$400 down the toilet

So I got a one piece windshield from Bobs cl***ic auto gl*** for my 51 chevy business coupe and the installation went great. About 15 minutes after it was in, a crack popped up from the bottom p***enger corner. F%@K!!!!!! Any tips on putting in the next one? Like I said, it seemed to go in pretty easy, so WTF!?!

 

wonder if that corner was out of shape. Something put stress in that corner.

 

i mean if the corner of the gl*** was cut right.

 

check the pinch welds....a buddy went thru a few windshields before finding a goofed up weld.

 

WOW I have put two in my 51, never had an issue! check the rubber also!

 

I would really look at the pinch welds and the molding as well. Make sure there are no obstructions.

 

This post horrifies me!
(I still need to install the windshield I got from Bob)

 

you probably did ,but make sure you put liquid soap in the track where the windshield fits into the rubber.now the windshield can move to where it is comfortable.

 

Not to say anything about Bob, he was great. Service and all. Im pretty sure it was my bad.

 

If it was repo gl***, that could be it as well. They aren't made well...sometimes the shape is off a bit, and the gl*** is thinner than original!

 

I worked at a resto shop and we put 3 or 4 repop windshields in a '55 T-bird, we really had to force them into place. A couple broke during installation, one went in and was good for like 2 days, then we came back and it was broken. It was maddening. Finally we had the gl*** shop put one in for us because they would guarantee it, and they wrestled with it for hours, I think they broke one before getting it right too. No idea why, the new ones just fit poorly sometimes I guess.

 

I have installed a lot of windshields, in old cheap projects, all used windshields and some with new rubber then some using the Hard Old stuff. If I try to save money on cutting corners,like using old hard rubber. I end up paying anyway. When using old hard rubber I end up pushing too hard when I know it is ALMOST there ALMOST just a little more, Just a little more. then POW.
I never blamed the windshield or the guy who sold it to me. ( unless it was chipped when I got it) Most of the time it was my fault and I accept it. If I pay someone else, I can blame them, But if I do it myself I blame myself. I am usually sweating, like I just robbed a bank, Cause it AINT EASY

 

When you pull the cracked windshield you should see where the problem is, in that corner, might have to clearance the sheetmetal lip the gasket rides on.

 

Your whole cowl and w/s frame may have been wracked from a prior crash, bad repair, etc.

 

Those beer botle kids from Trailer Park Boys came by!

 

Look for a small chip on the edge where the break is, most times their is a small chip and they will run from there.

 

I put used from two different cars in my '50 Fleetline (both halves, heck one is from a '50 Pontiac), in the original rubber, so far no issues. About all I did do was wire brush the channel and POR-15 the rusty spots.

Was I to guess, yours has some issue with the channel shape that's adding stress to the gl***. Lay the next one on with the rubber off, slip some blocks under the bottom so it sits about in the installed position, and look for any obvious problems. You can probably even do this with the one you have. As noted, check for chips in the edge of the gl*** too.


While the crack itself is ugly, in my state a windshield crack is legal up to 11" or if it's not in the left 70% of the gl***. Check your vehicle code, maybe you can at least get the car drivable even with the crack.

 

If the crack doesn't get into the other half maybe you can recover a few bucks by finding somebody who needs that side for a 2 piece windshield.

 

damm windshields can really be a ***** when conditions aren't right. new rubber,lots of soap, and heat! having some patience and helper that listens and can work "turtle slow"!

 

Always a good idea to put a couple of layers of tape around the edge of the gl*** and lay it in place on the pinch weld so you can check the pinchweld shape and how much room you have around the edges of the gl***.
Unlike a urethane installation, a rubber gasket loads the windshield with any variance between the gl*** and the pinchweld. Theres NOT a lot of fudgeability between the two!!!
A prefit allows you to m***age the pinchweld to get a shape thats consistant with the gl*** shape.

I repaired a salvage Chevette(!!!) many years ago that ate a windshield on me. Turns out it had suffered a previous hit that slightly deformed the A pillar/hinge post on the drivers side.
Lost the first gl*** on installation because I didn't prefit...and the car was MINE!
Rather than repair/refinish that post area I simply used a later model glue-in windshield on that rig.
Cheap and dirty for a used car but simple and safe.

I've NEVER installed a new (or used) gl*** since without prefitting to the car...unless it was a NEW car that took a rock or something.
Anything either bit old or potentially damaged at some point: CHECK it well!!!

 

good thread!! I was wondering about this, I have the original 25 year old windshiled in my off topic project, it's urethane, started cracking from the p***enger side bottom corner, the car is sitting up on heavy duty ramps, possible chip in the corner or something? I've had the cowl out a bunch of times, it covers the bottom three inches of the window. It was getting those tiny craters all over it anyway, the grit around here sandblasts em. I've been trying to figure out why it cracked.

 

I would **** a brick.

 

I never get why someone revives a 16-month old thread to make a one-liner crack. No pun intended.

 

common issue, better then starting another thread on the same thing and causing the search to be even more screwed up.

 

sorry, I wasn't thinkin'

 

I don't do gl***. I'll just **** it up. I always have it installed.

 

that ****s man! i hope you have better luck with the next one.