc. Thanks, Terry

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