Last night I was removing the molding and glass to clean up my dash and replace the butyl seal because it was leaking and cracked the freakin' glass graemlins/angry.gif :mad: graemlins/angry.gif :mad: graemlins/angry.gif :mad: graemlins/sad.gif

The previous owner had put two layers of seal on top of the original seal and I couldn't get the blade under the glass without prying a little. I thought the front glass was supposed to be stronger than that...It's the original glass too, which I guess is expected after 35 years. Makes me sick :( .

So what are my chances of getting a replacement in the next couple of days??? There are only a few local resto-rod shops around here.

Paul

Well, if you don't need date coded glass then you'll be able to get a windshield. I had the body shop replace my front and rear lites after the car was painted and they had the glass in an hour.

If you want date coded stuff, you'll have to go thru Rick's etc.... to get what you need.

Long ago, I broke one putting it in!! The windshield had sealed all the way around except for the drivers lower corner. I was pressing on the corner and it split like an egg shell!! My buddy was watching from 10 ft away and could'nt get the words out fast enuff to tell me how bad the glass was flexing from his view point! Just one of those days when it "sucks being you" graemlins/clonk.gif

Paul D.

Safelite is coming out tomorrow afternoon and will do a warrantied installation for $175. Should I trust them to install the molding, clips etc?

Also, I need to put in my healiner trim, should this be done before the glass goes in? I'm kind of confused on how that installs...

You don't have to put the headliner trim before the glass goes in. As for the clips and trim, I would do those myself.

IMO only the windshield. I always disassemble and have the car ready for the windshield to come out. The glass guys don't use the old butyl tape so get ready for some immediate clean up from the bead of sealer. I have a guy here in town that will still use the tape eliminating the clean up.

I had two windshields put into the 69 (the first one I broke about the same way that you did Paul graemlins/clonk.gif ). They both used sealer instead of tape, but didn't make any mess. You had problems when they did yours Jack?

I've got the tape. Is it better than the goop? Would they be willing to use it instead if it is better?

The goop will always seal better than the tape but the tape is original and it doesn't make the mess that the goop does. I broke my windshield trying to get it to seal to the tape in that one last corner!! You'll never have this problem with the goop.

Mine is gooped. (My current car is soooooo... far from a 100 point resto!! Don't get me wrong, It's a very nice car but I didn't get my knickers in a knot worrying about matching every detail as GM woulda' done it)

As for the trim, I buffed all mine out on a polisher and then gave the trim and clips to the body guy to install after the glass guys set the windows.

The headliner trim is easier to put in without the windshield in place. It can still be done with the windshield there, but is easier with out having it in the way.

If the installer uses the "goop" or urethane sealer make sure he makes the bead thick enough so there is no gap between the chrome and the window glass. If it is to thin then you will have a gap. That is why the factory used 3/8" butyl but I use the 5/16" on mine. I also use a little urethane first then the butyl sealer so I can move the glass a little if I have to. Also wear rubber gloves because it is messy.

Another thing is to install the rubber to the glass first on the outer edge. I have seen to many cars with the rubber to high on the lower dash and it can be seen from the outside above the chrome. I saw one car that painted the inside of the glass with flat black around the outer edge to hide the flaws on the dash. They painted it like the glass in the new vehicles.

Thanks for this tips. I'll post the results after the installation.

If you do a search under JohnZ, you will find an excellent write up on what the factory did. As I recall, they used a bead of cloth encased material as a dam, and then urethane (actually a product called thiokol) to seal between the dam and the edge of the glass.

When I install mine, I'm using the butyl bead on the edge of the windshield recess for a dam, and then backfill the rest with urethane. Then drop the glass in place. The factory applied it to the glass.

It's up to you, but if you have a numbers car, I'd order dated glass. There's a company in wisconsin who gave em a price much better than Ricks. Do a search...I found them through this site. PS it's expensive!!