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Old 03-26-2018, 01:34 PM   #1
Ford1930
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Default Wind Wings

Are the etched wind wings (for open Model A's) official Ford accessories?
What is the proper way to install them on an open Model A? I welcome your reactions!
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Old 03-26-2018, 01:56 PM   #2
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Default Re: Wind Wings

I don’t think that Ford offered etched wind wings back then, but I’ve been wrong much of my almost 30 years of marriage.
On open cars the wind wing clamps bolt through the windshield stanchions.
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Old 03-26-2018, 03:33 PM   #3
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Default Re: Wind Wings

I have a 29 Roadster that came with wind wings when I bought it and they are a PIA. The car has so much vibration they kept falling off. One time one fell off and luckily it landed on the Running Board. The next time I was able to catch it before it fell On the road!

The problem with the vibration is probably due to my tendency to over-rev the engine in low and second gears. I'm used to driving my Toyota Corolla with a five speed manual trans. Those small 4 bangers allow you to rev up the engine to 3-4K rpm easily. I've been told to shift the Model A quickly from 1st to 2nd and from 2nd to 3rd.

Some guy told me to put some adhesive on the rubber pad and the glass but I haven't gotten around to it. I just took them off. I also understand the repo rubber pads need to be modified.

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Old 03-26-2018, 04:16 PM   #4
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Default Re: Wind Wings

The repo vintique brackets have to be adjusted square on to have any chance of holding the glass.

To make it real secure, fit the glass then mark where the rubber is and sandblast that spot on both sides of the glass and the insides of the bracket, and use some locktite glue, they will never fall off then.
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Old 03-26-2018, 05:18 PM   #5
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Default Re: Wind Wings

I have a different solution. Mine tended to fall out now and then and I figured it was because of the vibration and the weight of the glass. I have left the glass wings on the shelf and use Perspex replacements. They are much lighter and the rubber pads grip them well. The downside: they are more prone to scratching. The ones on my tourer have been there for about 10 years and 50-60 thousand miles.
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Old 03-26-2018, 08:40 PM   #6
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This’s how they attach on my ‘28 roadster.
I had a similar experience with them coming loose and falling off.
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Old 03-26-2018, 08:42 PM   #7
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Default Re: Wind Wings

Forgot to post the pictures...duh!

Last edited by Vern; 05-30-2020 at 08:00 PM.
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Old 03-26-2018, 09:03 PM   #8
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Default Re: Wind Wings

I have had four open cars that I have installed the wind wings on. With each one of them, on the pinch clamps, I had to drill and tap for US fasteners that would not strip out and would properly be long enough to hold the glass right and tight. Adhesive rubber pads give the pinch clamps that extra bite. I have had success every time, but not without a close study of where to make the adjustments of the pinch clamps. I wouldn't leave home without the wind wings, they make a big difference on the pleasure for your riding comfort.
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Old 03-27-2018, 12:20 AM   #9
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Default Re: Wind Wings

I started out with perspex when I almost fell over when a glass co wanted $390 for a pair, but after a couple of years, you could pick they were perspex from the other side of the street and it spoiled the car..

I hunted around and got them for $150 , then sandblasted a nice little Model A logo at the bottom.
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Old 03-27-2018, 04:04 AM   #10
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Default Re: Wind Wings

Have you got a Picture? Now I am Interested!
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Old 03-27-2018, 04:05 AM   #11
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Default Re: Wind Wings

Great good Pictures! Thank You!
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Old 03-27-2018, 04:06 AM   #12
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Default Re: Wind Wings

All Pictures about Wind Wings are Welcome!
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Old 03-27-2018, 05:16 AM   #13
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Default Re: Wind Wings

Quote:
Originally Posted by pooch View Post
I started out with perspex when I almost fell over when a glass co wanted $390 for a pair, but after a couple of years, you could pick they were perspex from the other side of the street and it spoiled the car..

I hunted around and got them for $150 , then sandblasted a nice little Model A logo at the bottom.
Can't remember what I paid but I think it was about 10% of that. They saw you coming!
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Old 03-27-2018, 10:25 AM   #14
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Default Re: Wind Wings

The black rubber strips that come with the pinch clamps did not work for me. Glass slid down and out of the clamps on first outing.

Replaced the black rubber with 3-M gray double sided body molding adhesive strips. Its also important to ensure the pinch clamps are parallel to the glass.

Glass wings now stay in place and I can keep both hands on the steering wheel as needed.
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Old 03-27-2018, 10:55 AM   #15
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Default Re: Wind Wings

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Originally Posted by SSsssteamer View Post
I have had four open cars that I have installed the wind wings on. With each one of them, on the pinch clamps, I had to drill and tap for US fasteners that would not strip out and would properly be long enough to hold the glass right and tight. Adhesive rubber pads give the pinch clamps that extra bite. I have had success every time, but not without a close study of where to make the adjustments of the pinch clamps. I wouldn't leave home without the wind wings, they make a big difference on the pleasure for your riding comfort.
SSsssteamer,

I like your idea and would appreciate it if you could post a pictures of the US fasteners and how you installed them.

A lot of great ideas here. Thanks to all of you.

David Serrano
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Old 03-27-2018, 11:23 AM   #16
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Default Re: Wind Wings

My car had wind wings on it when my Dad bought it in '64. Car was supposedly all original back then, but the wings could have been added at some point along the way. They are so old that they are slowly turning yellow. I have left them, never took them apart when car was refreshed in the 80's and they are very secure. No etching tho, never heard of that being original. Love 'em, they work great.
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Old 03-27-2018, 11:48 AM   #17
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Default Re: Wind Wings

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Originally Posted by California Travieso View Post
SSsssteamer,

I like your idea and would appreciate it if you could post a pictures of the US fasteners and how you installed them.

A lot of great ideas here. Thanks to all of you.

David Serrano
Probably I should have said SAE fasteners rather than US fasteners. The reproduction import wind wing clamps that we get have metric fasteners that are tapped too shallow and are poorly fitted to the wind wing clamps. The wind wing clamps have to clamp parallel and tightly to the glass to work properly. Properly fitting fasteners are a must and that is why I now always replace them with proper fitting fasteners. Having SAE taps and dies handy, is why I replace the metric fasteners with SAE fasteners. Nothing much more to it than that. Using proper fitting fasteners makes a big improvement.
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Old 03-27-2018, 12:43 PM   #18
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Default Re: Wind Wings

Please post pictures of what they look like now.
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Old 03-27-2018, 03:39 PM   #19
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Default Re: Wind Wings

Wind wing bracket photo taken from the right inside. You can see my new fasteners. They make a world of difference.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg Wind wing 1.jpg (36.1 KB, 92 views)
File Type: jpg Wind wing 2.jpg (29.9 KB, 86 views)
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Old 03-27-2018, 04:29 PM   #20
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Default Re: Wind Wings

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Originally Posted by SSsssteamer View Post
Wind wing bracket photo taken from the right inside. You can see my new fasteners. They make a world of difference.
Yes. I can see them well. Thanks a lot.

David Serrano
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Old 03-27-2018, 04:59 PM   #21
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Default Re: Wind Wings

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Originally Posted by SSsssteamer View Post
Probably I should have said SAE fasteners rather than US fasteners. The reproduction import wind wing clamps that we get have metric fasteners that are tapped too shallow and are poorly fitted to the wind wing clamps. The wind wing clamps have to clamp parallel and tightly to the glass to work properly. Properly fitting fasteners are a must and that is why I now always replace them with proper fitting fasteners. Having SAE taps and dies handy, is why I replace the metric fasteners with SAE fasteners. Nothing much more to it than that. Using proper fitting fasteners makes a big improvement.
Ii agree that the fasteners that come with the WW sets are crappy. That's nothing to do with them being metric, just made on the cheap. The soft metal used in the clamps won't hold a fine thread as well as a coarse one, then there is the fact that they are made sloppy in the first place. The coarser SAE (or Whitworth) thread is much better.
FWIW, the softer the metal, the coarser the thread that should be used. That's why the end of the head studs that go in the soft cast iron block are coarser than the thread in the harder nuts.
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Old 03-28-2018, 07:53 AM   #22
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Default Re: Wind Wings

Thanks! Good pictures.
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Old 03-28-2018, 04:02 PM   #23
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Default Re: Wind Wings

I have always had wind wing troubles. I've changed rubber, glued rubber, changed to s.a.e. screws and still had them to slide down and lost one. Someone on here years back said to mark your glass and then take them off of car and drill a hole in glass where you can drill a hole in clamp part way into it on each clamp but not always through. I hope I explained that right. It makes a dowel so to speak that want let the glass fall all the way out. It has worked for a long time but still have to tighten screws once in awhile but never have lost one yet.
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Old 03-28-2018, 04:10 PM   #24
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Default Re: Wind Wings

There are perspex wings at the lower scale of cheap and nasty that you can drill.

Then laminate which also look cheap as you can see the plastic core that you can drill.

BUT you cannot drill tempered glass.
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Old 03-28-2018, 04:13 PM   #25
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..............drill a hole in glass where you can drill a hole in clamp part way into it on each clamp but not always through. I hope I explained that right. It makes a dowel so to speak that won't let the glass fall all the way out. It has worked for a long time but still have to tighten screws once in awhile but never have lost one yet.
Beware. The wind wing glass that we have today is mandated by law to be made of tempered glass. Drilling a divot, notch, or a hole will usually make the tempered glass shatter into a pile of glass crystals. Roughing up the tempered glass in the right place with sand paper should be enough to get a good grip. I had a 1922 Stanley that I had some custom made beveled glass wind wings made for it. After they were finally tempered, my bill came to $600. If I could have bypassed the tempering, I could have got them done for about half that. I accidentally broke one of the custom wind wings. In the end, I hung model A Ford roadster wind wings on the Stanley steam car.
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Old 03-29-2018, 11:40 AM   #26
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My glass is tempered and it didn't shatter. Maybe I was lucky. I put them in the sink and ran water on them as I drilled the holes with a dremel with a diamond dust bit.
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Old 03-29-2018, 04:11 PM   #27
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Default Re: Wind Wings

You have plate glass is why you can drill it.
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