Category: Progress

I finally installed the metal header. It is held on by lots of nails, and also the joints at each end are soldered. I used stainless steel nails, which I found by accident in the hardware store. I also figured out how to use a bit of rubber tubing to seal around the hole where the windshield wiper goes, so that rain would not get into that hole and start rusting out the inside of the over-windshield area.

I started working on the header area back in April, so I am glad to get it (mostly) finished. I still need to put some filler in the joints on each end, to get a smooth contour between the header, the windshield pillars, and the roof.

I fixed the mis-aligned windshield wiper hole in the wooden header.

I went through all the old rusty nails and bits of anti-squeak I saved when I took apart the header a year or two ago. The header is complicated: there are lots of nails, and there are also two other metal pieces that run across the top of the windshield opening. Hopefully I will get the header nailed and soldered in place over the weekend.

I made a small patch (about 3/4″ x 3″) and brazed it into place on the metal header, where it had once upon a time gotten damaged. Then I primed the header with epoxy primer.

I noticed that the hole in the wood header for the windshield wiper shaft does not line up very well with the hole in the metal header. I will have to fill the hole and drill a new one about 1/8″ to one side.

Today I bead-blasted the metal header cover (that goes above the windshield).