Stubborn Aluminum double track screen assembly

We recently bought a 1960's ranch house in the Chicago area which has double track aluminum storms with a screen that sits in a U track mounted along the bottom inside edge of the double track frame. Apparently both storms need to be in the fully up position when installing the screens.

After close inspection it appears that the top outside edge of the screen has a very narrow upside down V channel that looks like it is supposed to engage with a similar right side up channel on the bottom edge of the inner storm window. It appears that one is supposed to place the screen against the double track frame and slide it downward, engaging the V channels while sliding the bottom edge into the U track. Four of us tried for about an hour and failed to get the V channels to engage. The top edge of the screen just falls away from the track frame letting in the bugs.

The people we bought the house from could never figure out how to use them and just kept the windows closed for three years!

Since the windows and storm assemblies are otherwise in perfectly serviceable condition, we would like not to have to replace them because of this screen problem.

I don't know if we're doing this wrong, if the normal dirt and corrosion of the aluminum after all these years has made installation difficult, or what else to try. If anyone is familiar with this mechanism or could other wise offer any suggestions, we'd be much obliged. Thanks.

 

Have you tried removing the lower storm window and then trying to install the screen underneath the upper one? Usually the lower storm window glass goes in last.

 

The screen is too wide to install in the tracks underneath the upper storm. It does not fit into the tracks. The width of the screen is the same as the width of the double track frame.

Thanks for trying to help.