Installing Hartop rear window
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 344
Likes: 50
From: Marietta GA
Installing Hartop rear window
I have an auxiliary hardtop I am restoring. The channel for the glass is completely bare and the glass itself is just lying there, being held on by the trim. The assembly manual shows a sealer and a bead of cement as well as spacing blocks. Has anyone out there tackled this? I looked up 3M window sealing products and came across 3M Window Weld round ribbon sealer. Essentially this stuff is 1/4", 5/16" or 3/8" round by 15 feet long and is tacky and only somewhat compressible. This is more appealing to me than messing with tubes of urethane. I am thinking the 5/16" stuff with some spacing blocks should do the trick. I am not concerned with an NCRS correctness, just a clean and durable install. Anyone out there use this stuff or have a different solution. (I realize you can always call a glass shop but this window is so much smaller and easier to deal with than a windshield that I thought it was well served to DIY.)
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 344
Likes: 50
From: Marietta GA
solution
I guess I'll answer my own question in case someone else is interested. I researched 3M products and came up with their Window Weld Ribbon Sealer. This stuff comes in 15 foot coils and either 1/4", 5/16" or 3/8" diameters with glass spacer blocks included. The O'Reily Auto Parts store had all diameters in stock! Basically semi-solid, very tacky stuff. I simply placed a bead around the hardtop opening and laid the window in place with spacers. SS trim fit on fine. Appears to be a solid solution. 3M also makes the goo in a tube for a gun application but I found this much cleaner and forgiving. I'm sure it's not NCRS correct but worked for me.
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2006
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From: Jeffersonville Indiana 812-288-7103
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Actually what you used is called Ribbon tape.. it is the correct original style stuff and will hold just fine... This is what we used for years to hold both the front and rear windows in cars.
One draw back! We can't use this to install glass unless the customer signs a waiver!
Today we must use urethane to do the installation of windshields and rear glass such as that in your hardtop.
One draw back! We can't use this to install glass unless the customer signs a waiver!
Today we must use urethane to do the installation of windshields and rear glass such as that in your hardtop.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 344
Likes: 50
From: Marietta GA
Hey, thanks for the info! I can see how modern urethane may be preferable, especially for the front windshield due to updated crash standards and such. Still, for the hardtop, I'm a bit less concerned. I guess I'll have to give myself a waiver!
Did the same.. 
