Cracked winshield
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Joined: Apr 2015
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From: Youngsville NY
Cracked winshield
Hello, this past November I had Safelite replace the windshield in my 82. I have been restoring this car for a number of years so the t tops, interior trim exterior trim were not installed. My wife set this up as a surprise for our anniversary. Forgot to mention that I had already removed the broken old windshield. When the Safelite guy came I told him that the t tops were not ready to put on the car, I had not installed the latches and such, the guy said it would not matter. The other day, I tried to put the t tops on and the windshield cracked. I guess my question is, "should the tops have been installed prior to installing the windshield". I have looked all over the internet for "ammo" to go back to Safelite with with no luck. Could you tell me if you have any "ammo" for me to go to them with? Sorry about this long winded question.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 780
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From: wantagh ny
I had my t tops off during install of my windshield.This was on my 71. I do have to say something. I had a new windshield done on the 71. Shortly after I noticed the windshield was broke again. I took the old windshield out myself. What I noticed was I may have put the screws back into the header area and they may have been slightly to long. Enough to just hit the top corner of the windshield and sometimes the temp. can change and expand the metal enough for the tip of the screw to crack the glass. Side moldings, header moldings and sun visor screws are so close to the windshield. These screws should only just grab and if they pass the metal into the windshield it may hit and crack. Trust me I feel your pain. If you have any questions you can contact me and I will call you.....Anthony
Hello, this past November I had Safelite replace the windshield in my 82. I have been restoring this car for a number of years so the t tops, interior trim exterior trim were not installed. My wife set this up as a surprise for our anniversary. Forgot to mention that I had already removed the broken old windshield. When the Safelite guy came I told him that the t tops were not ready to put on the car, I had not installed the latches and such, the guy said it would not matter. The other day, I tried to put the t tops on and the windshield cracked. I guess my question is, "should the tops have been installed prior to installing the windshield". I have looked all over the internet for "ammo" to go back to Safelite with with no luck. Could you tell me if you have any "ammo" for me to go to them with? Sorry about this long winded question.
Last edited by 2001convertable; Apr 4, 2015 at 05:23 PM.
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Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 52
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From: Youngsville NY
cracked windshield
I had my t tops off during install of my windshield.This was on my 71. I do have to say something. I had a new windshield done on the 71. Shortly after I noticed the windshield was broke again. I took the old windshield out myself. What I noticed was I may have put the screws back into the header area and they may have been slightly to long. Enough to just hit the top corner of the windshield and sometimes the temp. can change and expand the metal enough for the tip of the screw to crack the glass. Side moldings, header moldings and sun visor screws are so close to the windshield. These screws should only just grab and if they pass the metal into the windshield it may hit and crack. Trust me I feel your pain. If you have any questions you can contact me and I will call you.....Anthony
Thanks Anthony, but I have not put the header or interior trim in yet, just the parts that hold the top on and the crack started nowhere near a screw. I actually heard the thing crack as I was latching the top down. All the attaching points were shimmed out and loose and the tops have brand new weatherstrip, they are very hard to get to latch. As I was pressing on the latch from inside the car, about halfway to latched is when I heard a crack, then I saw it and watched as it spread about 4 inches down from the top then over to the right about 8 inches. Not for nothing, I am an aircraft mechanic by trade for 35+ years now. It makes sense to me that if the windshield frame was a little "out of whack", sealing the new windshield in while in this condition, when latching the tops on for the first time, as the latching points do not have much adjust-ability, ( actually the outside corner points have no adjustment) the top would try to pull the those corners towards themselves . Thus stressing the windshield to the point of fracture. Your thoughts, anyone's thoughts.
Last edited by fk200mph; Apr 5, 2015 at 08:34 AM.
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From: Youngsville NY
