When To Do Glass...
02-02-2015, 11:49 PM
#1
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
When To Do Glass...
Hello all!!! I'm done with the major body work and am near putting the body back on to check all the gaps and fit bumpers before chroming, etc. I'll be taking the recent advice from the forum and wrapping the rolling chassis in plastic wrap before I put the body on. But I've been stressing the windshield and door glass lately. When is the best time to put these in during the painting process? I am SOOOO intimidated by the thought of getting the door window tracks, glass, trim, and power window motor back in there and functioning properly... AND not mess up the paint. Should that stuff be put in before the final paint and masked up? Or some of it? And the windshield... when should that be installed? Been reading about that install here on the forum and that's pretty scary as well. And while I'm at it... is there any other "must do's" in the assembly process before the color goes on? I'm very handy with mechanics and paint. I don't know why the glass has me so concerned??? Thanks in advance for everyone's help. Jason
02-03-2015, 02:45 AM
#2
Safety Car
My car is out for paint at the moment but I stripped it down. I gutted my doors out because I did not want any overspray getting on anything in the doors. Also did not want any masking lines on the doors. Believe me I know how you feel! But I think it's a better way to go. I have been cleaning/re-greasing the latches, bolts and screws, painting the door handles and brackets etc. I took tons of photos and marked all of the window bolt locations for easy(er) re-alignment. And bagged and tagged all of it. When it comes time for re-assembly I'm just going to take it slow and protect the paint where it might potentially get scratched.
02-03-2015, 06:33 PM
#3
Race Director
*****MY OPINION*****
Jason,
PLEASE always mention what year you have....so I (we) do not have to ask or search out all you posts to try yo find when you mention it. It does make a difference.
OK...due to numerous questions basically all about the same concern.
ONCE the body is on the FRAME and CORRECT.
I would gelcoat your car so the fiberglass and bodywork is covered. If you choose to apply another product...that is obviously your choice......then....I would make sure the MOUNTING SURFACE of the windshield frame where the URETHANE is to be applied is CORRECT. And by me writing 'CORRECT'...this surface needs to match what you plan to use for an adhesive. Some urethane adhesive manufacturers have SPECIFIC primers that go on the steel. Some companies want the steel to be CLEAN AND BARE...while other will allow or want a coat of epoxy primer...but I pretty much know that they DO NOT WANT IT PAINTED. This is due to shear if the car gets hit. Where the products you apply on the CLEAN, BARE steel can actually shear from each other and the windshield can come flying out with the urethane attached to it. SO...'thinking' that NUMEROUS coats of epoxy primer is GOOD...MAY NOT BE GOOD due to EXCESSIVE film thickness. Check with the company you plan to use for the urethane and FOLLOW their recommendations TO THE LETTER.
Then ONCE you have set-up the windshield to make sure that your TRIM will go on and have PROPER clearance....by using some cut rubber stops to raise and hold the windshield so the upper corners of the windshield fit and look correct....so you do not have a gap wide enough BETWEEN the windshield and the trim where you can slide a pencil in between them.
Cutting the tip of the nozzle in a 'V'...and making sure the 'V' is about 3/4" to 1" deep...and then having just one side of the end of the tube be a little bit shorter...will allow you to place the tip and have the slightly longer end of the tip to be on the outside edge of the windshield as a guide. So when you apply the urethane to the windshield...you do not have to hold the tip steady because the plastic tube is sliding on the outer edge of the glass and putting the urethane right where you want it...but you still can guide it when pumping out the urethane. AND...with the urethane going on and looking like a sharp angled pyramid....when you go and set you glass in place....the fine point of the top of the urethane will make contact with the frame...and then spread out making sure you have a very good bond.
When I put a windshield in ...I IMMEDIATELY get the top trim on...and KNOWING how it has to go on due to masking tape on the trim and the top stainless makes me know how to properly line it up. Then I install the side trims that touch the windshield and screw then in place and make sure my windshield is like it is supposed to be...even if I have to cut wedges and raise the corners while the urethane is still creamy. When that is correct...I let the windshield cure. Then remove the side trims for paint.
DOOR GLASS:
WITH CARE...this can be done PRIOR to applying any product over the bare fiberglass/bodywork. So just in case you have to re-work an area...you do not have to worry.
I do not ASSUME ANYTHING!!!!! Especially when the body has been taken off.
If you car were in my shop...the doors would be set and adjusted to perfection...then the windows, regulators, tracks, etc would be installed and checked...and that ALSO means the windshield pillar trims and weatherstrips are attached so I can check to MAKE SURE the pillar post weatherstrips will work and I can adjust the glass and get it all correct.
ONCE that has been done and I know I got it...I take everything back out ( yes..it all comes out) due to I install and remove the doors during my paint jobs so I can get all areas painted correctly...regardless on how GM did it....I do it differently....and I am super picky about the door jambs and hinge posts.
Then when the car has been painted and buffed...I re-assemble it for the last time and everything should adjust out the EXACT SAME as I did prior to painting the car.
Does this seem to be a bit of overkill. WELL...do as you wish and I hope you the best...HONESTLY I do. But in the past I ASSUMED 'things'; were fine when they were not...and when installing bumpers and other parts I found that 'issues' needed to be taken care of....BUT it was too late due the car was painted and then the REAL FUN began. getting 'things to be RIGHT when working around FRESH PAINT.
DUB
Jason,
PLEASE always mention what year you have....so I (we) do not have to ask or search out all you posts to try yo find when you mention it. It does make a difference.
OK...due to numerous questions basically all about the same concern.
ONCE the body is on the FRAME and CORRECT.
I would gelcoat your car so the fiberglass and bodywork is covered. If you choose to apply another product...that is obviously your choice......then....I would make sure the MOUNTING SURFACE of the windshield frame where the URETHANE is to be applied is CORRECT. And by me writing 'CORRECT'...this surface needs to match what you plan to use for an adhesive. Some urethane adhesive manufacturers have SPECIFIC primers that go on the steel. Some companies want the steel to be CLEAN AND BARE...while other will allow or want a coat of epoxy primer...but I pretty much know that they DO NOT WANT IT PAINTED. This is due to shear if the car gets hit. Where the products you apply on the CLEAN, BARE steel can actually shear from each other and the windshield can come flying out with the urethane attached to it. SO...'thinking' that NUMEROUS coats of epoxy primer is GOOD...MAY NOT BE GOOD due to EXCESSIVE film thickness. Check with the company you plan to use for the urethane and FOLLOW their recommendations TO THE LETTER.
Then ONCE you have set-up the windshield to make sure that your TRIM will go on and have PROPER clearance....by using some cut rubber stops to raise and hold the windshield so the upper corners of the windshield fit and look correct....so you do not have a gap wide enough BETWEEN the windshield and the trim where you can slide a pencil in between them.
Cutting the tip of the nozzle in a 'V'...and making sure the 'V' is about 3/4" to 1" deep...and then having just one side of the end of the tube be a little bit shorter...will allow you to place the tip and have the slightly longer end of the tip to be on the outside edge of the windshield as a guide. So when you apply the urethane to the windshield...you do not have to hold the tip steady because the plastic tube is sliding on the outer edge of the glass and putting the urethane right where you want it...but you still can guide it when pumping out the urethane. AND...with the urethane going on and looking like a sharp angled pyramid....when you go and set you glass in place....the fine point of the top of the urethane will make contact with the frame...and then spread out making sure you have a very good bond.
When I put a windshield in ...I IMMEDIATELY get the top trim on...and KNOWING how it has to go on due to masking tape on the trim and the top stainless makes me know how to properly line it up. Then I install the side trims that touch the windshield and screw then in place and make sure my windshield is like it is supposed to be...even if I have to cut wedges and raise the corners while the urethane is still creamy. When that is correct...I let the windshield cure. Then remove the side trims for paint.
DOOR GLASS:
WITH CARE...this can be done PRIOR to applying any product over the bare fiberglass/bodywork. So just in case you have to re-work an area...you do not have to worry.
I do not ASSUME ANYTHING!!!!! Especially when the body has been taken off.
If you car were in my shop...the doors would be set and adjusted to perfection...then the windows, regulators, tracks, etc would be installed and checked...and that ALSO means the windshield pillar trims and weatherstrips are attached so I can check to MAKE SURE the pillar post weatherstrips will work and I can adjust the glass and get it all correct.
ONCE that has been done and I know I got it...I take everything back out ( yes..it all comes out) due to I install and remove the doors during my paint jobs so I can get all areas painted correctly...regardless on how GM did it....I do it differently....and I am super picky about the door jambs and hinge posts.
Then when the car has been painted and buffed...I re-assemble it for the last time and everything should adjust out the EXACT SAME as I did prior to painting the car.
Does this seem to be a bit of overkill. WELL...do as you wish and I hope you the best...HONESTLY I do. But in the past I ASSUMED 'things'; were fine when they were not...and when installing bumpers and other parts I found that 'issues' needed to be taken care of....BUT it was too late due the car was painted and then the REAL FUN began. getting 'things to be RIGHT when working around FRESH PAINT.
DUB