WH View Finder Windshield Frame

[bknbronco]

I am getting a glass tub very soon and have to decide on what to do with the windshield frame. I have to get a windshield frame to put on when i do the tub so i can get the steel cowl piece in place and glassed in. I definatly want a viewfinder frame in my bronco! to save some money now i could get a standard frame for mock up and then do the view finder down the road, and sell the standard frame. Something tells me i should have the viewfinder frame for mock up, and having it now would make installation easyer than when everything is assembled. Plus i can enjoy it right away! It seems nobody on here has the viewfinder frame so im kinda a guine pig on the install.

P.S. im 6'4" tall and i will be raising my seat brackets up until my head is almost touching the roof! I also live in Minnesota where it snow like 9 months out of the year so having the wipers on the bottom is gona be a huge plus for me! And the glass tub is gona be a huge chore to get put on so whats a few extra days for a windshield frame install

I got over 100 hits and only 9 votes?:? If your not familar with the viewfinder windshield frame its from Wild Horses. Its a ss frame that has the wipers on the bottom. If you buy the kit with ss wiper arms and the moter its a thousand bucks. Check it out...its sweet! Solves alot of problems with the factory setup.

 

[NY-Bronco]

I voted get it. But that will depend on a few things. Are you ready to do all that fabrication for the wipers? How will the glass tub deal with the mods. And finally are you that tall to need the extra inch to see. Otherwise its just not worth the additional cost and work.

 

[DonsBolt]

I say go for it now, as this is the time to figure out the wipers

Though being 6'4" why are you raising the seats?????
I would think you want them as low as you can get them.

 

[BigPrince]

I'm 6'7" and we had to cut out the driver's side floor pan to match the passengers side so I could lower the seat to clear the roll cage. My head was sticking 3" past the roll cage originally.

I've thought about getting the viewfinder also but it's way down the list.

 

[Izzy]

Do it now, you will spend less time and money in the long run and you will be much happier with it Go on, click that purchase button, you know you want to.

 

[broncodriver99]

I vote get it now. It is on my to do list but I have a lot more work to do before I get there. If you do get it a tech article would be great.

 

[bknbronco]

I talked with Gary this evening (he is the guy who makes these for wild horses). Asked some important questions and he had great info for me. He is gona email me some pics. Its hard to pull the trigger on a thousand dollar windshield frame! If in the US you have to buy it from WH, if your in canada you can buy it directly from Gary.

He emailed me a few pics and a couple of them had a bad ass bronco with that viewfinder windshield and it had doors with the wing windows deleted! WOW now thats a work of art! Wish i was a subscriber and could post pics. If someone gives me there email i will forward the pic so you can post it up here. I asked him if he makes them doors or knows who made them. Waiting to hear back.

 

[DirtDonk]

It's a lot of money for sure (almost too much perhaps), but I don't see this as a "do one now, the other later" kind of project. Not like a 2.5" front coil when you really want 3.5", because you can do that any time for under 200 bucks, have them in in half an hour, and sell the old ones in a hurry.
A windshield frame is NOT something I would want to do twice, especially when you know for sure you're going to do the other one anyway.
With the fiberglass though, at least you're not welding then cutting it out again, so there's that I suppose.

Paul

 

[bknbronco]

Would you guys paint it or leave it the brushed stainless?

 

[Slowpony]

I don't want to derail the thread...
The viewfinder has a hinge, but as I look at it the new windsheild can't be laid down. It looks like the new windsheild wipers would hit the hood first. Does anyone know if this is the case? Or is if just me.

I'd like to get the pictures if I could.

 

[bknbronco]

The viewfinder cannot be laid down as is! If You remove the wiper arms it will lay down further, but the posts will still hit the hood. Im thinking that down the road i will make small indentations in the hood where the posts hit so that the windshield frame can be laid down. That and using the rubber bumpers like a jeep uses to cushen the windshield frame should make folding it down a breeze!

 

[DirtDonk]

Personally, I'd paint it.
Not that I don't like the look of stainless, or that it might not be cool to show off your nifty and pretty rare part, and point out what good taste I have. I just don't think it would look as good with most color combos as body-color would.
I've even painted perfectly good aluminum intake manifolds the same color as the rest of the engine because I thought that (at least in those cases) it looked entirely appropriate. And in cases like this, I actually DO like the look of aluminum on engines. Just thought paint would look better in those instances.

Paul

 

[bknbronco]

I agree DirtDonk! id rather have it a sleeper windshield frame. 99.9 percent of folks would never notice it if it were painted!

I think ill paint it black to match the soft top and also the top frames of my doors are black. Ill tape off the ss hinge, and leave that raw ss, so as to avoid any paint chips when folded up and down. Im am now thinking that i should mount the glass like this....

http://classicbroncos.com/forums/showthread.php?t=170069&highlight=windshield

Would this make the frame a work of art or should i just stick with the old gasket way? Oh i dont have any gasket or glass right now so now is the time to do it this way.

 

[ourkansasbronco]

How did windshield frame turn out?

Just wondering how it turned out for you or if you have any suggestions. I ordered mine from WH today mainly due to my height, but my bronco is in process of being prepped for paint. I thought it would allow me to get out more rust by removing spot welds. Planning on painting frame except for actual hinge that will chip.

 

[LawNerd]

I bought the WH windshield frame but haven't installed it yet. Do you have any pics on how to hide the wiper motor and the wiper arms? I want to be sure it looks really clean once installed.
thanks!

 

[lowbush]

I ended up buying the stainless replacement window. Basically the stock looking window frame but in stainless. I just don't like the look of the viewfinder, I think it changes the front silhouette of the truck to much. I am however very happy with my SS frame.

 

[bknbronco]

I bought the WH windshield frame but haven't installed it yet. Do you have any pics on how to hide the wiper motor and the wiper arms? I want to be sure it looks really clean once installed.
thanks!

The arms you wouldnt hide! There on the outside of the glass!

But the linkage gets hidden with some stainless pieces that are included in the kit.

There is nothing included to hide the motor.

 

[half cab]

I voted.....

 

[bknbronco]

Good job buzzkill! That thread i started over a year ago! And by the way i bit the bullet and im so glad i did. That frame is just ausome! One of the best things i ever bought!

And i just voted for TOP 4X4 site for ya also!

 

[Devin]

Ha. Missed this one the first time around. I pondered the viewfinder for a while, but didn't get it. Decided it wasn't worth the money and efforts for the mods needed to install it.

I am 6'8" and some change. I get by with the stock windshield just fine. And for the roll cage issues - I just built a taller roll cage. ;D

Hope it worked out for you, though.