It seems Voodoo's found me a good '54 Chevy windshield in a car, in a junkyard. Obviously it's been stuck in the opening for 50 years. I wanna know what the best way of getting it out is without breaking it. Really sharp razor blades, a special tool, what?
I'm getting ready to remove the front & rear glass from my '56 Plymouth. I'm looking forward to seeing what the suggestions are.
I would cut the rubber away, box knife. Need a new gasket for windshield anyway, order it now. Glass out of the way, you may choose to paint, stripe, ect.
Cut all the rubber away. a razor works (I usually clamp a 1-edged razor into a needle-nose vise grip) and make sure you cut ALL of the rubber out... to where you can see the edge of the glass all the way around. When I do my 59/60 shit, after cutting out the rubber, I just tilt the windshield forward from the inside and it just comes right out. So far I am 5 for 5 in getting windshields out without breaking them. (knock on wood for #6) Travis
Just cut it around the pinch weld from the inside.(after removing all of the inside trim)Lay a utility knife blade flat on the pinchweld and cut all the way around.carefully push it out.Then,take it home.
what has been said above. you can also spray some sort of lube on the old seal to soften it up a bit if the glass still wants to stick to the seal and not let go. hose it with wd40 or something similar let it sit a bit to soak in and it sometimes helps. it can also help soften up the seal to make it easier to cut in some cases. never had one be anything like another one all seem to be fairly easy. most importantly, take your time...ken....
here is the cheapest easy method and works perfect....find a couple guitar strings the thin wire ones E chord I think and after you have removed the chrome mouldings....take a small pair of Vise grips and start in any corner and take a close look usualt when they are that old they probably have a hole somewhere if not take the wire and pokr it through the sealer between the glass and the pinch weld then get some body to help snap your vise grips on each end of the guitar string and saw the glass out one guy inside and one out side work the wire back and forth just a buck saw pulling the wire in sort the shape of a U just keep the wire tight and work to-gether when sawing it is possible you will break the string and have to feed a second one in to complete the job ..be carfule not to push on the glass till it's cut all the way around...if you can find a source for piano wire it works well to...the Zone or your local glass installer may even be able to sell you a piece of the wire it's pretty cheap and works slicker that a wet d**k..fatchuk
On old windows with the rubber that surrounds the glass I use an old wood chisel, with the tip sharpened nice, to cut the old rubber flush with the glass. Just like Travis said buut he uses a razor instead. The chisel gives you a nice handle to push with, easier than dealing with a razor blade and pliers. Then just as Travis does, push lightly from the inside and it should tilt out. I have tried the wire string method also with success on cars with the seal on the underside only, but feel the chisel/razor method is easier for the old rubber gasket style.
I have sprayed PAM cooking spray or Armorall on the rubber a few days before if it had old original rubber. then I do the guitar string trick as stated above. it works like a charm
Your '56 Plymouth may have a 'key strip' in the rubber, I know the 57-up stuff does - I did rears in a '58 Imperial and a couple '60 Chryslers. Take all the stainless off, obviously, and use an ordinary flat-blade screwdriver to pop the key out of the rubber - follow it all the way around. One the key seemed to be seperate, others it's a part of the gasket. But if it's there you will find a small seam in the strip, might have to look close. Easiest to start them in a corner if possible. Soaking the rubber in Pam or something may help loosen it from the glass, it can kind of bake on after a billion years in the elements. The three I did, once the key was out, I followed the edge of the glass with the screwdriver - a plastic knife may be a better choice - to free it up. Then, I lay across the seats inside the car and used both feet, in sneakers (make sure you have no rocks stuck in the soles), to push. The windows came loose easily. The Imperial, I didn't even have to push on, it came right out. But that only works on Mopar that I know of so far. On the bright side, this method works without damaging the rubber - I was able to pull it out intact on all three cars and it all seems to be pilable enough to re-use.
Nads, When i took the original one out of my 53, i did what Lulabelle said..cut the rubber on the inside, and it came out with just a little push.. I did remove the stainless trim first though. Not sure if that needed to be done or not.. Mine didn't break until about 6 months later when i dropped a tool on it by accident!! no joke Tony.
Nads, I cut them out from the insde like was mentioned above but I like to use a linolium knife. The blade is longer than a utility knife & stronger also. I slide the blade between the glass & the rubber & work my way around. I havent broken one yet. Billy
When ya get it out and ya need a new rubber and some stainless I have this. Will sell the rubber seperate and also the mouldings.
Oh, buy the way DON'T I repeat DON'T try to take the trim off before you take the rubber out. You will either bend the trim or break the windshield or both. If you want to save the rubber and trim start at the top of the inside and use a flat screwdriver and pull the rubber down till you see the bottom of the pinch weld. Tuck it under carefully and work your way around. It takes a little time but it's not all that hard to do. Just be patient.
just took the broken windsheild out of my 53 ford, and i just cut the rubber out of the inside top section, put my foot against the glass, pushed it out, and lifted the the glass out. Wouldn't have had to use foot power normally, but someone put a TON of weatherstripping adhesive on the car before the glass was put in.....
Thanks for tips dudes, I wasn't going to keep the trim, but I might. I broke trhe windshield on my '57 Chevy when I dropped a tool on it. Cadlights, could you PM me on the trim and rubber? I haven't seen the windshield yet, I'm going over there this weekend, so I don't know what the situation will be, I'll keep you posted. I have to get it chopped so I might lost it anyway. This is gonna be the 3rd windshield in this stupid Chevy of mine.
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