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I'm doing a frame off restoration and have gotten to the windshield frame repair part. I have rust in the usual places: upper corners, upper header, and lower corners. I've located and purchased a rust free windshield frame with the lower corners and will be using this to do my repairs. But I need to understand the strategy others have used:
Upper windshield frame:
Should I drill out the spot welds and just weld in the salvage frame like this to make it easier to locate and keep in place?
Or should I cut the windshield post 3/4 up right under the corner seams and just weld it in?
Lower windshield corners:
cut corner off fender and i have easy access - what issues are there with this?
Body is off frame currently and front cap is completely stripped - I've been advised it's just not worth removing the front end then going through the pain of reattaching. Should I take this advise or pop the front cap off?
What does your hinge pillar and #2 body mounts look like?
If they are rough, I would take the front end off.
If only the windshield area, I would graft in your good original (used) frame instead of drilling the spot welds...
My concern is that your body is off the frame so it may be sagging or twisted without the support of the frame...
You have to take a lot of triangulated measurements to get the replacement frame in the precise location.
But I would make sure the body is well supported at each body mount location and as level as possible.
What does your hinge pillar and #2 body mounts look like?
If they are rough, I would take the front end off.
If only the windshield area, I would graft in your good original (used) frame instead of drilling the spot welds...
My concern is that your body is off the frame so it may be sagging or twisted without the support of the frame...
You have to take a lot of triangulated measurements to get the replacement frame in the precise location.
But I would make sure the body is well supported at each body mount location and as level as possible.
My body mounts look great and so does the rest of the bird cage, so at least I got lucky there!
That's a really good point about the body being supported and a consideration I haven't made! It's not well supported, so I should likely wait until I put it back on the frame before I cut up that windshield!
I would drill out the spot welds on the windshield for repair.
for the lower corner repairs, I would just cut the corners of the fenders off and repair the reglass. I've taken 2 front clips off and reinstalled. It's not a fun job. Not all that hard but reinstalling is a pain in the azz. Getting the gaps right and the height is very time consuming. Just my .92
I would drill out the spot welds on the windshield for repair.
for the lower corner repairs, I would just cut the corners of the fenders off and repair the reglass. I've taken 2 front clips off and reinstalled. It's not a fun job. Not all that hard but reinstalling is a pain in the azz. Getting the gaps right and the height is very time consuming. Just my .92
Yeah I think I'm sold on cutting the corners of the fenders!
I picked up my windshield frame and lower corners today. All rust free (except light surface oxidation) and will be great replacements. I think I got a good deal at $200 for it all !
You should be able to do this repair if it’s on a good body trolly. If you don’t have the body on a body trolly you probably want to read up on the Nolan Adams trolly/dollys. If the body is solid on the trolly you should be AOK. I’d read up here if you haven’t already.
As stated out in back on the frame with new hardware and remove to front end. Then make a jig to support the WS frame before you cut the old one off. Drill out spot welds old frame,do the same with replacement. Don't cut off anything,remove parts and put them back on as the factory did. There are easier ways to do this then there is the correct way to do it.
Windshield frame rust repair
