Dalannex

I have the windshield and the install kit (or gasket or sticky crap or whatever you want to call it) ordered. I have the old windshield out, and the frame cleaned and painted with POR-15. For those who it may concern, the Snap-On windshield removal knife works quite well, on most cars that is. On the vette it works flawlessly to cut the windshield loose on the top and sides, but the bottom is kind of curved down for the wipers to rest on, and therefore the knife on the tool is too short. If anybody wants directions on how I made a knife for the bottom, let me know. Anyway, I believe I need some kind of solvent to clean both the edge of the glass and the windshield frame before setting the adhesive gasket in. What is this stuff and where do I get it? Then, I do just clean both surfaces, set the adhesive strip on the frame, then set the glass on the adhesive and press it in, correct?

If you were going to tell me I should just let the glass shop put it in don't bother, I'm doing it myself. I already did the work, now is the easy part. Besides, the glass and install kit are going to be $125, and the glass shop wants another $175 to put it in. Thanks

Justin

princeRed72

GO for it! I helped my Dad replace a windshield in a 70 Impala and all we did was put the GOOP around the channel and set the windshiled on it. This was done on a warm sunny day.
I would think just mineral spirits would work to clean things up

Dalannex

Yeah, I know I can do it just as well as the glass shop can. I just figured I would post a topic here to get some advice from those of you who have done it first. I am kind of stubborn about doing things myself. I guess being a little tight with the old $$$$$$ helps that out as well. :lol: :lol:

My wife says I'm so tight I can't pull a needle out of my a$s. :lol:

spiru

To bad you don't live in KY. As long as you have full coverage ins, windshield replacement is totally free.

Good Luck.

Corvettes White

I am with you. Put mine in also. Was not the money. Just wanted to do it.

George

CF6873

Justin; On the newer cars where the windshield is bonded in with urethane a pinchweld primer is nessesary for proper adhesion. On older cars
like ours we can use the butyl tape and I would clean it very well with lacquer thinner and alcohol. Prior to that I would place the glass in the opening with the bottom stops in place and apply a piece of masking tape vertically from the center of the cowl up over the glass. Then cut the tape so a piece remains on both the car and the glass. This helps to align it while setting it for the final time. Then clean the surfaces and apply the butyl tape to the glass. I would keep it in from the edge about a 1/8". Then set it in a gently with the palm of your hand, pat it down to seat the butyl tape. I would then seal around the edge of the glass with urethane sealer. By the way what thickness butyl tape are you using? I hope you have a helper to set the glass in. Good Luck, Craig

Frank75

I think that some cars (if not all) have a rubber coated bracket located at the top of the firewall for the windshield to sit on. The rubber was missing on mine, and I'd be careful about letting the windshield sit directly on anything metal. I bent mine out of the way and used a couple of large strips of duct tape over the top to prevent it from slowly sliding down as the urethane cured.

good luck

Roadster71

I have to do this job come spring on my 71. I hear that there also are spacers that the windshield rests on so the gap is correct under the trim. Anybody know how this works?

KenSny

I had mine done last fall by an installer that came over to the house after I had removed the old glass, cleaned up the frame, etc.. I did take 2 of us to position the glass so you don't move it around on the adhesive/sealer. You need to use spacers under the glass to get it to stay at the proper height for your header and pillar trim to fit correctly. If the windshield is too low then you will have large gaps between the glass and the trim. Yes, the bottom of the glass needs to rest against a couple of bumper stops. I would suggest that you "dry-fit" everything to check the s/s trim fit.

BTW: Even if your car came with the butyl tape for a windshield sealer, don't use that type again. There is better stuff on the market today, call a auto glass place and buy what they use. Some of the stuff they use you need a heat-gun applicator to apply it, and some does not (this is easier for the DIY guy to use).

69shark

I did my 69 by myself also. I bought a tube of the eurathane caulk from the Auto glass place near me and also bought( the actually gave it to me) some of the foam tape, he originally gave me 1/4" and I needed 3/8". He told me to use either alcohol or lacquer thinner to clean the glass and then stick the foam tape on, I measured the width of the channel on the windshield frame and marked the glass so I would make a nice even line with the foam tape. I the filled the gap with the eurathane caulk and then lifted th glass into the frame and started installing the trim. I was amazed how easy it was but you definitely need to be careful with the glass. I hads removed the winddshield on the 69 myself also, in one piece. After it was removed I laid it down then it broke. By the way I used a piece of piano/guitar wire and two 3/4" dowels to cut the old sealer/tape and my brother inlaw. He was on the outside and I was inside, we just sawed our way around the frame and it came out easily. :cheers: :chevy

Dalannex

The glass shop that I ordered the windshield from also ordered me the install kit, whatever that is. How thick are these spacers? Then windshield that I took out didn't have them. The rubber bumpers on the bottom are in tact.

lou

A good thing to ck and reseal while the windshield is out is the two bottom seams near the fenders on the bottom of the windsheild frame
where fire wall comes together. This is where a lot of vettes leak water into the interior. It is a real pain to do with the windsheild in. lou

Marks69BB

'The rubber bumpers on the bottom are in tact.'

One of mine is missing on the drivers side and the windshield is sliding down creating a gap at the top which leaks like crazy when driving in the rain. Anyone know where I can get one of these bumpers and whether I can salvage my windshield or do I need to just buy a new one. I don't think mine's original so it wouldn't be a big deal anyway.

Dalannex - you are welcome to come and redo mine. I supply plenty of :cheers: !


[Modified by Marks69BB, 5:29 PM 1/26/2002]

Dalannex

Lou, thanks for the tip. I'll check mine out.

Marks69BB, I wouldn't mind coming over to help a bit, especially for beer, but the drive would be a b!tch. :D :cheers: I would think you could get the bumper for the botttom at your local Chevy dealer parts department. If not, it doesn't look like it would be that tough to make one. All it has to do is hold the windshield up. I have replaced a lot of the old pickup windshields that have the rubber gasket around them, but this is my first glued in windshield. It appears to me that your chances of breaking the glass while removing are about 50/50. Windshield are really easy to break if they get flexed the slightest bit. It would be worth a try, and I would think it could be removed without breaking it if you were careful enough, but you never know. If you try it be prepared to buy a new one just in case. ;) :cheers:


[Modified by Dalannex, 9:40 PM 1/26/2002]

Dalannex

69shark, so the foam tape sticks to the windshield, then the urethane glues the foam tape to the frame? My windshield had a kind of black, STICKY, tar/rubber like stuff on it. It came off in a strip when I pulled on it, but it stretched and snapped and fought the whole way. It doesn't appear to me that what I had is the same as what you are referring to. Are you familiar with whatever the black stuff is?

BADCAIMAN

Just did the winshield on my 79....I used windshield urethane and since I removed all the old urethane ...It was recomended that I use a urethane primer...Good luck

Corvettes White

To jump in here I also used the black tar stuff. Nicsaad, Inc. Square Bead part No. NRS-150. Picked it up at Pep Boys.

Made with Polybutene, Carbon Black, Atomite, Hydrated Amorphous Silica Hydrated Aluminum-Magnesium Silicate, Isobutylene, Butyl, Thermoplastic Resin and Talc Filler. I think that last ingredient is baby powder. No clue about the rest.

Anyway black as night and sticky as poopie.

Also used it to seal up parts of the AC system. Bubba?

George

PS. Lived in SD as a kid. Sorry but too damn cold up there.



[Modified by 999, 9:49 PM 1/26/2002]

Dalannex

Where about in S.D did you live? You're right, it does get a little bit cool here from time to time, but we love it just the same. ;) My parents used to live in El Cajon (right after they got married some 35 years ago), and we've been out there probably a dozen times to visit friends. It makes for a nice mid January vacation. :D

Corvettes White

Lived on Lake Madison (20 feet to the shore) near to some guy with a bunch of old cars in his yard. Ice fished. Went to General Beatle (sp?) elementary except it had burned down so actually went to school in an old hospital. Played marbles in the snow. Father taught at the local collage. It was 40 below with the wind-chill and the snowdrifts were well above my young stature.

Just thinking, take a Vette out on the lake and practice spinning out and doing donuts. :D

George

Dalannex

Oh yeah, nice country that lake madison area. I've never had the vette out on the lake, but I have raced 4 wheel drive pickups across the lake before. That was when I was young and bulletproof. Let me tell you what, you haven't lived until you've raced a 4 wheel drive 80 miles an hour across the ice at night. :D Now that I think about it, that probably wasn't so smart.