Having your windshield replaced? Please read this EVERYONE READ THIS POST
01-08-2006, 10:47 PM
#1
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
Having your windshield replaced? Please read this EVERYONE READ THIS POST
Lately there has been a bit of discussion about windshield replacment here on the forum. I wanted to share some of my knowlege on the subject I've gained from working in the restoration field reguarding windshield replacment.
Windshields are an ofter very overlooked part of a car. Most people know little or nothing about them and there is very little glamour to be gained by enlightening yourself. But, with a little knowledge you may save yourself a LOT of headaches down the road.
Like everything else in life there are varying degrees of quality when it comes to winshields. The poorer quality glass will have defects in the form of waves in the glass. You don't notice this at first but (usually at night) you will see that things get a little skewed as you drive (especially when you take a corner) where you look through the defect in the glass. This is not a huge problem. With some people it may cause headaches when driving at night. It does not give me headaches. It's annoying when you know it's there, but that is not the biggest issue with having a windshield replaced. I've never seen a windshield that was so out of tolerance that it didn't fit the car. There are a lot of glass companied popping up in the far east that are shipping out huge quantities of aftermarket glass. They come in many different brands (most of which no one has ever heard of) and are purchased in lots. A company will buy a lot of lets say 100 windshields and of those windshields 60 or 70 are supposed to be usable. The rest are defective windshields that are worked into the numbers. At the price paid for these windshields (a lot of 100 lets say) the manufacturer is not going to take the time to check each and every one. They make the glass as fast as they can and ship it. It's up to the buyer to decide if the glass is usable or not. You can imagine this leaves a wide window for the less scrupulous buyers out there to work with. The quality of the product they sell will depend on how close they want to (or dare) run their numbers.
Then there are the high quality glass makers. Ford is the last manufacturer to make their own glass. As I understand it every other manufacturer in the world uses glass supplied by contracted companies. The most familiar names in the US are Pilkington and PPG and of course Ford's glass devision. These manufacturers have strict quality control and are guaranteed to be free of defect. I would advise that you ALWAYS ask what brand of glass a perticular installer uses. The good shops will tell you right away. They are probably used to dealing with people and businesses that demand quality glass. The less scrupulous shops will probably be a little suprised that you asked. Aside from the price most of their clients probably don't know or care.
The biggest problem with a winshield, however, is damage that can be caused when it's installed. This is probably the least known, but one of the most expensive forms of neglegence that can be performed on your car. And John Q Public has no idea what is going on.
Most of us who work on cars or have a passion for them (most of us here) have probably seen the tools of the trade for a windshield repairmen. The cutting tools used to remove a windshield. The problem arises when less experienced (or unscrupulous) installers use them. They cut the windshield out, glue in the new one, collect their money and go on their way. A few years later you may notice a few bubbles of rust forming near your windshield trim. This is your windshield frame rotting out. And the next time your windshield gets cracked and you need it replaced the damage done to the windshield frame (which, if you are seeing it near the trim is already in the very advanced stages) may very well send your car to the salvege yard. If not it will undoubtedly cost you hundreds (or more likely thousands) to repair correctly. Installers know that by the time the damage is that far advanced you will probably not own the car. And it's not their problem and you won't care. This is not the case however with Corvettes thatmany of us will own for many years.
What happened was the windshield guy used his cutting tool to remove the old windshield. When he did this he also cut the paint around the windshield. If he is a quality installer he will apply a primer to seal the scratch and prevent corrosion. But, when you make your living based on how quickly you change windshields it's not always in your best interest to take the extra time. This is especially true if you charge rock bottom prices and rely on turnover for your profit.
I had a 1980 Corvette in my shop last year. It was in for a paint job. The customer also complained of the T-tops leaking. I took the hose and began lnvestigating. Long story short when I pushed on the windshield near the top it moved away from the frame about 1". This was a case of making the dreaded call to the customer "you better come down here and see this". We removed the windshield and the whole frame was completely rotted out. $3,000 later he could replace the windshield and stop his leak. From the outside the car appeared completely fine. C3's have a reputation for windshield frames rotting out and the damage was far too extensive to tell exactly what caused it but the car had a no name windshield in it.
Another customer has a Quattro Coupe. Pretty rare car we are doing a ton of modifications to including a COMPLETE color change. The customer decided he wanted the windshield removed for paint (no small decision, it's a $900 windshield). When we removed the windshield we could see some nice scarring marks from a windshield removal tool that were beginning to rot out. Luckely they were in the early stages and the frame was easily repairable. I will post pic's once the car comes back from upholstery as it's a classic example of what is happening under more than a few windshields out there and the customers have no idea.
So, what does all this mean? When you decide to get your windshield replaced ask a few questions. First find a reutable installer. Most dealers do not do their own glass work. They will have a guy (or a company) they trust who they call when they need them. Call some higher end dealers with good reputations in your area and ask if they would give you the name of their glass guy. They will be happy to. A dealer that sells BMW, Jaguars, Porsche, Ferrari, any high end cars will use a good glass man. If you must make a cold call to a company or person you know nothing about ask them what glass they uses. Then ask them what they use to repair any scratches that they might make in the windshield frame when they remove the glass. If they say "we don't scratch the frame" or something like that than hang up and move on. Scratches are not the problem even the best are going to do it. It's how they repair them that is the issue. They should tell you they use such and such a sealer or primer. At the least they will know you are not a nieve, uninformed consumer.
Well that concludes the longest post I've probably ever written but from what I've seen in the business over the years I wanted to pass this on to everyone here.
Brian
VTvette
Windshields are an ofter very overlooked part of a car. Most people know little or nothing about them and there is very little glamour to be gained by enlightening yourself. But, with a little knowledge you may save yourself a LOT of headaches down the road.
Like everything else in life there are varying degrees of quality when it comes to winshields. The poorer quality glass will have defects in the form of waves in the glass. You don't notice this at first but (usually at night) you will see that things get a little skewed as you drive (especially when you take a corner) where you look through the defect in the glass. This is not a huge problem. With some people it may cause headaches when driving at night. It does not give me headaches. It's annoying when you know it's there, but that is not the biggest issue with having a windshield replaced. I've never seen a windshield that was so out of tolerance that it didn't fit the car. There are a lot of glass companied popping up in the far east that are shipping out huge quantities of aftermarket glass. They come in many different brands (most of which no one has ever heard of) and are purchased in lots. A company will buy a lot of lets say 100 windshields and of those windshields 60 or 70 are supposed to be usable. The rest are defective windshields that are worked into the numbers. At the price paid for these windshields (a lot of 100 lets say) the manufacturer is not going to take the time to check each and every one. They make the glass as fast as they can and ship it. It's up to the buyer to decide if the glass is usable or not. You can imagine this leaves a wide window for the less scrupulous buyers out there to work with. The quality of the product they sell will depend on how close they want to (or dare) run their numbers.
Then there are the high quality glass makers. Ford is the last manufacturer to make their own glass. As I understand it every other manufacturer in the world uses glass supplied by contracted companies. The most familiar names in the US are Pilkington and PPG and of course Ford's glass devision. These manufacturers have strict quality control and are guaranteed to be free of defect. I would advise that you ALWAYS ask what brand of glass a perticular installer uses. The good shops will tell you right away. They are probably used to dealing with people and businesses that demand quality glass. The less scrupulous shops will probably be a little suprised that you asked. Aside from the price most of their clients probably don't know or care.
The biggest problem with a winshield, however, is damage that can be caused when it's installed. This is probably the least known, but one of the most expensive forms of neglegence that can be performed on your car. And John Q Public has no idea what is going on.
Most of us who work on cars or have a passion for them (most of us here) have probably seen the tools of the trade for a windshield repairmen. The cutting tools used to remove a windshield. The problem arises when less experienced (or unscrupulous) installers use them. They cut the windshield out, glue in the new one, collect their money and go on their way. A few years later you may notice a few bubbles of rust forming near your windshield trim. This is your windshield frame rotting out. And the next time your windshield gets cracked and you need it replaced the damage done to the windshield frame (which, if you are seeing it near the trim is already in the very advanced stages) may very well send your car to the salvege yard. If not it will undoubtedly cost you hundreds (or more likely thousands) to repair correctly. Installers know that by the time the damage is that far advanced you will probably not own the car. And it's not their problem and you won't care. This is not the case however with Corvettes thatmany of us will own for many years.
What happened was the windshield guy used his cutting tool to remove the old windshield. When he did this he also cut the paint around the windshield. If he is a quality installer he will apply a primer to seal the scratch and prevent corrosion. But, when you make your living based on how quickly you change windshields it's not always in your best interest to take the extra time. This is especially true if you charge rock bottom prices and rely on turnover for your profit.
I had a 1980 Corvette in my shop last year. It was in for a paint job. The customer also complained of the T-tops leaking. I took the hose and began lnvestigating. Long story short when I pushed on the windshield near the top it moved away from the frame about 1". This was a case of making the dreaded call to the customer "you better come down here and see this". We removed the windshield and the whole frame was completely rotted out. $3,000 later he could replace the windshield and stop his leak. From the outside the car appeared completely fine. C3's have a reputation for windshield frames rotting out and the damage was far too extensive to tell exactly what caused it but the car had a no name windshield in it.
Another customer has a Quattro Coupe. Pretty rare car we are doing a ton of modifications to including a COMPLETE color change. The customer decided he wanted the windshield removed for paint (no small decision, it's a $900 windshield). When we removed the windshield we could see some nice scarring marks from a windshield removal tool that were beginning to rot out. Luckely they were in the early stages and the frame was easily repairable. I will post pic's once the car comes back from upholstery as it's a classic example of what is happening under more than a few windshields out there and the customers have no idea.
So, what does all this mean? When you decide to get your windshield replaced ask a few questions. First find a reutable installer. Most dealers do not do their own glass work. They will have a guy (or a company) they trust who they call when they need them. Call some higher end dealers with good reputations in your area and ask if they would give you the name of their glass guy. They will be happy to. A dealer that sells BMW, Jaguars, Porsche, Ferrari, any high end cars will use a good glass man. If you must make a cold call to a company or person you know nothing about ask them what glass they uses. Then ask them what they use to repair any scratches that they might make in the windshield frame when they remove the glass. If they say "we don't scratch the frame" or something like that than hang up and move on. Scratches are not the problem even the best are going to do it. It's how they repair them that is the issue. They should tell you they use such and such a sealer or primer. At the least they will know you are not a nieve, uninformed consumer.
Well that concludes the longest post I've probably ever written but from what I've seen in the business over the years I wanted to pass this on to everyone here.
Brian
VTvette
Last edited by VtVette; 01-08-2006 at 10:49 PM.
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Clock-work (05-24-2020)
01-08-2006, 11:08 PM
#2
Racer
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I have a glass question, My windshield is pretty rock pitted, I mean these are not huge craters, in fact barely visible until it rains and you turn on the wipers. Is this reparable or would I be better off replacing it.
Excellant info on glass though!!
Thanks
Excellant info on glass though!!
Thanks
01-08-2006, 11:20 PM
#3
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
Hey Rob, I'm not a glass expert by any means. From what I've heard a jewlers rouge is the best bet for removing defects in glass although I've never personally ever done it before. I've seen where people have tried buffing windshields and it always leaves spider web like marks all over the glass which I find EXTREMELY annoying when driving at night. Much more so than the pitting you describe. So far as I know there is no way to effectively repair stone pits in windshields but again I'm not an expert. I know that glass repair techniology has really advanced over the recent years. You might try finding a reputable glass shop that repairs stone ships and ask them what they could do for your windshield.
Brian
VTvette
Brian
VTvette
01-08-2006, 11:35 PM
#4
Le Mans Master
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St. Jude Donor '03-'04-'05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17-'18-'19-'20-'21-'22
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This is a thoughtful and informative post. Thanks for taking all that time so the rest of us can benefit 
01-09-2006, 12:58 AM
#5
Le Mans Master
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C4 of Year Finalist (appearance mods) 2019
Thank you very much for your post. I always keep my cars for 10 to 15 years and while I've never had a windshield replaced this is a great post in case I need to
01-09-2006, 01:08 AM
#6
Racer
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Originally Posted by VtVette
Hey Rob, I'm not a glass expert by any means. From what I've heard a jewlers rouge is the best bet for removing defects in glass although I've never personally ever done it before. I've seen where people have tried buffing windshields and it always leaves spider web like marks all over the glass which I find EXTREMELY annoying when driving at night. Much more so than the pitting you describe. So far as I know there is no way to effectively repair stone pits in windshields but again I'm not an expert. I know that glass repair techniology has really advanced over the recent years. You might try finding a reputable glass shop that repairs stone ships and ask them what they could do for your windshield.
Brian
VTvette
Brian
VTvette
01-09-2006, 01:45 AM
#7
Instructor
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I have never thought about windsheild replacement before but you bring up some very good points. The next time I get one replaced I will think of this thread and ask some questions. THANKS for pointing this out to us.
01-09-2006, 07:57 AM
#8
Melting Slicks
The biggest problem I've had getting my windshield replaced on my Vette is most shops DO NOT KNOW how to seal a Corvette windshield!! Mine leaked terribly. I pulled the reveal moulding off to see what the problem was and found that the windshield shop did not use ANY sealing strips behind the weatherstrip retainer or the reveal mouldings! So I went back to the shop, they had no idea until I showed them the service manual. Just so I would know, I went to another shop, same story...no idea!
01-09-2006, 09:58 AM
#9
Le Mans Master
thanks for taking the time to educate us. May I add one thing-if you're going to have the windshield replaced on your vette-insist on an OEM gasket-the after market one they used on mine was way firmer and leaked-they replaced the gasket-and had to install another new windshield on mine-at their expense.
01-09-2006, 10:33 AM
#11
Burning Brakes
Thanks for the info.
Thanks for the info. I had been thinking about having one replaced on my convertible. I will now have a bunch of questions to call and ask first.
On another note. I used to drive a bunch of miles to work at the same time the construction trucks did. My GMC Jimmy seemed as it was a target for stones on the freeway. 4 windshields in 2 1/2 years due to stone damage. I would get hit by what looked like pea sized rocks and find a 6-8" crack in it by the time I got to work. I finally had a Pilkington W/S installed (just found a glass shop that used their stuff) and things that used to break the others just bounce off. I know it isn't bullet proof but it does seem a lot stronger.
On another note. I used to drive a bunch of miles to work at the same time the construction trucks did. My GMC Jimmy seemed as it was a target for stones on the freeway. 4 windshields in 2 1/2 years due to stone damage. I would get hit by what looked like pea sized rocks and find a 6-8" crack in it by the time I got to work. I finally had a Pilkington W/S installed (just found a glass shop that used their stuff) and things that used to break the others just bounce off. I know it isn't bullet proof but it does seem a lot stronger.
01-09-2006, 10:34 AM
#12
Drifting
Thank you for the post, but for me it is a little late...about 12 years late. 
The previous owner had a windshield replaced and was done wrong. It cost me $2,100.00 and change (CDN) for a new windshield, weatherstriping, and mouldings, plus repair of rust. The old shop glued the moulding pieces in i guess they lost the screws??? 
My Car spent 3 days in the shop, and the Shop phoned me so I could see the damage, and repairs that were done, step by step. I never want to have to do that again. I had prices from range from 300.00 and up to 2,500, the dealer wanted even more. I ended up with going to the shop that said 2,500. They said that should be the worst case scenario if all the mouldings could not be salvaged. 3 different shops looked at the car before pricing. The most expensive one asked me questions and answered mine. So they got the job.
The previous owner had a windshield replaced and was done wrong. It cost me $2,100.00 and change (CDN) for a new windshield, weatherstriping, and mouldings, plus repair of rust. The old shop glued the moulding pieces in i guess they lost the screws??? My Car spent 3 days in the shop, and the Shop phoned me so I could see the damage, and repairs that were done, step by step. I never want to have to do that again. I had prices from range from 300.00 and up to 2,500, the dealer wanted even more. I ended up with going to the shop that said 2,500. They said that should be the worst case scenario if all the mouldings could not be salvaged. 3 different shops looked at the car before pricing. The most expensive one asked me questions and answered mine. So they got the job.
04-06-2006, 05:31 PM
#13
Originally Posted by VtVette
Lately there has been a bit of discussion about windshield replacment here on the forum. I wanted to share some of my knowlege on the subject I've gained from working in the restoration field reguarding windshield replacment.
Windshields are an ofter very overlooked part of a car. Most people know little or nothing about them and there is very little glamour to be gained by enlightening yourself. But, with a little knowledge you may save yourself a LOT of headaches down the road.
Like everything else in life there are varying degrees of quality when it comes to winshields. The poorer quality glass will have defects in the form of waves in the glass. You don't notice this at first but (usually at night) you will see that things get a little skewed as you drive (especially when you take a corner) where you look through the defect in the glass. This is not a huge problem. With some people it may cause headaches when driving at night. It does not give me headaches. It's annoying when you know it's there, but that is not the biggest issue with having a windshield replaced. I've never seen a windshield that was so out of tolerance that it didn't fit the car. There are a lot of glass companied popping up in the far east that are shipping out huge quantities of aftermarket glass. They come in many different brands (most of which no one has ever heard of) and are purchased in lots. A company will buy a lot of lets say 100 windshields and of those windshields 60 or 70 are supposed to be usable. The rest are defective windshields that are worked into the numbers. At the price paid for these windshields (a lot of 100 lets say) the manufacturer is not going to take the time to check each and every one. They make the glass as fast as they can and ship it. It's up to the buyer to decide if the glass is usable or not. You can imagine this leaves a wide window for the less scrupulous buyers out there to work with. The quality of the product they sell will depend on how close they want to (or dare) run their numbers.
Then there are the high quality glass makers. Ford is the last manufacturer to make their own glass. As I understand it every other manufacturer in the world uses glass supplied by contracted companies. The most familiar names in the US are Pilkington and PPG and of course Ford's glass devision. These manufacturers have strict quality control and are guaranteed to be free of defect. I would advise that you ALWAYS ask what brand of glass a perticular installer uses. The good shops will tell you right away. They are probably used to dealing with people and businesses that demand quality glass. The less scrupulous shops will probably be a little suprised that you asked. Aside from the price most of their clients probably don't know or care.
The biggest problem with a winshield, however, is damage that can be caused when it's installed. This is probably the least known, but one of the most expensive forms of neglegence that can be performed on your car. And John Q Public has no idea what is going on.
Most of us who work on cars or have a passion for them (most of us here) have probably seen the tools of the trade for a windshield repairmen. The cutting tools used to remove a windshield. The problem arises when less experienced (or unscrupulous) installers use them. They cut the windshield out, glue in the new one, collect their money and go on their way. A few years later you may notice a few bubbles of rust forming near your windshield trim. This is your windshield frame rotting out. And the next time your windshield gets cracked and you need it replaced the damage done to the windshield frame (which, if you are seeing it near the trim is already in the very advanced stages) may very well send your car to the salvege yard. If not it will undoubtedly cost you hundreds (or more likely thousands) to repair correctly. Installers know that by the time the damage is that far advanced you will probably not own the car. And it's not their problem and you won't care. This is not the case however with Corvettes thatmany of us will own for many years.
What happened was the windshield guy used his cutting tool to remove the old windshield. When he did this he also cut the paint around the windshield. If he is a quality installer he will apply a primer to seal the scratch and prevent corrosion. But, when you make your living based on how quickly you change windshields it's not always in your best interest to take the extra time. This is especially true if you charge rock bottom prices and rely on turnover for your profit.
I had a 1980 Corvette in my shop last year. It was in for a paint job. The customer also complained of the T-tops leaking. I took the hose and began lnvestigating. Long story short when I pushed on the windshield near the top it moved away from the frame about 1". This was a case of making the dreaded call to the customer "you better come down here and see this". We removed the windshield and the whole frame was completely rotted out. $3,000 later he could replace the windshield and stop his leak. From the outside the car appeared completely fine. C3's have a reputation for windshield frames rotting out and the damage was far too extensive to tell exactly what caused it but the car had a no name windshield in it.
Another customer has a Quattro Coupe. Pretty rare car we are doing a ton of modifications to including a COMPLETE color change. The customer decided he wanted the windshield removed for paint (no small decision, it's a $900 windshield). When we removed the windshield we could see some nice scarring marks from a windshield removal tool that were beginning to rot out. Luckely they were in the early stages and the frame was easily repairable. I will post pic's once the car comes back from upholstery as it's a classic example of what is happening under more than a few windshields out there and the customers have no idea.
So, what does all this mean? When you decide to get your windshield replaced ask a few questions. First find a reutable installer. Most dealers do not do their own glass work. They will have a guy (or a company) they trust who they call when they need them. Call some higher end dealers with good reputations in your area and ask if they would give you the name of their glass guy. They will be happy to. A dealer that sells BMW, Jaguars, Porsche, Ferrari, any high end cars will use a good glass man. If you must make a cold call to a company or person you know nothing about ask them what glass they uses. Then ask them what they use to repair any scratches that they might make in the windshield frame when they remove the glass. If they say "we don't scratch the frame" or something like that than hang up and move on. Scratches are not the problem even the best are going to do it. It's how they repair them that is the issue. They should tell you they use such and such a sealer or primer. At the least they will know you are not a nieve, uninformed consumer.
Well that concludes the longest post I've probably ever written but from what I've seen in the business over the years I wanted to pass this on to everyone here.
Brian
VTvette
Windshields are an ofter very overlooked part of a car. Most people know little or nothing about them and there is very little glamour to be gained by enlightening yourself. But, with a little knowledge you may save yourself a LOT of headaches down the road.
Like everything else in life there are varying degrees of quality when it comes to winshields. The poorer quality glass will have defects in the form of waves in the glass. You don't notice this at first but (usually at night) you will see that things get a little skewed as you drive (especially when you take a corner) where you look through the defect in the glass. This is not a huge problem. With some people it may cause headaches when driving at night. It does not give me headaches. It's annoying when you know it's there, but that is not the biggest issue with having a windshield replaced. I've never seen a windshield that was so out of tolerance that it didn't fit the car. There are a lot of glass companied popping up in the far east that are shipping out huge quantities of aftermarket glass. They come in many different brands (most of which no one has ever heard of) and are purchased in lots. A company will buy a lot of lets say 100 windshields and of those windshields 60 or 70 are supposed to be usable. The rest are defective windshields that are worked into the numbers. At the price paid for these windshields (a lot of 100 lets say) the manufacturer is not going to take the time to check each and every one. They make the glass as fast as they can and ship it. It's up to the buyer to decide if the glass is usable or not. You can imagine this leaves a wide window for the less scrupulous buyers out there to work with. The quality of the product they sell will depend on how close they want to (or dare) run their numbers.
Then there are the high quality glass makers. Ford is the last manufacturer to make their own glass. As I understand it every other manufacturer in the world uses glass supplied by contracted companies. The most familiar names in the US are Pilkington and PPG and of course Ford's glass devision. These manufacturers have strict quality control and are guaranteed to be free of defect. I would advise that you ALWAYS ask what brand of glass a perticular installer uses. The good shops will tell you right away. They are probably used to dealing with people and businesses that demand quality glass. The less scrupulous shops will probably be a little suprised that you asked. Aside from the price most of their clients probably don't know or care.
The biggest problem with a winshield, however, is damage that can be caused when it's installed. This is probably the least known, but one of the most expensive forms of neglegence that can be performed on your car. And John Q Public has no idea what is going on.
Most of us who work on cars or have a passion for them (most of us here) have probably seen the tools of the trade for a windshield repairmen. The cutting tools used to remove a windshield. The problem arises when less experienced (or unscrupulous) installers use them. They cut the windshield out, glue in the new one, collect their money and go on their way. A few years later you may notice a few bubbles of rust forming near your windshield trim. This is your windshield frame rotting out. And the next time your windshield gets cracked and you need it replaced the damage done to the windshield frame (which, if you are seeing it near the trim is already in the very advanced stages) may very well send your car to the salvege yard. If not it will undoubtedly cost you hundreds (or more likely thousands) to repair correctly. Installers know that by the time the damage is that far advanced you will probably not own the car. And it's not their problem and you won't care. This is not the case however with Corvettes thatmany of us will own for many years.
What happened was the windshield guy used his cutting tool to remove the old windshield. When he did this he also cut the paint around the windshield. If he is a quality installer he will apply a primer to seal the scratch and prevent corrosion. But, when you make your living based on how quickly you change windshields it's not always in your best interest to take the extra time. This is especially true if you charge rock bottom prices and rely on turnover for your profit.
I had a 1980 Corvette in my shop last year. It was in for a paint job. The customer also complained of the T-tops leaking. I took the hose and began lnvestigating. Long story short when I pushed on the windshield near the top it moved away from the frame about 1". This was a case of making the dreaded call to the customer "you better come down here and see this". We removed the windshield and the whole frame was completely rotted out. $3,000 later he could replace the windshield and stop his leak. From the outside the car appeared completely fine. C3's have a reputation for windshield frames rotting out and the damage was far too extensive to tell exactly what caused it but the car had a no name windshield in it.
Another customer has a Quattro Coupe. Pretty rare car we are doing a ton of modifications to including a COMPLETE color change. The customer decided he wanted the windshield removed for paint (no small decision, it's a $900 windshield). When we removed the windshield we could see some nice scarring marks from a windshield removal tool that were beginning to rot out. Luckely they were in the early stages and the frame was easily repairable. I will post pic's once the car comes back from upholstery as it's a classic example of what is happening under more than a few windshields out there and the customers have no idea.
So, what does all this mean? When you decide to get your windshield replaced ask a few questions. First find a reutable installer. Most dealers do not do their own glass work. They will have a guy (or a company) they trust who they call when they need them. Call some higher end dealers with good reputations in your area and ask if they would give you the name of their glass guy. They will be happy to. A dealer that sells BMW, Jaguars, Porsche, Ferrari, any high end cars will use a good glass man. If you must make a cold call to a company or person you know nothing about ask them what glass they uses. Then ask them what they use to repair any scratches that they might make in the windshield frame when they remove the glass. If they say "we don't scratch the frame" or something like that than hang up and move on. Scratches are not the problem even the best are going to do it. It's how they repair them that is the issue. They should tell you they use such and such a sealer or primer. At the least they will know you are not a nieve, uninformed consumer.
Well that concludes the longest post I've probably ever written but from what I've seen in the business over the years I wanted to pass this on to everyone here.
Brian
VTvette
Brian, thanks for the excellent information! I have a 68 coupe (frame off restoration) that needs a new windshield installed, do you know of any good installers in MD.? Thanks AL.
04-06-2006, 05:48 PM
#14
Melting Slicks
Member Since: Mar 2003
Location: Toronto ONTARIO
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Thanks so much for the info. I have a 93 with a zillion super small pitt marks that are only noticeable in direct sunlight. Up until this day.. i have never trusted a dealer to touch my car ( my friend works there i hear every story that has happened and still happens ), and i probably never will. knowing this bit of info has me even more scared to touch the windshield on my car 
I want to replace it.. but i think i wont decide on anyone until im fully confident that someone can do a proper job.
If anyone in the toronto or surrounding area reccomends anywhere that has done theirs id love to hear about it.
I want to replace it.. but i think i wont decide on anyone until im fully confident that someone can do a proper job.If anyone in the toronto or surrounding area reccomends anywhere that has done theirs id love to hear about it.
04-06-2006, 06:00 PM
#15
Safety Car
Member Since: Aug 1999
Location: Fort Lauderdale FL
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Thanks for the info! I had my winshield replaced several years ago due to a crack... however the shop installed a new one and I noticed that the vin window on the new windshield was off a little bit. I asked them why and they said they weren't sure. They also should have quoted the insurance company for new windsheild weatherstripping as well in which they didn't. They ended up reusing my old weatherstrip and it looked like crap. All in all.. I learned a valuable lesson. Thanks for taking the time to post this. I now know what to look for if I ever need to get one replaced again.
04-06-2006, 09:23 PM
#19
Team Owner
Member Since: Jun 2005
Location: Northern, VA
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St. Jude Donor '15
"In honor of jpee"
Vt, This REALLY is great info! Thanks for taking the time to post it. I'm going to send this on to some non-Corvette types (yes, I know a couple but not too many).
And that part about asking a higher-end dealer (meaning, usually, the tech service mgr.) is absolutely correct. I spoke with a Lexus person about body work and he recommended two outside firms. Even went so far as to say, both are excellent, but one, he's never had a call back on. Considering that lots of Lexus LS owners are still driving their early-90s models, it's good referrrals.
And that part about asking a higher-end dealer (meaning, usually, the tech service mgr.) is absolutely correct. I spoke with a Lexus person about body work and he recommended two outside firms. Even went so far as to say, both are excellent, but one, he's never had a call back on. Considering that lots of Lexus LS owners are still driving their early-90s models, it's good referrrals.
04-06-2006, 09:38 PM
#20
Le Mans Master
I would add that in these parts, cutting out a windshield is
THE EXCEPTION, rather than the norm. Irrespective of the make
or model of vehicle. Instead, the common practice is to break
the glass - usually by someone inside applying their boots to
the windshield.
So, what to do? It isn't my kind of thing but member Z51JEFF has
posted pictures of his work to remove the glass and rehabilitate the
frame for his convertible. He prepped everything and then had a
glazier bring and install a windshield at his home. Here is one link, there are others.
If you want to read how the removal is supposed to be done properly,
get a copy of Corvette Water Leak and Wind Noise Solutions by
Michael Davis. Mid America carries it
A great book.
There is at least one thread where we got into a big discussion about
the merits of the owner doing the installation, too. My vote and that
of the majority was that this is where you want the pro and the proper
adhesives.
.
THE EXCEPTION, rather than the norm. Irrespective of the make
or model of vehicle. Instead, the common practice is to break
the glass - usually by someone inside applying their boots to
the windshield.
So, what to do? It isn't my kind of thing but member Z51JEFF has
posted pictures of his work to remove the glass and rehabilitate the
frame for his convertible. He prepped everything and then had a
glazier bring and install a windshield at his home. Here is one link, there are others.
If you want to read how the removal is supposed to be done properly,
get a copy of Corvette Water Leak and Wind Noise Solutions by
Michael Davis. Mid America carries it
A great book.
There is at least one thread where we got into a big discussion about
the merits of the owner doing the installation, too. My vote and that
of the majority was that this is where you want the pro and the proper
adhesives.
.