Curved windows on B31

[Michael]

Hello,
looking for advise/tips on the best way to seperate the frames and remove the curved plexiglass. Ideally I would like to remove the plexi in one piece so as to use as a template to make up new ones.
Thanks.
michael

[Pete Fallon]

Mike,
The curved windows on the forward winshield are attached by T-bolts that are inserted into the outter frame track. Get a couple of cans of corrosion X (red can) or PB Blaster. Spray entire frame inside and out and let set for 2 days. Start at the conners and work all around use wood or plastic wedges to pry the frame away from the Plexi glass, you might have to drill out screw heads if the are messed up. The T- bolts can be found at any large plumbing supply house, they come in either brass or stainless steel. The original screws were fine thread bolts, I went up one size to cover any screwed ups in the counter sunk holes in the inner frame. It is a slow time consuming job, try your best to get them out in one piece because every frame was a little different on each boat they built. If your in the Northeast Multifab in Dorchester(Boston) has the pattern off my windows from 1994, I had them build 4 curved panels for my express and it was $800.00 back then. There are a couple of places here in Florida that can do them, Danny at Tides Marine and American Marine in Pompano are the one's I can think of. Good luck with the project and if anyone else has a trick to working the windows out, chime in. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Pete Fallon

[Pete Fallon]

Mike,
I forgot to mention that the windows were bedded into the frames with Dolphinite bedding compound so don't be alarmed if you start seeing brown goo on the frames. You can use a heated thin blade putty knife to cut thru the Dolphinite if it starts to hang up on the frames. Use black commerical grade silcon sealant when you replace the Plexiglass, made by GE. Also in the upper and lower conners were triangluar wedges that are screwed into the frames next to the opening windows. If you end up jacking up the entire roof, there are threaded rods between the outter and center sections of the forward frames, you have to drop the head liner for the top access to the nuts and inside the hanging lockers for the bottom nuts. If your slidding windows are in need of replacement, the fuzzy stuff has to be removed via flat head slotted screws that are in the window tracks. Just the replacement of the curved Plexiglass panels can turn into a major replacement of other window parts, so take it slow and plan out how far you want to go this winter. The opening front windows have a grey bulb seal on the inside of the framework on the glass itself, replacing the bulb seal will cut down on forward window leakage by 50%, the bulb seal can be purchased at any large glass company, it is not cheap but worth the cost just in leak aggravation clean up every time it rains or you wash the boat.
Pete Fallon

[mike ohlstein]

The way this works is that the outer frame has a track on the underside. In the track are T-bolts that fit into the track one way and are then rotated 90 degrees to lock into place. The bolts pass through the fiberglass and into the inside frame, where they're held in place by acorn nuts.

You will probably find that some of the old T-bolts are welded on to the frames due to their being dissimilar metals. You might have to grind some of them out, and you might need to weld in some filler to make things right again. The new nuts are going to have to fit right back in the same spots as the old ones, so it's important to get those spots cleaned up properly. And try not to bend that inner track. Aluminum gives you one bend, then it's either soft or it snaps.

When you're ready to put it back together, try to find the stainless T-bolts. You might (will...) have to grind the heads a bit to make them fit in the track. The brass bolts are usually very soft and will snap if you over tighten them. If that happens, there's no way to fix them without removing the entire assembly. On the other hand, the stainless ones will pull right out of the aluminum track if you over tighten, so go easy. Either way, some marine quality anti-seize on the bolt heads will make the job easier next time.

The T-bolts will be long and will need to be cut to size. When you put the whole assembly back in place, do it with the bolts at their full length. Use regular hex nuts to snug things down. On day one, a little loose is better than a little tight. You can tighten slightly on day two. Once it all sits for another day or two, snip the ends of the bolts off (they'll be on the inside of the boat...). Then you just clean up the threads by running the hex nuts off, and replace the hex nuts with acorn nuts.

[Michael]

Thanks for tips - does not look like this is going to be easy. Yes all my bolts are corroded and "welded" to the frames. Wonder if I should just try to cut them out and removed outer frame that way. Where can I get new T bolts in SS that will fit the track?
Michael

[mike ohlstein]

They're hard to find. Here are some sources of similar items. You might want to contact these people and see if they can direct you to exactly what you need.

http://www.reidsupply.com/products/tool ... s/t-bolts/

http://www.amazon.com/b?ie=UTF8&node=16409701

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=1573

http://www.fryerindustries.com/products-t-bolts.php

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/t-bolt ... alog/N-9np

[Mikey]

Michael,
I may have some T-bolts left over from my restoration. I'll look. When you get the windows apart measure the length of the bolts as there are two different lengths depending on the age of your boat. If I have matching bolts you are welcome to them. I will be out of Virginia most of January so don't disparage. I shall return.

[Michael]

Mike O - thank for the links, as I do not live in the USA, this will be a help. I will be in South Florida in early Jan on my way back from BVI and will look for them then.

Mikey thanks for the offer. My boat is a 1970, and I do not know the length just yet as windowns not apart. Too long is not a problem, I can cut, rethread etc.

Mike A

[Pete Fallon]

Mike,
Wool Plumbing Supply is a large plumbing supply company with offices in Miami, Sunrise, Ft Lauderdale ans West Palm Beach. They had the t-bolts back in 1997 when I was building Jupiter 31's. They were brass, maybe they have stainless at this time.
Pete Fallon

[Goober]

I have a 78 FBC with no front windshield and no marks to indicate that any were removed did Bertram stop with windshields before 78 or am I missing something

[Tommy]

Goober, fiberglass blanks have been a popular aftermarket product for owners who choose to replace their stock hinged windows. To my knowledge, all stock 31s had the hinged glass windows from the factory.

[Goober]

Thanks tommy I didn't have a clue about blanks whoever put these in was or is good No drips runs or errors thanks agin

[Goober]

While I'm here t bolts for toilets are brass I don't know the purity but they last a long time in that environment

[Pete Fallon]

Goober,
I usede the brass T-bolts from a plumbing supply house, they have been in the window frames since 1995 with no signs of corrosion, I used lots of Tef gel when they were installed.
Like Tommy said the front windows were factory issued aluminum, the fiberglass replacements were first put in by Homsey in Jupiter back in the 90's. and every replacement frame fits in differently, some need a lot of fooling with others not so much.
Pete Fallon

[Harry Babb]

for what its worth

I used common SS 1/4" carriage bolts and simply ground a flat on the head so that it would fit the slot in the aluminum frame......you can get them at most any hardware store......they are 18-8 grade


hb

[Goober]

More goood , useful info thanks agin Goober

[bobfioresi]

i am todays expert replacing the curved window on mt 31 express. unfortunitly , a guy was fishing in the back of his boat and was using downriggers while trolling. we were drifting down stream and he was trolling upstream.i saw him coming but thougt i saw someone at the wheel but it turned out to be a big old compass on his dashboard that i thouht was a head. when he was close , i was in the cockpit and ran up tostart the engine and put her in reverse but his pulpit crashed thru my curved window. he just bent the frame very slightly. I took out what was left of the window, removed the acorn nuts and tried to tape out thetheads using a piece of wood .no go so i put the acorns back on and taped wi th a lead hammer, no good. i then took acarpet knike and put it between the outside and inside frame and cut the gray anhesive which after 50 years was still pliable. after the frames sort of separated i taped the acorns and the outside frame started to separate.when it came apart i took the frame outer and sprayed the t nuts with corrison x and took my carpet knife and scraped around the t bolts that were kind of frozen in the outside frame and cleaned off the powder. i then put a screw driver in the channel and tapped the t bolts until they movedi then took my knife and put it between the inside frame and plexiglass window until it separated.cleaned everything and walla had to do the same thing on the replacement window i bought from a guy that changed his windows to fibreglass. I'll tell you it was labor intensive.I called danny at hi tide and i think he said $550-.00 a pair but i had to send him the old one thati didn't have as it was broken i also called american marine and he sai d i think $800.00 a pair. An option would be to ask the site if anyone has a pair they took out that is in good shape. we had to fit and cut the replacement. it was not difficult, just time consuming good luck

[Raybo Marine NY]

Think i paid 400-450 for a pair locally, no shipping no fuss no muss

[bob lico]

What a damm shame. I remove my windshield in excellent shape and tried to give away for small donation to site.the windshield layed around a year so I cut it up and disposed now I see request for curved windows.one more time I have side windows with greylite 12 tinted lucite install in original frames primed and painted awlgrip oyster white (closest match to OEM white gel- cote) . Free just,ale donation to site!

[my other east]

Bob,
just sent you a pm

[Pete Fallon]

Bob Lico,
Bob do you happen to have the trim pieces that went between the 2 glass sliders, sort of a double U joint arrangement to keep the water from getting into the salon. Someone decided that they needed them more than I did and stole them a while back off my boat, they are aluminum about 18" long, trying to keep the boat all original as possible.
If anyone else has them please let me know, I posted this same message about a year ago with no luck. Cell 561-310-7179. Happy New Year to all the faithful.
Pete Fallon

[bob lico]

Sorry Pete I dispose of them. The only parts I have are those short 45 degree chrome support pipes that support the starboard side of the original bridge rail (two pieces). I also have both hawes pipes and cleats .

[bobfioresi]

bob happy new year. saw your post and am interested in the side windows. the guy that hit me also cracked the starboard window but i didn't want to change it one port window is also cracked. if the other guy doesn't want them, i'll take them. i'm in montauk and can pick them up in may as i'm in fla. for the winter. if a problem, my son lives in east islip and can pick them up thanx send me an e mail when you find out happy new year

[bob lico]

Bob I have not forgot you I have four people whom want them , needless to say shipping windows is a major criteria of who I decide to get them.

[bobfioresi]

bob thanx for getting back to me I don't need the frames, just the glass