Sedan Windshield frames

Josh,
Thanks for the tech details on how the frames are made.
I may have gotten N/C's contact info from you a while ago - I didn't remember who had put me on to them. If so, I'm glad to give credit where it's due!

I was selling these frames to Cord owners some years ago. I found the company at Hershey where they were showing frames for Grahams and Hupps. Well, if they can make them for Hollywoods and Skylarks . . .

The most interesting part is that the frame starts as a FLAT strip of steel. They own the original manufacturer's tooling, which pulls the strip through a set of rollers and dies that form it into that complex cross-section. Then they bend it to the frame shape. That tight curve at the lower outboard corner was very difficult to get right, they told me. Lots of early rejects.

Don't despair, but also don't keep banging your head against the wall with old frames or aluminum reproductions. Old ones will always pop rust holes from the inside out no matter how you prep them or how good the re-chroming job. Aluminum ones usually don't fit and you can't chrome them properly (ever seen what happens to chrome on aluminum wheels?).

I was desperate (and so was my body/paint expert, who tried everything to repair my old frames) until I found N/C Industries Antique Auto Parts in Sayre, PA 18840. It turns out they can actually make perfect steel reproductions of the originals! I received my set a couple of months ago and can't believe how good they are. They look to me to be better than original. The rolled steel extrusions (the cross-section of the frames) are perfect (I have no idea where they get the material or whether they make it themselves) and the frames are bent into the exact correct shape. They actually fit into my sedan body better than the old frames. The corner connector "Ls", corner castings, and screws are all included, and all of the other mounting holes are drilled and tapped. The frames are not chromed - you'll have to do that yourself. But they are nicely finished and need only some easy sanding/polishing by you or the chrome shop to get them ready for plating.

They do production runs on a demand basis, so you should call and get on their production schedule. I had my frames less than two weeks after they called me to confirm my order. Price was $620 including shipping (very well packed). A bargain in my book.

Call them at 570-888-6216. Ask for Kevin or Bob. They're great!

Thought I was lucky when I scored a nice set of windshield frames some years ago. Had them chromed, and they've been wrapped up ever since. Now, during the unvieling for thier use finally, I notice that they've rusted pretty badly whilst in storage from the inside out.
I do have a set of alum. repros, but the glas doesn't seem to fit into them as well, nor the external rubber gasket. Has anyone had any luck with the alum. repro units? Any tricks to them? I'm tired of going around the block w/o the windshields!
Thanks, RF.