Beach Dude

After pulling the windshield and the dash, I've found significant rust in the lower windshield channel, I found that Zip has the part showing in their catalog, I have no problem buying it other than it shows shipping delay, this in a daily driver and down time is a little bit of a issue, does anybody know anybody else that carries the part?

When i bought the car, I pulled the lower kick panels, looked under the glove box with a mirror and flashlight and did not see the damage in the middle. I think a easy way to check for birdcage issue's is wash the car before buying, it leaked like a sieve, anyways if anybody has installed the part from zips or know's another vendor, I am all

Thanks guy. I will post some pics later, worst case would be to fabricate the piece, not a easy job, but may be necessary.

count

try Caladonia classics they have the best birdcage pcs.. 1888-245-5224...
I have same rust and will probably fab something up... Mine leaked like a siv too!!!
check the rear door post pillar, mine was shot... You can see it bu simply removing the moldings along the side

JohnZ

No need to fabricate anything - Caledonia now has ALL the midyear windshield frame panels, both inners and outers; they're available individually or as pre-welded inner/outer assemblies, and are zinc-plated and chromated for corrosion resistance.

mikey

RJ,
Call C&S (ask Tracy for # if you don't have it).. they're local to the shop.. they've had just about everything I've ever needing for my project..
I also use long island (licorvette.com) quite a bit - they have had everything i've ever needed in stock and ships quick..

Beach Dude

Thanks guy's, this is truly my daily driver and I am hoping to have it back on the road 8/10 for work, the yellow blower car make's a terrible work/driver car. Will be making calls Monday AM.

Mikey, I have bad news to go along with yours. At least you will be driving yours with the LS Motor WAY before mine.

Beach Dude

In the process of uploading to photobucket, will post later tonight or early morning

Beach Dude

The last picture, we have already cut out the inner lower windshield frame, My initial plan was to bond new metal to the approx 3/8 lip I left, but with the amount of the rust showing on the inner part that bonds to the fiberglass firewall, I am going to replace the entire lower structure.
I hope everybody's weekend was better than mine, but need to dig in and go after it, the car is almost as old as me, and I am not original either

66jack

WOW...your lucky your doing what your doing or you would have never known the problem you have found...

are you going to replace the lower outer part where the clips are?

jack

Beach Dude

If you are refering to the outer windshield clips, depends on how the part comes, the inner clips area for the dash and lower interior windshield mldg area will be replaced, what was there has several soft spots. I am not shocked at the issue, but a little disappointed at the amount of rust in the middle, the outer lower ends and upper windshield frame is very solid, underside of the car, frame etc is very solid.

mikey

man, that sucks! car looked so good everywhere else..

Beach Dude

Yea, it's amazing that people will take the time to do so much work on a vehicle, but short cut or do nothing about something else, simply because it does not show, I bought the car to be a restorod project, I am not concerned about originality, but was disappointed with the amount of rust in the middle lower windshield frame. Thankfully I believe there is replacement part for it, to fabricate the whole panel would be a pain.

Mikey- so of us are planning on a test/tune at Bradenton on 8/22 from 10-2, any interest if you are in town?

robert miller

RJ, Man hate to see this in the car man. But I know when done will be as good or better than when new. Hope you can match or fade that color in. Gold and silver is a pain in the azz to match. All of us old guys like pic,s post pic,s as you go man. By the way will try and look you up, close to the end of the month when I come down to mike norris place.

mikey

RJ,
I'm all in for a test and tune, you know what needs to be tuned! But that's going to be up to somebody else to quit lying to me and do their part of the job the right way and without rushing! we'll see how this week goes since the last 2 were wasted..

keep me posted on your project there..

Poorhousenext

I hope I'm understanding your post correctly.

You are going to replace both inner and outer lower windshield frames, are at least the inner and remove the cowl fiberglass covering the outer to see if it needs repairs or replacing also?

From your picture, I can see areas where rust is starting to bulge fiberglass away from it, and can tell it at least needs fiberglass removed and metal cleaned and treated.

I started running my fingers over fiberglass around windshield when looking at cars couple of years ago. If I feel slightest bulge in fiberglass, I know there is a rust problem that needs to be addressed. Problem is there can still be a rust problem on outer frame you can't see are feel unless stainless is removed.

On coupes I run my fingers over where fiberglass bonds to birdcage to check for bulging areas.

Got a coupe in work now that I knew outer windshield frame needed right outer WS post replaced and all the rest of outer windshield frame treated for rust where fiberglass had separated from it. Could feel ever place rust was problem. What I missed was both door sills and door lock pillars needed replacing too. Couldn't see those at time. But did when body was pulled off frame. Good thing, was all the parts needed to repair birdcage were available.

Beach Dude

I believe the part is the 2 spot welded panels that incl the back of the pinchweld of the windshield frame, I have not seen the part, but thanks to the forum friends, I have a couple of other sources and will be on the phone as soon as they open for business.

Zip shows a picture in their catalog, but not online.

63-67 WINDSHIELD FRAME CENTER LOWER ASSEMBLY
Product Number:M-3827
Price: $579.00
Direct Ship - Allow additional time for delivery

Vogie

If you want to look at a complete birdcage not in a car, I have one in my shop in Seffner. The only problem will be catching me at home. I leave for work in Anchorage on Wednesday. I am gone eight days and home for six. I'll be on this cycle for a while. Contact me if you want.

My car has similar problems.

Beach Dude

Thanks Count and John Z. ordered the part and having it shipped next day. Spoke to Gary there, they have a ton of stuff, but no website. This will make it much easier for many of us with the birdcage issues.

Mikey, I tried C&S, they would have to locate a vendor that carries them.

Will follow up with some more pics as progress begins.

John McGraw

Man, I know you are not going to want to hear this, but the only way to fix the W/S frame correctly, is to pull the front clip off!
The front clip bonds to bonding strips which are riveted to the frame. The long, lower bonding strip is also bedded in sealant to the bottom of the frame. This is what starts most of them leaking, the sealant dries up and cracks which allows water to get into the bonding strip. This strip holds water which eventually rots out the frame. The dozens of spot welds that holds the frame to the door pillar post are also hiding under the fiberglass of the front clip as well. you have to remove the clip, drill out all the spot welds, remove the frame, drill out the rivets of the bonding strip, and rivet the bonding strip back on the new frame. When you install the bonding strip on the new frame, bed the frame into the strip with solid urethane sealant until it squeezes out over the entire length, before riveting it back on. This will assure a water-tight seal between the frame and the bonding strip, and the urethane will not dry out and crack like the crap that they used originally. After the frame is spot welded back in place, you can bond the front clip back on the car.

It is not readily apparent how this is constructed by looking at it when assembled, but as it comes apart, you will see that there is no real way to do this repair with the front clip on the car. Drop me an Email, and I will chase up some pics to send you documenting the process. It is a miserable job to replace the frame, but it can be done. Last time I did one the repro parts were not available yet, so I had to repair my original. It will be a whole lot easier with new parts, but it ain't a quick and easy job! Here is basically where you have to get to to replace the frame:

http://www.villagephotos.com/utils/i...C-P0001419.jpg

Regards, John McGraw

Vogie

John is correct. One of the members here in Valrico has had this repair done to his car. Maybe he will check in with his observations.

Beach Dude

I think we are talking 2 different pieces I HOPE.

The part arrived yesterday afternoon, rough mock up has been done, Peter will do the patch needed on the left side, then weld/bond the new piece in, I have some pics, but having some technical glitch to get to load. Will follow up with that.

Gary at Cardonia Classics was great, part arrived next day (needed it asap, remember, this is my daily driver) Thanks for the tip and phone number on him again Count and John Z.

Sure hope this goes the way I think it could go, some of the others may do this procedure if the nose does not have to come off. Much better repair rather than trying to piece and patch many, many places.