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I spoke with Ernie from Willcox Corvette a couple of weeks ago and found that the windshield corner piece isn't an exact reproduction. I installed the corner piece and was test fitting the interior trim so I could drill one hole and everything fits well. The only way anyone would ever know this is not factory is if they removed the interior or exterior windshield trim. Here is where I am at as of last night.
I finally got a break. There are 2 parts I needed to remove that looked like they were badly rusted and I would have to cut them out and perhaps weld in new pieces of steel to screw these parts to. I used PB Blaster and started scraping and found it was mainly crud and the brackets/pieces bent partially over the screws. I noticed the old pieces had a bend of almost 90 degrees towards the front of the car a little above the screws while the new ones do not. I think when I had the windshield removed they must have gotten bent. Please look and see what you think. Do these parts help align the windshield during install and redirect the water coming from the windshield channel? I looked at the AIM and could net tell for sure.
Passenger side
Drivers side
Both sides
Last edited by JimLentz; Jun 13, 2016 at 09:58 PM.
I got further tonight cleaning everything up, sanding down the surfaces and applying some POR15. The base area of the windshield had a lot of RTV to clean up, is that standard? Here is what it looks like.
Looks great Jim... You're really doing a great job... If you have questions moving forward email me direct at support@willcoxcorvette.com. I'll be out of town for a few weeks but that address follows me.
Just know that if you are using urethane for the windshield you'll also need to use 3M 08682 Single Step Primer. And if you use POR products you'll have to scuff this for the primer to have something to adhere too. Personally I don't use the POR products but you may love them.. either way if you use urethane as your sealant for the windshield you'll need the primer and you'll need to scuff it up.
I have a little welding experience I was a nuclear pipe welder for the Dept Of Defense before I became a nuclear Inspector and I have restored several cars using a 110 volt Miller 175 Amp mig gun. I also have a 220 volt Lincoln Square Wave 175 for Tig and Stick welding and I can tell you I use the mig gun more than anything else. You can get a good mig gun from a known company like Lincoln or Miller for between $500 and $1,000 it will last you for years. I did the windshield frame on my 73 with my mig gun and you can drill a small 1/8 inch hole and weld it back up and grind it smooth just like a spot weld. I would NOT get a flux cored gun for anything I wanted to do a good job on they are just to messy
Thanks Andy, Tim and Ernie! I am going to have a company install the windshield as they removed it and will credit that amount for the install. Their install price including the windshield is less than I can get the windshield for. I will use the exterior windshield trim to verify the thickness of the sealant is good. I will check with them to see what sealant they use so I can do the primer right.
I have a little welding experience I was a nuclear pipe welder for the Dept Of Defense before I became a nuclear Inspector and I have restored several cars using a 110 volt Miller 175 Amp mig gun. I also have a 220 volt Lincoln Square Wave 175 for Tig and Stick welding and I can tell you I use the mig gun more than anything else. You can get a good mig gun from a known company like Lincoln or Miller for between $500 and $1,000 it will last you for years. I did the windshield frame on my 73 with my mig gun and you can drill a small 1/8 inch hole and weld it back up and grind it smooth just like a spot weld. I would NOT get a flux cored gun for anything I wanted to do a good job on they are just to messy
Skip, you have a lot more welding experience than I will ever have. I am using a Eastwood 140 Amp MIG welder and it worked pretty well to plug weld the corner piece in place. I use a 10 gauge extension cord to the house because the garage is a 15 Amp service and I think the voltage drop would have been too great to try and use an outlet in the garage. When I was grinding down the welds it was getting pretty slow when I realized I needed a new grinding wheel on the grinder and it flew through the welds again. Thanks for the tips!
I am cleaning things up a bit in preparation for installing the windshield. I had a little difficulty trying to remove the T-top front guide pin bushings. I ended up using a 9/16 inch 12 point socket and a light tap of the hammer and then was able to wiggle them out.
