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I have all new glass I bough from Matt. I have all of the rubber and have already polished the trim. I'm just waiting on the posts to come back from plating. I'm going to give it a shot. The guy that painted my GTO repaired a motor home that had been in an accident. They were trying to install a new windshield and I thought they were being extremely rough doing it. They had it almost in when one of them pushes on the side where it wrapped around, crack top to bottom. That was a$1,000 piece of glass and they had to wait forever to get it. He had a glass place come out and install the second one.
My question is about the glass thickness? I know on newer cars replacement windshields seem to be thinner that the OEM glass. Seems like I have had to replace a windshield on one of my vehicles once a year but knock on wood the two Corvettes have not yet needed one.
Well,
First of all a big thank you to everyone who stepped up on this. Frankie, I hear ya loud and clear on this. Itis like tailpipes and mufflers--just because you can do something does not mean that you should do it. I learned when I was 16 that it is far better to take your muffler to Midas than to do it yourself. It took me DAYS before I gave up and went to Midas. By the time I had a burger and fries the job was done. Lesson learned.
The bad news here in Phoenix is that I am having ZERO luck with finding someone to do the job.
One guy said--"Oh I did a couple of those but not anymore--" I asked why and said --I'M eighty and have had enough." I tried to get him to simply assemble it but he said no thanks.
Two they simply laughed and turned me down flat.
The latest one was VERY positive--it was a Corvette "specialty glass shop" they listed that they do every make and model of Corvette glass. Well, finally---then I spoke to them and the gal says--"no problem. We can even come out to your home and do it right there." And I said--"NOOOO, I dont think so.' but she insisted. and I pressed her a bit further and I end up having to explain to her exactly what a C1 is. So she takes the VIN No to "see if we can find a glass for "that year" and says she will get back to me.
This tells me that SHE at least has no idea. So MAYBE she's new to the game and the installers are more together.
In the meantime----I spoke to the "guys at our club" who did a complete frame off on a 62. I called him and said---OH, Lee and I did the windshield in two days. Lee is "the glass guy" of the club. He said that the only problem they had was that the owner tried what Frankie did---he sent everything out to be assembled and when they tried to mount it it would not fit so they had to disassemble it all and re-assemble before it would fit.
Lee offered to help do it so at least if I can not find someone trustworthy I might have to bite the bullet.
Will know more on Monday.
The PDF of the job is EXTREMELY helpful.
The work does not bother me---it's the thought of breaking the glass that holds me back.
Will let you know how things unfold/shatter----
Thanks again
Eddie
About three years after a restoration place replaced the windshield on my 59, I got a huge rock chip right in the middle. Filled out a claim and took it back to the same restorer and they did a great job. Insurance paid around $1800. Done! Life is too short to mess around with something you have insurance for.
Take a look at the picture in the link above (there is another page for the opposite side post on the CC website, so double the price shown).
You will see the 2 threaded studs coming off the bottom of the post, with a tab to the left.
In the "old days", it was reported that the windshield could be removed (very incorrectly) by a glass replacement business, by rocking the windshield forward and breaking out that area on the posts. My posts were both broken (be it by a previous windshield replacement, or just by a weak design). I sent the posts to Corvette Central, and in 2 weeks had them back, repaired far stronger than the original design.
If your posts are still "original", I would still have CC replace the tabs... Far stronger, and would last forever. YMMV...
As for glass breakage, too much force trying to reassemble the track & trim, or using fasteners that are too long, and intrude into the glass track, may eventually make their way into contacting the edge of the glass (so I have been told).
Plasticman
Last edited by Plasticman; Jan 30, 2021 at 01:23 PM.
Frankie,
Can you explain "windshield post tabs"?
Eddie
The C1 windshield side pillars were a poor design...they stand upright on a pot metal tab that extends forward and easily breaks in two. I've heard about them being broken as a short cut to windshield replacement but not sure I buy that...nobody has told me how you would deal with the other fitment challenges even after the pillars were snapped loose.
More likely they were just weak and fractured over time, or, somebody's convertible top was too tight and they latched things down on the front anyway and broke the pillar tabs, or, some people used to grab the windshield header to pull themselves up when getting out of the car.
At any rate Paul Mazut does the repairs for many of the vendors or you can go to him directly, when he's done, short of rolling the car over, they'll never break again.
Here are my Paul Mazut repaired tabs:
Last edited by Frankie the Fink; Jan 30, 2021 at 03:10 PM.
When I did mine several years back my glass was ok, but the w/s posts were pitted badly. So I removed mine myself, disassembled the pieces, put them in a box and mailed them to a company in pittsburgh. They sent the posts to Paul’s Chrome and polished the stainless, reassembled everything with new glass and I drove 2 1/2 hours to pick it up when it was done. As some as we got home I reinstalled it because I was petrified that something was gonna happen and break that glass. I think I had about $2500 with the chrome, stainless polish, new glass and assembly. Also my post were not broken.
Once again,
Thanks you all. Your input is very much appreciated.
The quptes are finally coming in---the Corvette SPECIALTY shop quoted $745.00 COMPLETE---OUT THE DOOR!
Scary thought.
They both are using FUYAO glass---Chinese company but made in USA!?!?
Your thoughts?
Eddie
I'm skeptical of that price, anybody that knows the labor hours to do this job multiplied by the hourly rate of the shop has to know that price is cheap. Proceed with caution..
What is this shop's experience with windshield replacement or even C1s in general.?
Last edited by Frankie the Fink; Jan 31, 2021 at 10:13 AM.
