Windshield channel/gutter repair questions

[Sam69sat]

Pulled the windshield from my 66 Coronet project and have a few questions. Pic is the driver side lower corner where the cowl and a-pillar meet. Passenger side has the same issues. The rest of the channel is nice and solid.

1. Thinking of cutting out and replacing the part circled in red. I poked at it and was able to create 3 holes. I was thinking maybe just drill out and weld the holes shut but might be better to just replace that piece

2. The part outlined in yellow looks strange to me. After i get it cleaned up with a spot blaster would it be a good idea to fill and smooth out those different layers with some fiberglass filler? Anyone have a pic what this area should look like?

3. There's a blob of something under the section outlined in blue. Did they use lead in this area? Should i just grind it down flat?

 

[pnora]

Pulled the windshield from my 66 Coronet project and have a few questions. Pic is the driver side lower corner where the cowl and a-pillar meet. Passenger side has the same issues. The rest of the channel is nice and solid.

1. Thinking of cutting out and replacing the part circled in red. I poked at it and was able to create 3 holes. I was thinking maybe just drill out and weld the holes shut but might be better to just replace that piece

2. The part outlined in yellow looks strange to me. After i get it cleaned up with a spot blaster would it be a good idea to fill and smooth out those different layers with some fiberglass filler? Anyone have a pic what this area should look like?

3. There's a blob of something under the section outlined in blue. Did they use lead in this area? Should i just grind it down flat?

View attachment 1463030

Grind the bubble. I suspect it is bondo lifting up. Anything from the factory should of been smoothed over and even. Cut a small patch and weld it in where the hole is.
.

 

[TrackPack]

Lead was used on the corners of the cowl. Sometimes not a very good job.

 

[CarolinaCharger]

If you can poke holes in the metal, it's too thin to weld the holes shut.

 

[68chargerfreak]

The bubble is is a common issue with mopars of that Era, corrosion is lifting the lead seam.grab a torch and melt the led off , better then grinding and getting lead in the air .

The yellow box looks like the lead was worked into the window chanel.

Red, melt the lead and fab a small patch ,or if theres enough metal left after cleaning, mig it up

 

[Dodge33]

Always a very good idea.... to wear a good 3m mask when doing this work, as the paint and the lead is almost close to being 100% material back in those days. Protect your lungs, its the only pair you will ever have!

 

[dadsbee]

That "hole" looks like the windshield gasket locating tab and drain hole...

 

[1967coronet]

Finish spot blasting or grinding both directions ,
You need to get the channel cleaned up to tell what all needs repaired.
All that rust needs to be removed.
The blue sq. Like posted above is lead. Could be lifting could have just been a crappy job.
The red area will need sectioned, just dont know how far yet.
The yellow may save, finish the clean up.

 

[59pwrwgn]

Not familiar with 66. But the yellow with the stamped depression looks like a place for a trim clip to be screwed. The red looks like a gasket retaining tabs.

 

[blue69runner]

The small hole is to hold the retaining clip for window trim. Large hole like stated is to hold gasket and is a drain hole.

 

[Sam69sat]

Thanks guys. Does the section in yellow look like that from the factory? Worried about all those seams coming together trapping moisture. After it cleans up should i just add some seam sealer to that area?

 

[747mopar]

Anytime anything is lifting it's almost always rust that's pushing it up requiring it to be stripped all the way down to the cause. Yes the big hole is basically a tab that is folded out of the windshield frame that locks into the windshield gasket (goofy set-up). If you look around the cowl there's likely a solid one for comparison, then you'll know what you're looking at. As far as that overlap goes, if the 66 calls for the same procedure as my 69 Charger did that gasket should be set in bedding compound which is like liquid butyl rubber which will definitely seal that seam up... Messy stuff! Make sure you research the windshield install, a pro put mine in 3 times and could never get it sealed, last time I did it myself exactly the way the FSM said to and it's now leak free.