this is the final frontier for me (besides rebuilding auto trans) I want to try and do it myself, gotten lotsa good advice on the HAMB, most say to tape off and sandblast, but its the advice (insurance) of having another windshield handy in case you **** up the first one. Windshields are expensive. Am I better off time and money wise to just do the cuttin and sink it into the cowl?
Read these two threads: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=141657 http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=143623
Yo, I have a de-laminating windshield out of a 59 Plymouth you can HAVE if you can figure out how to get it. It should be a perfect candidate for practicing on as it has no cracks or chips and it is huge and curved. What kind of windshield are you looking to cut?
I've done several 56 Chevs. You will find you can't just cut it off the top. The W/S will roll back and gl*** will have to be removed from the lower dog legs. It may help to remove the pinch weld from the corners also. These are a *****! I just bite the bullit and slowly grind to fit. Good luck....OLDBEET
One more angle. I did a 57 Chev HT a few years ago this way. Cut 3 inches off the bottom then dropped the top to fit. Fergot about that one.....OLDBEET
Slowly grind to fit..is that the slow beltsander method? will this three inches off the bottom and drop top to fit work on the 56 ya think?.....
Wet sander 106X6 belt 60 grit to start. When cutting from the bottom, the lower pinch weld will have to come back some. 56 same as 57.......OLDBEET
The guy that did my Cad used the slow wet belt sand way with minimal pinchweld cutting. Beautiful job, but the pile of gl*** dust would make Tony Montangna quiver Right b4 he did mine he did a 57 chevy , it took 3 trys on that 1 but only 1 for me. My lucky wallet.
I did my 55 Olds myself. No one else would touch it! That was 25 years ago, or so. I blasted it. I also blasted off a thin wedge at the bottom corners, like 'Beet said, to get it to lay back a bit. Cutting off the bottom might make the windshield too small up top, depending on the shape of the gl***. Check it first! Beet...say hi to Donn for me....how'd he like those Frazer lights????
I posted about this once or twice as well. Im tired of shops refusing to cut gl*** for my 54 chop so Im giving it a go as well. I picked up a very informative book on cutting curved gl***, as well as listened to the helpful peeps on here and decided to go with the belt sand or wet saw method. Some people have said sand blasting works well but unfortunitly I dont own one and figure I will go through one or two windshields before I get it rite so I will need to save the $$ for that. Let me know how it goes...I'll keep you posted as well.
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