Windshield Install

[EngineerDoug]

Oh boy...I tried to install a new windshield in my '68 Coronet today. Did not go well, though I did not damage the glass. Here's what I tried, and maybe somebody can give me some pointers on how I went wrong.

I started by running a bead of the butyl sealer along the entire pinchweld, which has been repaired and painted so it's pristine. I then set the gasket over the pinchweld and seated it along the cowl. I lubed the new windshield with Windex and seated it in the cowl channel of the gasket. I tried to ease the glass into the gasket, working my way up each side using plastic pry tools.

This method stalled because the top of the windshield was held out by the entire gasket segment along the roof. There just seemed to be no way to coax the gasket channel over the glass so it would stay there. The gasket kept coming off the pinchweld.

For those of you have done this job, did you install the gasket onto the car first, as I did? Or did you put the gasket onto the windshield first? Would I have been better advised to do it this way and "rope in" the gasket + windshield onto the pinchweld?

Your advice is welcome, as I am prepared to let a pro install this thing.

Thanks.

 

[dadsbee]

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,121731.600.html

Starting at about post 615

 

[69roadr]

I got a mobile glass installer to do mine

 

[R413]

Put the gasket on the body first. I had a helper to do this job. One to pry on it and the other 2 hands to assist where needed, and it was needed lots!! LOL
A warm sunny days helps with a flexible seal. Windex on the glass and it will guarantee a leak. Use sealer on It also.

I Can’t imagine doing it alone, unless you are a veteran glass guy.

 

[EngineerDoug]

Another thought - would I have a better chance if I seated the windshield along the top edge and worked my way down the sides? Seems like it would easier to coax the bottom edge into the gasket channel last.

 

[Runner 68]

X2 on hiring a pro. We just did it a while back on my son's Duster. The installer said he felt privileged to work on it and gave us a deal.
You can get the glass through them as well for much cheaper than you can buy it. Plus if they break it it, it's on them.
Worth the money to stand back, drink a beer and watch them do it. 2 guy job for sure.

 

[dadsbee]

Did you bother to check out my thread Doug?? Did you install the gasket dry and leave it there for a few days so it took the correct shape of the pinch weld?.. and not the folded up mess from the bag it came in.

That said, if I had another shot at it and a helper I'd attempt to slide it up into the gasket top/sides... with a twine in the lower channel of the rubber to help flip it out. Fairly certain that the FSM tells you to install it top in first... how they did it on the line.

Not sure what is being conveyed here

Windex on the glass and it will guarantee a leak

 

[moparnation74]

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,121731.600.html

Starting at about post 615

ED....you need to follow Waynes install in his thread and go to the next pages......

Brian's thread is a good one to look at as well....

https://www.69roadrunner.net/mopar/threads/68-70-b-body-windshield-installation-101.11867/

 

[69L48Z27]

Make sure the gasket is ‘unzipped’ too. You don’t need special tools other that a windshield spoon or bone.

Glass cleaner is the only lube needed. It will not create any leaks.

Start along the cowl and work your way up the sides. You will need to gently slap the window down into the gasket as you work up. Open handed, not a fist. If you haven’t done this before it will seem impossible to get the upper corners in. They will go but you have to work it in. This is where you’ll break the window if not careful.

Once in the gasket then you zip the gasket back up. Sealer is up to you. If the car see no weather I would probably skip it.

 

[R413]

Another thought - would I have a better chance if I seated the windshield along the top edge and worked my way down the sides? Seems like it would easier to coax the bottom edge into the gasket channel last.

Better chance? How about no chance! LOL. You gonna constantly lift that glass up to get it to go in the seal bottom last? What does the glass weigh?

The seal is made to start at the bottom. LOOK at it. It’s just a hard job. I asked a pro how to do it. They all go in bottom to top. It’s just a hard job.

 

[Dale Schmidt]

Follow 69L48Z27’s advice..I installed mine in a 69RR two weeks ago, took about an hour by myself. Of course it’s a convertible so its easy working around top of windshield. I used urethane along the pinch weld on the bottom and sides and let it set a few hours before proceeding. Good luck!

 

[R413]

I read the first post again. It sounds like the lock strip was not unlocked. Doug, look at the. Seal all sides have a lock strip to open up, did you do that?

 

[747mopar]

It's definitely not a fun job, I did mine by myself after a pro did it 3 times and it still leaked! One very important thing these guys left out about having a pro do it is make sure it's a pro at doing THESE cars. The guy that installed mine had no idea it required a bedding compound at the bottom where there's no pinch weld to seal it only tabs.

I put the gasket on then the glass, a lot of cussing and breaks but I got er done and it no longer leaks.

 

[Kern Dog]

Better chance? How about no chance! LOL. You gonna constantly lift that glass up to get it to go in the seal bottom last? What does the glass weigh?

The seal is made to start at the bottom. LOOK at it. It’s just a hard job. I asked a pro how to do it. They all go in bottom to top. It’s just a hard job.

The Factory Sevice manual for my 1970 Coronet/Charger states to install from the top down. I did that and it worked out fine.
I have installed a few windshields in A body cars and always installed bottom up before. The Charger is a wider and lower windshield compared to the Darts and Dusters that I have done before so I figured that reading the manual made sense.

 

[R413]

Well I learned something tonight. Thanks kern dog! I check the service manual and that’s their way. It does say to use a helper. Still find it hard to believe.

 

[Kern Dog]

Also, many of todays installers are unaware that these cars with rubber gaskets need a non hardening sealant between the opening and the rubber gasket. I had the windshield installed in my Charger and it leaked. After they tried to add sealant to the outside TWICE (With zero improvement) I decided to try it myself. 3M makes a few types of sealant. One of them is a non hardening, another is a urethane that is supposed to be the ultimate in sealing but almost guarantees that the gasket will not be reusable if you need to replace the glass again.
I had previously bought a 30 count bag of plastic installation sticks. Laying the glass was easy. The most difficult part was the bottom. I had to have the Wife push the gasket out from the inside of the car as I gently forced the glass into the channel. See, with ME pushing the glass, the gasket just wanted to go rearward since the bottom of the window channel is just a valley, there is no actual lip to retain the gasket. Mine does not leak. Maybe I was lucky. I have only installed 4 windshields so far and none have leaked. I've used sealant on every one both between the opening and gasket and inside the gasket where the glass sits.
Yes, I used a spray glass cleaner along the edges. I also worked the gasket slowly in WARM weather. It may not mean anything but I thought the risk of gasket damage may have been higher in colder weather.

 

[R/T]

Best done in 90 degrees F plus. Old gasket was easier than new one. Plastic tools were from Walmart craft section. Lots of wndow clean spray foam, Klean Flow. At least an hour of wresling alone, bottom first, hands get covered in hard to remive sealant, but I did it!

 

[hoover]

I removed and resealed the one in my 67 with a cast on my right hand.
It really is not difficult, take your time and think about it as you are doing it.

 

[EngineerDoug]

First of all thanks for all the replies. I did indeed unpack the gasket a couple of weeks ago, install it on the car, and leave it taped in place to relax. The integral locking strip was in the unlocked position. The gasket fit the opening well, except it seemed a bit narrow at the bottom. The bottom, however, was not where I stalled.

If I do decide to have a pro install the darn thing I can't complain too much, as I have done everything else in the restoration process myself.

 

[dadsbee]

Well I learned something tonight. Thanks kern dog! I check the service manual and that’s their way. It does say to use a helper. Still find it hard to believe.

As I noted in post #7, FSM says top in first. Swung in and up and I suspect they "rope tricked" the bottom. That would be the way to go if you have two helpers, but going solo bottom in first as I show in detail in post #2.