Seeking your experience and advice regarding getting the windshield replaced.

One of very few jobs on my '81 I won't tackle myself. Original windshield got a rock chip and cracked all the way across. Mostly, I'm worried that a glass shop will Bubba it up.

I wonder how many glass shop technicians know how to remove the stainless steel trim without damaging it. How long has it been since common cars had that kind of trim around the glass?

Anyway, if any of you have been through this and have any advice for me, please post. Gotta take care of it before spring, when it has to pass inspection.

Thanks! :seeya

 

Gator;

Here's what I did. First, if you don't have an Assembly Instruction Manual, get one. They're $25 from just about any Corvette aftermarket vendor. Mid America is a good one. Thoroughly familiarize yourself with the way the windshield and trim was installed at the factory, then copy the pages that show the assembly/installation instructions so that you can leave them with the glass installer if necessary. Talk to several shops before you decide which one you want to do the work. Decide in advance what you're going to do if the installer runs into an unexpected problem during the replacement process, and discuss it with the shop before they start the work. I'm talking about things like a rusty windshield frame. If it's at all possible, choose a shop that has done Corvette windshields and is willing to give you the names of some satisfied customers you can contact. Be willing to spend a little more for the job to assure yourself of getting it done right.

 

Pick some glass shops in your area and ask around about them. Find out who does good work and who does not. Are you a member of a Corvette club? Is there a shop fellow club members recommend? After you have heard repeated good words about one or two places, visit and talk with them. Tell them your concerns and listen to their answers. If you see or hear something you are not comfortable with, pass on the place and go to the next one.
:)

 

Safety Lite did my glass last year, normally they come to you but they required me to leave the car with them for 2 days, if my failed memory serves me right it was under $250.00. The Tech said there was light surface rust which he wire wheeled and treated/painted. Job looked real good and NO leaks!!! Hope this helps...oh yah Safety Lite is a national chain I believe and my car is a 77.

 

On my '71 I removed the trim and windshield myself and fixed the rust (found 4 holes, one at each corner). I then had the windshield company come out and install the new windshield. I installed the trim myself. Bill was $195.

BTW, make sure they use polyurethane. Works better than the old goo stuff they used to use.

 

Had my 82 CE done last year. I agree with getting an AIM. I used mine and took off all of the trim myself. Had a mobile glass "doctor" come to the house and remove old windshield. Told him I wanted two weeks before he came back. I cleaned out all of the channels real well. I didn't have any rust holes, but you don't know until you get there.
I would also recommend looking at your weatherstip on the sides of the pillars. Now would be a great time to replace it(if it needs it), because everytyhing will be off.
Just my .02 :seeya

 

I drove to a local windshield shop and had mine taken out. They said theres a good chance of it breaking and there not responsible, no problem. Turns out it didnt break, we boxed up the windshield in a friends truck that followed me there and i drove my car about 5 miles with no windshield back home for rust repair.What a weird sensation to drive with no windshield, Important Safety Tip were glasses and dont follow trucks to closley! Probably illegal as well. If you can get a glass shop to come to you that would be the best way. I knew i had rust when i came out from shopping and found a small crack
at the very botom corner of the windshield. The local vette guru said rust was pushing up from underneath and caused the crack, he was right. Since then i have seen a couple of c3s with the same cracks in the the same spot as mine. Good Luck :chevy

 

I need to replace the windshield on my '81 as well, and when I checked around, the shop installer told me to go ahead and order and get new windshield pillar weather strips, cause the old ones had to be removed to install, and they are in pretty bad shape, and they usually come apart / are torn apart when removing them to do the windshield installation.

I would plan on performing some rust repair, before installation of the new windshield. I'd never be lucky enough to find no frame rust, and even if not rusty, I'd clean and Por 15 the frame, just for good prevention purposes.

Just my $.02.

 

Wow! Man, I love this forum! Great advice, including at least 3 things I hadn't even thought about. So, here's what I'm getting from this:

1. All the normal good Vette advice about checking with the local club members, sounding out the shop's rep, etc., is well taken.

2. Get out the AIM (I have one) and study it until I understand how it goes together. (I had no idea that the window seal on the A pillar was connected to the windshield trim!) If I have somebody else do it, make sure they get copies of the AIM pages.

3. Arrange for sufficient time between the removal of the old glass and the installation of the new glass to accomplish any repairs that might be needed, e.g., rust damage. I expect to own this car forever, so why wouldn't I fix what ever is wrong with it while the glass is out? Pretty basic common sense, but it never occurred to me, since I've seen no indication of rust damage anywhere on this car yet.

4. If I'm just too nervous about letting a glass shop handle the windshield trim, I can get the appropriate tool and remove it myself, and then let the glass shop handle the glass. Never thought of that, but, again, it's just simple good sense.

5. If the A-pillar window seals are anything but new (mine are original and very leaky!), replace them as part of the windshield project. OK, now that is an insightful piece of advice! I happen to have a pair of brand new seals from when I did the rest of the weatherstrip several years ago. I bought the whole set, and can't remember right now why I didn't do those when I did the rest of it. I just hope the mice haven't been into that box in the attic... :eek:

Thanks, folks! Collectively, you all are the finest information resource in the C3 world! :flag

 

Hi Gator,
Bad luck with the crack :( I was looking at replacing mine due to chips & scratches - then I found out the price of a new screen over here. HOW MUCH? :cuss My screen is staying in place! My future brother in law worked for many years at a very large Auto glass company & reckoned that Vette screens weren't a difficult job (said E-types and MG's were far more difficult - Oh Great :rolleyes: ). His description of the job made it sound easy - but he's been changing screens for 20 years & I haven't (plus he's got those big suction cups to hold the glass). Personally I'd remove all the trim myself (and polish it up - comes up really nice). I've removed my trim & painted the windshield frame & thought it was one of the easiest jobs I've done on the Vette. The windshield frame will more than likely have corrosion. Mine did even though the underside of the car isn't bad at all. Remove the seal & trim from the A-pillars before the top trim (doing it that way I didn't need the special tool). The really nice thing about the A-pillar seals is that they are adjustable (unlike those rear ones :mad ), so you shouldn't have to mess about with the T-top & side window rear seals.
Good luck (& make sure the glass place uses one of their experienced guys on your pride & joy & don't treat it as a training aid for the new kid :eek: ),
Paul
P.S. Requested pictures shortly winging their way over :)

 

Quick question for you guys, all of the glass I've seen replaced including some old Vettes has that black trim/paint/tape around the perimeter like the glass in new cars. Can you get a windshield that's clear edge to edge?

 

How exactly do you guys go about removing your own windshield anyway? Is a special tool required or what?

 

There are 2 basic methods of cutting out windshields. The first is piano wire which involves poking a hole through the seal a nd pushing the piano wire through the hole. Then saw the wire back and forth thus cutting the seal. The other is with a L shaped windshield knife with a T handle to pull on. Both ways are effective but can easily break the glass if not extremely careful. Craig

 

My windshield is cracked in 3 places with two of them running from top to bottom. I was planning on having some glass shop do it for me without thinking about the frame rail and such. Thanks to all the good info here I'm going to take it to my local covette shop.

Thanks,
Chaz


[Modified by spiru, 3:46 AM 1/5/2002]

 

74-Roadster,
That's another question I had. My glass is clear edge to edge, with the dark tint along the top couple of inches (original '81 glass). Is that still available? Maybe only from GM / L-O-F ? I wonder if my insurance company will pay the robber's prices for NOS glass.... :nonod: probably not...

 

You should be able to get an exact match, I did, not date coded of course, from a local auto glass shop. Mine was still being made by LOF and PPG.

 

Gator...who and were did you get your windshield A-pillar window seals from. We are talking about the side piece on each side of the windshield. Thanks for the help. I had taken mine off when the car was painted and it looked like packed sawdust :confused:

 

Silvrtoy, when I deceide to do all of the weatherstrip on my 82 I purchased it from Corvette Rubber. Great price, great fit and holding up well. You can buy individual pieces, or the whole c ar, and get an idea on price from their website at http://www.corvette-rubber.com. I highly recommend them. They are great to deal with on the phone. Had my stuff in three days. Most vendors get thier stuff from them anyway. Just my .02

 

I ordered my windshield pillar weatherstripping from Riks. They have an internet special going on right now. I ordered the door mains and the pillar stripping since I already have new weatherstrips on my t-tops.

Maybe I'll look into pricing a windshield knife. We'll see.

 

82dukman...you may have answered my question. I replaced all of the weatherstrip a couple of months ago. What I am asking is when you replace the windshield you have to remove two metal pieces (pillars) on each side of the glass. It is behind these two pieces that has what I called packed sawdust. I'm trying to ID. Again thanks