Windshield installation
- Thread starter Pflyer
- Start date
check Facebook for local independents near you. Also hot rod shops (and large truck fleets) might also be a source since all the older cars require a gasket and many of the production shops never deal with gaskets as all new glass is glued in.
Call a local car restoration shop or find a guy at a car show who just finished a restoration. I'll bet someone in that town will know the right way to do it.
the big commercial glass shops don't want to do it, all of their work is in bonded windshield installation. you need to find an old school shop - i would ask a small collision shop that does some of their work on vintage cars, they will know who can put in glass the old fashioned way. ask people who drive air cooled 911's who does their body work or glass work ... they will know.
I just went through this in completing the restoration of our 70 2800CS.
I decided to do the installation myself as I had done similar installs on a early 911 and VW beetles in a past life.
With the help of @Stevehose and other friends we got it done. Here is a thread on what we did for the rear. Risky yes. Problem is really keeping the trim in place.
e9coupe.com
If one is not ready to try this at home, I agree with @rsporche as to finding a very reputable restoration shop who routinely remove glass for paint/rust work/collision repair.
I am not sure I would want to do this again, but then again, one has to really vet the person/shop who you will entrust to do the work. The glass and trim are not cheap!
But there is nothing that looks better than a new gasket lip over new paint. No masking!
Best of luck
jjs2800cs
I decided to do the installation myself as I had done similar installs on a early 911 and VW beetles in a past life.
With the help of @Stevehose and other friends we got it done. Here is a thread on what we did for the rear. Risky yes. Problem is really keeping the trim in place.
Need advice on windshield and rear window trim popping out during installation.
I am starting a new thread on the process of windshield and rear window installation. There are numerous thread on how to do this, both on this forum and also many on several air cooled 911 forums. Early 911' have almost identical configuration, glass, rubber seal, and AL trim. Years ago I did...
e9coupe.com
If one is not ready to try this at home, I agree with @rsporche as to finding a very reputable restoration shop who routinely remove glass for paint/rust work/collision repair.
I am not sure I would want to do this again, but then again, one has to really vet the person/shop who you will entrust to do the work. The glass and trim are not cheap!
But there is nothing that looks better than a new gasket lip over new paint. No masking!
Best of luck
jjs2800cs
I just went through this with the new windshield for my e30. My glass guy retired and I couldn't find anyone to install it. Finally, went to a local restoration shop and they gave me a couple of names. The guy I used was excellent and had the old one out/new one in - in less than a half hour.
dbower
Well-Known Member
Unless your gasket is rotten or the channel is toast, here's a tip from my old paint guy...leave the gasket in place but slip a small rope under the edge all the way around. Mask off, paint, pull out the rope, no tape line.
Don
Don
Don that is a mistake. When installing a windshield in a classic, the gasket should be installed with the trim on the glass first and then "roped" in Essentially once the gasket is on the glass, a rope is inserted in the gasket channel starting at 1/2 way on the bottom and then contuing around. The glass mounted in the gasket is laid against the windshield frame, and the the rope is pulled out evenly on both sides opening the channel and allowing the gasket and glass to slide into place. I had someone help me and show me how to do it and it is not difficult once you see it done The method you described will work but I think it will be very difficult to get the trim in
Guys, please be aware about your defrost vent when you pull the rope out of the rubber inside.
Most vents are broken due to any windshield change while the years.
Use soap water and brush the seal and the frame nice wet short bevor you start.
I use every time 4 loops at all 4 straight inside in the rope.
Have a second guy (or girl) pushing the one side you pull in, hold in place with light pressure.
Than go to the other side.
With light slaps with your hand you slip the rubber in where it won't slip. Please soft, not as you treat your wife. ;-)
If the trim don't sit on some place after install, you kann push that in place with a 4 x 2 wood with a cloth between and a small rubber hammer.
Good luck
Breiti
Most vents are broken due to any windshield change while the years.
Use soap water and brush the seal and the frame nice wet short bevor you start.
I use every time 4 loops at all 4 straight inside in the rope.
Have a second guy (or girl) pushing the one side you pull in, hold in place with light pressure.
Than go to the other side.
With light slaps with your hand you slip the rubber in where it won't slip. Please soft, not as you treat your wife. ;-)
If the trim don't sit on some place after install, you kann push that in place with a 4 x 2 wood with a cloth between and a small rubber hammer.
Good luck
Breiti
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Bert I believe Don is referring to a windshield already installed, lifting the gasket with rope so paint can be applied under the gasket without removing the windshield/gasket/trim.
"Roping in" a windshield can go quite easily if get lucky. Years ago I did a lot of work on air cooled VW beetles and we would buy the rubber gaskets that did not have provision to re-install the trim for the "California look". Roping them in was quite easy, no trim. The problem I had with the E9 was, as it was roped in, the trim would pop out and was almost impossible to push it back in. So had to take the window back out and start all over again, a number of times. Am having nightmares reliving the effort!
As an update. When installing the front windshield, I started to use a new gasket (as in the rear) purchased very recently from a known vendor. I had the same problem with the front with the trim not staying in. So I reused the rubber gasket removed for the restoration. Many years ago my wife and I replaced a cracked windshield with the then new gasket with no issues. The gasket was still absolutely in great shape. Once I used that gasket, the trim stayed in and the glass went right in. Honestly I could not find any difference between the two gaskets in shape, compliance, appearance, etc. Go figure.
jjs2800cs
As an update. When installing the front windshield, I started to use a new gasket (as in the rear) purchased very recently from a known vendor. I had the same problem with the front with the trim not staying in. So I reused the rubber gasket removed for the restoration. Many years ago my wife and I replaced a cracked windshield with the then new gasket with no issues. The gasket was still absolutely in great shape. Once I used that gasket, the trim stayed in and the glass went right in. Honestly I could not find any difference between the two gaskets in shape, compliance, appearance, etc. Go figure.
jjs2800cs
dbower
Well-Known Member
Exactly. Sorry I wasn't clearer.
Thank you all. I found an installer on yelp. He’s installed the rear window with the old gasket. He’s yet to install the front windshield with the new gasket, as the new gasket is not very pliable. BTW, he’s selling a cherry 1972 2002tii on BAT soon.