1961 Fiberform Restoration - Windshield Clips Options?

[rdh2059]

I'm nearly complete with the restoration of a family heirloom 1961 Fiberform Runabout. The transom had rotted to the point where it was mostly pulled out by hand in chunks! Anyway, that is all replaced, the top is back on and the new rubrail is installed. While all this was going on, I had the windshield, which was still in one piece but cracked, replaced. The plexiglas part of the windshield itself is perfectly duplicated! These windshields are compound curves from top to bottom, end to end, so not something I could to at home... Anyway, when it came back, the plexiglas pulled out of the frame when it was installed. Took it back, a few weeks later, it happened again! Then after a third time, when the windshield got back, I left it in the garage for a couple weeks and the windshield had already started pulling out of the frame, despite the adequate amount of sealant!

The problem is that when these were originally made, they had little metal clips that pinched the plexiglas and clipped into tracks in the aluminum frame, holding the windshield and the frame together by pinching the clips between them. From what I can tell, these clips are no longer available and none of them survived the 50+ years when the windshield was removed.

What are my options? Some options I can come up with are:
1. Urethane or Epoxy glue to bond the frame and windshield together.
2. Drill several very small holes (1/16?) on the inside of the windshield frame thru the plexiglas and pin it together.

Are these clips available anywhere? I have had no luck finding them...
Are there any other options?

 

[GA_Boater]

Check with the windshield builder. They may have the clips since some supply complete framed plexi W/S and other customers have the same problem with rotted clips. Mine were shot too, but I went with another windshield.

 

[rdh2059]

The windshield was made by Middy Plastics in Redmond, WA. He said the clips are no longer available. Hence this search and query... ;-)

 

[sphelps]

How about these ? https://www.iboats.com/shop/taylor-made-windshield-hold-down-4-card.html

 

[rdh2059]

Nope. These are similar to window clips used in older cars. Little black metal clips. These are U shaped with barbs on the sides that clip into ridges in the windshield base extrusion. Barbs on the plexiglas side to hold it and larger clips on the outside to clip into the extrusion.

 

[chevymaher]

Picture of what you do have would help. if they are like anything a car used go to a body shop supply with one. They got catalogs of crap like that.

 

[rdh2059]

The clips were in the frame for 50+ years. They turned into high iron content "sand" as soon as the windshield was removed from the frame, so there is no possibility of a picture.