73 windshield installation
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 877
Likes: 80
From: Frederick MD
73 windshield installation
Good Evening All,
I have been perusing older threads regarding C3 windshield installations and saw that many used Safelite and found it satisfactory. I am putting my 73 back together after a frame off restoration / LS3 conversion and have the windshield out and the frame is all in good shape and primed with epoxy. Is Safelite still a decent option or should I plan to put it in myself? I installed the windshields in my '69 and '64 years ago but now I am getting a bit lazy.
Scott
I have been perusing older threads regarding C3 windshield installations and saw that many used Safelite and found it satisfactory. I am putting my 73 back together after a frame off restoration / LS3 conversion and have the windshield out and the frame is all in good shape and primed with epoxy. Is Safelite still a decent option or should I plan to put it in myself? I installed the windshields in my '69 and '64 years ago but now I am getting a bit lazy.
Scott
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 13,082
Likes: 3,399
From: SW Florida.
you have the windshield out? i doubt a glass company will reinstall it. and if they do, they will eff it up. the bigger the glass company, the faster the installers squirt the urethane, drop the glass and bolt. the way our trim is screwed on on the sides and clipped down on top holding the glass in even butyl rope would work effectively. everybody cries you have to use urethane. you can, but you need to use a foam strip to set the height. you could even use home depot weatherstrip for doors in the house and get a better job than a glass company will do.
Safety Car
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 3,753
Likes: 721
From: Lafayette Louisiana
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 10,685
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From: north of Chicago
2025 C2 of the Year ('64-'66) Finalist - Unmodified
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2021 C7 of the Year Winner -- Modified
2020 C4 of the Year Finalist - Modified
I had my '74 windshield replace at one of my local body shops that works on hot rods and corvettes. The removed my chrome without damage, been almost 20 years, no problem, You will have to decide if you want to pay the extra $100.00 for the date code, I did not
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 13,082
Likes: 3,399
From: SW Florida.
i pulled the windshield out of my 75. once i pulled the trim off, the glass was not attached to the pinch weld except along the bottom. with trim on, it was in there tight. make sure every clip nut and trim attachment you need is installed before glass goes in. many look like you can finesse the screwdriver past the glass. don't! side trim screws. make sure they are not too long. you may want to get a screw in and count turns then cut a screw shorter so it fits. some screws don't even go through both layers of the pinchweld.
Last edited by derekderek; Jul 17, 2020 at 09:20 AM.
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Safety Car
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 3,753
Likes: 721
From: Lafayette Louisiana
Thanks and great video!
Thanks for the C3 windshield install video!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 2,668
Likes: 43
From: Eastern US XX
Good Evening All,
I have been perusing older threads regarding C3 windshield installations and saw that many used Safelite and found it satisfactory. I am putting my 73 back together after a frame off restoration / LS3 conversion and have the windshield out and the frame is all in good shape and primed with epoxy. Is Safelite still a decent option or should I plan to put it in myself? I installed the windshields in my '69 and '64 years ago but now I am getting a bit lazy.
Scott
I have been perusing older threads regarding C3 windshield installations and saw that many used Safelite and found it satisfactory. I am putting my 73 back together after a frame off restoration / LS3 conversion and have the windshield out and the frame is all in good shape and primed with epoxy. Is Safelite still a decent option or should I plan to put it in myself? I installed the windshields in my '69 and '64 years ago but now I am getting a bit lazy.
Scott
Good luck - it's a detailed job, but not bad.
Paul
I believe they are both the same - I didn't intend to attach both!!
Last edited by pws69; Jul 19, 2020 at 12:50 PM.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 877
Likes: 80
From: Frederick MD
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 2,668
Likes: 43
From: Eastern US XX
Thanks a lot for this, looks great! Does this look like a good installation kit or are there better ones out there?: https://www.zip-corvette.com/63-82-w...-seal-kit.html
To answer your question - the kit looks fine.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 3,399
Likes: 278
From: Olmsted Falls, Ohio
I used GUARDIAN AUTO GLASS about 18 years ago in a 2-step process that we agreed on upfront.
I removed all the trim to expose the glass.
I had made some measurements of how hight the glass sat off the frame.
1. They came out made more measurements and removed the old cracked windshield and then went away for a week while I cleaned up the frame.
2. They came back out with the new windshield and a bunch of different thickness spaces.
Then they set the glass in and we tested the fit of the trim.
Final adjustments and the glass went in, and I put the trim on.
A little moving of the glass and it was done.
No gaps between the glass and trim.
I removed all the trim to expose the glass.
I had made some measurements of how hight the glass sat off the frame.
1. They came out made more measurements and removed the old cracked windshield and then went away for a week while I cleaned up the frame.
2. They came back out with the new windshield and a bunch of different thickness spaces.
Then they set the glass in and we tested the fit of the trim.
Final adjustments and the glass went in, and I put the trim on.
A little moving of the glass and it was done.
No gaps between the glass and trim.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 877
Likes: 80
From: Frederick MD
Scott
