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Windshield frame sealing and rust prevention (pics)
I've removed the windshield and started cleaning things up. Before I reinstall, I would appreciate a few tips on rustproofing the frame and getting the windshield to seal properly.
I must be living right, because this is the worst of my windshield frame
It seems like this seam (red arrow) would be a likely place to leak. Any thoughts on filling this with something like POR patch sealant and filler. It sets up like a rock, is sandable and bonds well to metal. My plan is to chemically strip the entire frame and use POR 15. Most of the frame looks like this:
At the base of the frame where is is riveted to the body, there was a white sealant there. In several places this sealant pulled away from the metal. It felt like old latex caulk when I cut it out. Any recommendations for a sealant?
It can be used on clean metal but it need to be etched with their "prep and ready etching solution." I've got all their prep materials and have had good success with bonding. It works well but you have to be diligent on following the directions or it will peel.
3m sell strip sealer which are soft sticks of a caulk that you can use for those lower areas they make gray white and black. Amazon has it! Your windshield frame looks great. Need to be careful with the goop as it may affect the windshield alignment when installing and trim pieces.
RVZIO
3m sell strip sealer which are soft sticks of a caulk that you can use for those lower areas they make gray white and black. Amazon has it! Your windshield frame looks great. Need to be careful with the goop as it may affect the windshield alignment when installing and trim pieces.
RVZIO
I've seen your windshield frame when you started and that is part of making me feel lucky....cause I'm surely not living right.
Do you know anything about the 3M product's bonding properties? to metal? What was there seemed to work pretty good since at least 1991, but there were a few spots where it clearly didn't. I'm keeping this car and I don't intend to ever dig this deep into this area again.
I need the perfect solution.
I love your car BTW, RVZIO. It's an inspiration.
I wonder what happened to Alan71's post before my second post???? I always appreciate his input. He asked if POR15 could be applied to bare metal.
that white sealer looks to be the original type , same as what I scraped off my 69 in places that no-one has been to since it was made.
I'm guessing you know the screen came out in 1991 .
have a look at the condition of the rivets along the top, although your car seems to have been well looked after , any moisture that got in there would be effecting the alloy rivets .
what I did to my 77 when I had the glass out was to dig out the old dried up sealer as much as possible without forcing the firewall around too much and lay in some sika flex . I know some will say its the wrong stuff etc . but I cleaned up the area as much as possible and I'm happy with how its working . btw I use dry wash now so the car hasn't got wet in about 2 years now .
yes you certainly have cheated the rust gods with that car
Hi Kevin,
I removed my post after submitting it because it implied I'm not a fan of POR 15, which I'm not.
Some folks are though. So I thought I better delete it.
As for the sealer/filler used in the location shown in your 3rd photo, I wouldn't use 08578 3M strip sealer there.
It's a joint between the steel of the cowl and the fiberglass of the firewall. GM chose to use a material much like old fashioned oil based glazing compound. The same material was used in other joints between steel and fiberglass…..for instance in the hinge pillar areas.
I found a can of it at my local home store and used some to touch up the seams before I sprayed the 'blackout'.
Regards,
Alan
Ps; Windshield frame really does look nice and solid!
If you can find it, I'd suggest using butyl rubber caulking. It won't harden completely (stays flexible) but will bond to about anything and seals like crazy. I used to find it a Lowe's, but they no longer carry it. You might do well to just etch/prime that windshield framework with self-etching primer paint. It bonds with the metal and protects against rust. But, you can also paint over it with a topcoat of whatever (rustoleum, etc.).
Since your frame has little rust on it, POR is just overkill, IMO. Seal it up well AFTER you prime/paint it.
that white sealer looks to be the original type , same as what I scraped off my 69 in places that no-one has been to since it was made.
I'm guessing you know the screen came out in 1991 .
have a look at the condition of the rivets along the top, although your car seems to have been well looked after , any moisture that got in there would be effecting the alloy rivets .
what I did to my 77 when I had the glass out was to dig out the old dried up sealer as much as possible without forcing the firewall around too much and lay in some sika flex . I know some will say its the wrong stuff etc . but I cleaned up the area as much as possible and I'm happy with how its working . btw I use dry wash now so the car hasn't got wet in about 2 years now .
yes you certainly have cheated the rust gods with that car
Rivets look good.
The guy who did the pin stripes signed his work on the nose of the car in 1991. The stripes are over the paint and the paint overspray is on the sealant, therefore the sealant must be older than 1991.
Originally Posted by Alan 71
Hi Kevin,
I removed my post after submitting it because it implied I'm not a fan of POR 15, which I'm not.
Some folks are though. So I thought I better delete it.
As for the sealer/filler used in the location shown in your 3rd photo, I wouldn't use 08578 3M strip sealer there.
It's a joint between the steel of the cowl and the fiberglass of the firewall. GM chose to use a material much like old fashioned oil based glazing compound. The same material was used in other joints between steel and fiberglass…..for instance in the hinge pillar areas.
I found a can of it at my local home store and used some to touch up the seams before I sprayed the 'blackout'.
Regards,
Alan
Ps; Windshield frame really does look nice and solid!
No worries. I didn't even know a post could be deleted. The folks in CFOT should utilize that feature more often.
If the original sealant pulled away from the metal, I'd be hesitant to use it again which is why I'm asking if somebody has found something better.
Any thoughts on filling the metal seams in the first 2 photos, keeping in mind that my car is too far gone for any kind of judging? I'm looking for bulletproof rust prevention.
Hi Kevin,
Here's that area on my 71.
I used a small plastic putty knife to work out any loose putty (it was quite dry and powdery) and then used the knife to apply new putty and push it down into the seam.
I'd certainly think there are other materials, maybe better materials, that can be successfully used.
Regards,
Alan
Here's an area of the joint as I was taking my car apart. I'd begun to remove some of the paint and blackout so I could determine what the material was.
Here's the same relative area with the seam filled and finished and with black paint on it waiting prior to blackout being applied.
I've seen your windshield frame when you started and that is part of making me feel lucky....cause I'm surely not living right.
Do you know anything about the 3M product's bonding properties? to metal? What was there seemed to work pretty good since at least 1991, but there were a few spots where it clearly didn't. I'm keeping this car and I don't intend to ever dig this deep into this area again.
I need the perfect solution.
I love your car BTW, RVZIO. It's an inspiration.
I wonder what happened to Alan71's post before my second post???? I always appreciate his input. He asked if POR15 could be applied to bare metal.
Hi Kevin looks like you have some good options. Thanks for checking out my thread. I should be getting back to it as soon as the new shop is ready. Also as you saw with my car yours is in very nice shape. Always surprised at what could be hiding under trim or other things. Good luck and show us the end results.
RVZIO
I took the old beige sealer off too. Then used a black epoxy primer. Next I'm going to fill in the gap with SEM BEIGE SEAM SEALER, as recommended by DUB here: sealer.
For the steel-to-steel junctions I used this yellow filler: filler.
Windshield frame sealing and rust prevention (pics)
