MTFCA Forum

What I’ve learned trying to get the upper windshield frame to raise on my 1913 Ford Touring.

1) I am not too bright
2) I am not that smart
3) I don’t have any idea what I’m doing

I have repeatedly soaked the hinges with creeping oil.
I tried to turn the slotted bolts on the outside of the hinges on both sides of the car with no luck.
I tried to see if the brass cylinder on the interior side of each hinge would spin off but they seem to just turn with no result.
I don’t see any explanation in the shop manual or other pieces of original literature I have.
I will feel even worse if I am the first person in the history of the MTFCA to have this problem and not be able to figure it out.

Dumb Gene in NJ

I see "knurling" on the outer brass cylinder - did you attempt (with assistance) to hold the knurled part while turning the large slotted screw ?

Interesting dilemma you have.
Could be your trying to be to careful in trying to get the windshield hinges to move. They moved before and will move again.
Of course you have to be careful not to break something but something needs to move to get it to open. Have you used a two handed screwdriver on the slot head screws on the hinge?
It’s a large screwdriver around 18-24” long that usually has a square shank or shaft you can use a wrench on besides you left hand. You can also grind off the end of the screwdriver just a bit to get a good tight fit in the head of the screw.
Good luck and you will eventually get it to move.

Thank you Steve and John.

If the hinges are so stiff that you are afraid of damaging the frames, you can always take the hinges completely off of the frames. That way you can work the hinges by themselves one at a time.

Ed,
Good advice if need be.
I was considering that very thing if I couldn't get things freed up.

Thanks,
Gene

I just reread your post.

The brass cylinder will just pull off. It is just a cover. Inside you will find a nut and spring. You can loosen the nut to take pressure off the spring.

Here is a picture of mine with the cover off.

I was trying to spin that cover off.
Duh!

Thanks Ed!

I won’t admit to how long I spun mine around till I figured out they just pull off!

Misery loves company.
Lol

You’re better than the guy who drives it that way for 40 years because he doesn’t ask the question.

She has risen!
Alleluia, Alleluia
Thank you to everyone who helped with great suggestions.

Gene

Good deal! Looks like things did move after all. Did you have to loosen anything or just give it a little more ‘umphh’ to get it to move. Whatever you did it worked!

John,
Ed Fuller's post (above) enlightened me as to why the brass covers on the interior side of the hinge would not screw or turn off.
Answer - They're covers that just pull off revealing a nut that can be loosened.
A couple turns of the nut with a 19/32 wrench and we're now in business!

Thanks again MTFCA and everyone who posted.
It was a proud moment (like when Neil Armstrong stepped onto the surface of the moon in '69).
By the way, I was 10 years old during that historic event and angry that the Mets game was interrupted by NASA.

Gene