If your like me, the thought of paying 50 bucks (or sometimes more) for a rubber windshield gasket doesnt strike you as your first choice of purchase and When Duck and I chopped my 40 I knew paying good money for a NEW WINDSHIELD gasket and then cutting it in half wasnt an option either. The aforementioned rationale in addition to the lack of quality found on many repop rubber parts let me to develop this method instead. First we must understand how a typical windshield is held in place of a 30s or 40s car..
Typically a small tab of metal protrudes from the cowl area (usually ½ inch tall) around which a piece of black preformed rubber fits.. this rubber (which cross section looks similar to an H then encapsulates the glass and holds the glass into position.. Here a photo of the tab on my olds (which currently is less wind shield) notice in this photo I am pointing at the tab in relation to how the factory did it. (photo 1)
Next I demonstrate how I do it FROM THE REAR Now someone will want to know WHY not on the front side of this tab.. and actually I had, at first intended to do it that way.. however I quickly realized that the windshield wiper transmissions protruded into an area where there would be interference with the glass.. ( a no no)
Next a shot of the 40.. Somewhere along the way to Florida last fall I picked up a nasty knick in the driver side glass. Since I was having 1 side cut anyhow I figured it was a good time to have both sides cut and be able to have a spare around while I was at it.. Here you can see the pattern I had made for the glass shop to match.. its made of ¼ nich luan (a material of choice for this type of project)
Next its time to break out the clear silicone and run a bead along the back side of the metal tab, as seen here. (photo 7 and 8) this is the sillycone I used... GE produces it.. basically I went to home depot and picked the most expensive clear silicone that was specified for exterior work.. The tube cost me 3.49 or something like that...
basically after the bead is run along the backside of the windshield tab, I pushed the glass into the silicone and I held the glass while the silicone cures with ONE screw and a roll of electrical tape.. in fact as soon as I set the tape I leave the car alone and enjoy the remainder of the night knowing Im working out in the garage. Finally the glass is in.. After a few hours the silicone will fully cure (however I usually wait till the next evening. And its time to spruce up the outside
Before I owned this 40 ford. I had a 46 ford.. the one thing I liked about the 46 was the stainless trim around the outside of the stock windshield. The 40 didnt have that stock so heres how I replicated it.. Using chrome self-stick body side molding I attached the chrome to the outside of the previously mentioned metal tab. So now the glass is glued to the inside, and the chrome trim is stuck to the outside.
The last step (which I am not really doing in this photo) is to silicone the stock 40 ford windshield divider in place. basically i didnt want the "v*****ed" look so I just took the stock windshield divider (Which was ROUGH anyhow) and I ripped the guts out of it and cutt it down to match the chop. for those concerned with the reliability of this setup please note that this setup worked well for 15,000 miles last year and i wouldnt be changing the entire windshield if the glass shop hadnt screwed up and given me a tinted piece of glass this time.. otherwise I would have only been replacing One side of the windshield.. I will using this method on the olds when the time comes.. One other tip.. I like to put a THIN bead of silicone on the inside garnish molding.. let it dry then install the garnish. I have found the silicone isolates the garnish from the glass better that way.. Good luck Over and out sawZall
Awesome... where'd you get the rubber? My '78 truck needs new windshield glass bad, and I think it's really stupid that I can get a new window from a junkyard for $10 but I have to pay $75+ just for the gasket.
You did 15,000 miles on the other windscreen, with it siliconed inside the lip? Sounds like it is pretty damn secure then, though I initially had worries of catching a face full of glass at some illegal highway speed. What prep did you do to set the steel lip up for the silicon? Roughed it up with sandpaper? Cleaned with alcohol? I plan to do all my side/rear windows the same way now
<font color="green">That's KOOL!!! Just a note, you can also buy black neoprene in a caulk tube. It is the same***** your late model glass is glued on with. RASHY </font>
Sawzall Normally I just let these posts go But I'm afaid that someone might actully try this one themselves. I'm going to read this again because I must have missed some important points somewhere. I be right back Jim Arnold "the old car glass guy"
The silicone seals out the water and the garnish moulding holds the glass in place? Hmmmm...ok. But... How did you isolate the glass from contacting the body along the bottom edge? Contact could easily cause stress cracks in the glass. The pinch weld area itself is comprised of two sections of metal spotwelded together, that was originally sealed from the elements by the now discarded glass seal...how do you keep water from leaking into the cab thru that now exposed seam? Have you had any rust stain issues along the windshield opening? These are all POTENTIAL problems...just wondering how you addressed them. Bill
[ QUOTE ] Here a photo of the tab on my olds (which currently is less wind shield) notice in this photo I am pointing at the tab in relation to how the factory did it. [/ QUOTE ] Dunno about your 48 Jeff, but on my 41 the glass goes in from the inside, the rubber goes around the glass, and the inside garnish molding holds the windshield in place.
Nope it didn't look any better the second time. . First let me say I'm not knocking your Idea or workmanship. also not claiming to be on the safety committee either. Just that I've been installing glass in cars since 1965 and have seen all sorts of different ways to do it. even did a 65 impala that had the windshield set in BONDO. I don't recomend that either. . If I were to change or add anything it would be the silicone. If your old windshield was in there for a year. you must have noticed the layer of rust and how easy it was to remove the broken windshield. . I'm sorry I started this! but since I did I'm going to add the way that I would do the same job. that Tab? is called the pinch weld. the factory takes two body palels and pinches them together and spot welds them. So there is your first job need to seal the edges . second thing is to prep the opening. If you use any sealant you need a good clean surface. I don't even trust paint. auto paint stores, glass shops, some parts houses carry UREATHANE AND UREATHANE PINCH WELD PRIMER I also like 3-M 1/8 inch BUTYL TAPE . After the area is clean and PINCHWELD PRIMER is completely dry I apply the 1/8 inch tape to the inside edge of the pinch weld making sure that I use an even pressure on the tape so that it sticks well and make sure you are pressing on the paper not the tape. I do this for three reasons 1. for a damn to keep the UREATHANE from oozing out 2. to give the UREATHANE a consistant thickness (with the black tape and screw system the glass might be touching the pinch weld in some places and be a 1/4 inch away in others) 3. the tape will hold the glass in place till the UREATHANE dries then I add two small rubber setting blocks on the dash to set the glass on. at no time do you want glass and metal touching. then I cut the tip of the chalking tube in a super secret way depending on the job main thing is have the ureathane higher than the tape when I get ready to set the glass I line it up and set it on the blocks and when I'm sure its in the exact right spot I press it to the tape and apply an even pressure all the way around watch the UREATHANE to make sure there are no air gaps in the seal Do the same to the other half and use more butyl tape on the inside reveal mouldings and SCREW THEM IN PLACE. No time,no Way would I ever drive a car over 25 MPH without the inside moulding SCREWED IN PLACE I hope I'm not stepping on your toes. But the reason I read HAMB posts is because there are so many people with better ways to do even the most cleaver jobs Sawzall I love your car and you do drive it. safe journey my friend
read my post again I asked him if he noticed the layer of rust and how easy his old windshield came out. I have never seen silicone on a car that didnt have rust with it. sadly we used silicone back in the 60's before UREATHANE came out in 74 and I've seen hundreds of rusted out cars from the silicone
Well done Jim, I totally agree. Saftey is a big issue and only about 15 bucks more in cost!.........OLDBEET
YAAAAA! DEATHROD tech! Another super-sneaky, easy and cheap method would be to get a $12 repop windsheild rubber for a VW bug and cut it down to size.... may or may not work depending on the car....
I used silicone to set my glass in, I have about 35,000 miles on it at least, in about 6 years and never had a problem. Thanks swazall
48hemi. thanks for your response, I agree with many of your points and I truely value your opinion, you certainly have MORE experience with this than I do, that said i would have been more insulted had you NOT mentioned a way to improve this installation here are some answers to your questions.. 1. NO i didnt notice any rust near or around the "pinch weld" (i knew it wasnt just a metal tab, i just couldnt remember what the hell it was called) 2. I do NOT Drive the car without the inside garnish molding in place! the garnish molding gets a thin bead of silicone that I will allow to cure then is screwed in the regular fashion.. 3. You make a good point about the type of sealer used.. surely theres a urethane sealer that is most likely intended for this job and would prohably work better.. however this is how I did it, its worked for me and had i not had success i would not have mentioned it.. Please note that in my situation the glass DOES not at any point come into contact with the dashboard, the glass is cut smaller than the dashboard to header panel opening, but large enough to fit in behind the pinch welds (metal tabs)
Thanks Sawzall, I certainly meant no offense and glad none was taken. this type of flush set I have done many times and they work fine and look great. I was concerned about all the people that might read this with less expierence than either of us and leave a couple more steps out and eat a windshield at a 100+ mph I had a top half of my T-Bucket blow in on me at 125+ and was lucky that I lived thru that expierence. but anything that happens in a glass bucket is life threating haha! I might add that if I have an option all tho they don't look as clean as yours I will flush them to the outside of the pinchweld and face them off with a black moulding. One more thing on Gaskets V.W.'s pretty much fit V.W.'s but you can buy bulk gasket by the foot that will fit just about any car. also molded gaskets without the center bar for V-Butts are also available for most installations. I think that everyone can do a clean install in their own garage...... IF they do a little research and e-mail OL BEET FIRST cost should not be your first concern when installing steering, brakes or glass IMHO
I use old Dairy Queen signs. sure, they are rare, but they work. There used to be a time when you could open the door to your Model A and find one on the seat. God bless the Dairy Queen Fairy.. Spike
[ QUOTE ] I use old Dairy Queen signs. sure, they are rare, but they work. There used to be a time when you could open the door to your Model A and find one on the seat. God bless the Dairy Queen Fairy.. Spike [/ QUOTE ] What do you use the Dairy Queen signs for?
I sat here reading and visualizing this post, and couldn't help wondering, how much of a gap is there between the new "chrome molding" and the actual glass. I really like the look of the chrome surround, but if there is a gap, does it look funny close up?
yeah theres a bit of a gap.. maybe 1/8th inch or so.. in my opinoin I feel that it looks fine from 3 feet but if your right on top of it you notice that something is "different" about this setup.. also the more I thought about it i think that if my car were any color other than black, with a black dashboard the gap may show abit more..
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