how to remove speedster windshield frame from body?

[tom collingwood]

Anybody have experience on how to get the lower frame section out of the body?
I have the bolts out... but the "legs" really are "stuck".

[tom collingwood]

The lower chrome legs appear to be stuck!
Any advise on how to get them out without hurting them.

[Tom Keating]

You can try spraying them with Kroil. or any really good penetrating oil for a few days. Slowly turn them in the hole. Do not bang or twist. They do and will break.

[Roy Smalley]

In extreme cases, the posts rust so much they weld themselves to the car. Hopefully yours are not that bad.

Drench the post from the top as best you can over several days as mentioned. Kroil.

If you can twist them by hand that would be good. Drench it more after they loosen. Many times we have to use a pair of vice grips or large slip joint pliers. Obviously you want to protect the post with wrapping or say, wood stir sticks.

Along with twisting you may need to insert screw driver between the bottom of the post and the cowl with a shim between the screw driver and the cowl to leverage & prevent damage to the cowl, and pry. Carefully perhaps trying to twist as well.

You might insert a longer bolt and see if you can tap the post upward with a hammer, along with the two mentioned ways above. (or you might try that first after drenching...I have also used an air hammer with success.

Persistence and patience. Don't get carried away using more brute strength than needed.

[Craig Richter]

Tom, Those windshield posts can be a B***H to remove on old Speedsters! The posters above all have good info, but none of it may help. The good bodyshops BITD made custom slide-hammer pieces that bolted to the posts, used lots of penetrating oil (didn't have Croil back then), long bolts from the bottom to beat on, and as Roy says, persistence and patience.
Now, if you want to be nice to the next caretaker, after you have the posts rechromed, tap the threads so the new bolts turn freely. Use a PROPER tapered reamer until the posts are an easy slip fit. Use LOTS of anti-seize upon re-assembley. St. Peter is going to award you points when the time comes.

[tom collingwood]

thanks fellas!

[Leo Dreisilker]

My body shop used a slide hammer as per the way Craig Richter described. It was still very difficult on the drivers side and took a few days of soaking and going back at it.