Classic Mini glazing changed across production in three important ways, the glass material (toughened vs laminated), the tint (clear vs green-tint vs top-tint), and the seal that surrounds it. The seal and the glass evolved together, which means a later windscreen seal will not necessarily fit an earlier glass and vice versa. The most important cutover dates to know are 1990 (when the windscreen seal moved from the narrow profile to the wider laminated-only profile) and 1997 (when the windscreen design changed again to take a stick-on interior mirror on the new MPi twin-point cars). Identifying which windscreen and seal combination your car was originally fitted with is the starting point for ordering glass.
Windscreens
The Classic Mini windscreen is available in laminated clear, laminated green-tint, and a 1997-on specification that takes the new stick-on interior mirror used on twin-point injection cars. A top-tint windscreen with a green band along the upper edge is available for both standard cars and the 1997-on MPi twin-point cars, providing useful sun-glare reduction for everyday driving. Toughened glass was the original fitment up to 1990 and could be used with the narrow seal profile.
From 1990 onwards laminated glass became standard and required the wider seal. Laminated glass is now the recommended fitment for all cars on safety grounds.
Windscreen Seals and Finishers
The windscreen seal is sized to match either toughened or laminated glass and the correct profile must be matched to the glass thickness. The seal is finished with a Plastichrome (silver chrome) filler strip on most models, with a black filler strip used on basic 850 and 1000 models from 1976 to 1980. The filler strip is secured at its joint by a bright-finish chrome joint clip. Replacing the windscreen seal is normally done at the same time as the glass, both age together and reusing an old seal with new glass rarely seals correctly long term.
Rear Window and Heated Element
The rear window glass is available in three specifications: clear non-heated, clear heated, and green-tint heated. The heated element rear screen for Mk2 onwards is the most commonly fitted version on cars from the early 1970s and is well worth specifying for any car used through winter. The rear window seal carries the same Plastichrome or black filler strip arrangement as the windscreen and is supplied to suit any of the three glass types.
Door Drop Glass
Wind-up door windows from the Mk3 internal-hinge door onwards take door drop glass in clear or green-tint. The Cabriolet (1993 to 1996) uses its own specific green-tint drop glass to suit its particular wind-up window arrangement. Door drop glass channels in front and rear positions, and the glazing rubber that seals the glass to its channel, are listed alongside the glass. Drop glass run channel seals (front and rear, LH and RH) are listed with the seal range.
Rear Quarter Light Glass
Saloon rear quarter windows are produced in two formats, fixed and opening, and each takes its own glass specification. Fixed quarter light glass is available in clear and green-tint. Opening quarter light glass is supplied as glass alone (clear or green-tint) or as a complete window assembly with frame, glazing rubber, body seal, catch and pivot hardware. Cabriolet rear quarter glass is available in green-tint LH and RH.
The rear quarter window run channel and anti-rattle strip cover the seal of opening quarter glass to its frame.
Window Mouldings and Clips
The lower door window moulding clip in black retains the lower window moulding to the door skin on wind-up window cars. Upper door window moulding clips and the glass channel run seals complete the door window seal. The full range of small clips, glazing rubbers and retaining hardware is available to support a complete window rebuild.
MGOC Spares Range
The MGOC Spares Classic Mini glazing range covers laminated windscreens in clear, green tint and top-tint specifications (including the 1997-on twin-point MPi specification with stick-on mirror provision), heated and non-heated rear screens in clear and green tint for Mk2 onwards, door drop glass in clear and green tint for saloon and Cabriolet, fixed and opening rear quarter light glass, complete rear quarter window assemblies with frame and catch, windscreen and rear window seals in narrow (pre-1990) and wide (1990-on) profiles, Plastichrome and black filler strips with joint clips, drop glass run channel seals, lower and upper door window moulding clips, glazing rubbers, anti-rattle strips and the full range of associated retaining hardware.