Replacing cracked windshield
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 765
Likes: 0
From: Houston Texas
Replacing cracked windshield
Searched to no avail. What to look for to get a windshield replaced by a reputable shop?
Does the weatherstripping need to be replaced if you have no leaks before change? Any special kind of glass? Anything else?
Does the weatherstripping need to be replaced if you have no leaks before change? Any special kind of glass? Anything else?
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 1,818
Likes: 156
From: White Oak PA
Try using Advanced Search
You will find great answers to your question by using this forum's Advanced Search function on "windshield replacement". You will find it at the top of the screen after loggin in as a member. Here is a screen shot on how:
Best of luck.
Best of luck.
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 3,939
Likes: 1
From: Vero Beach Florida
If your weather stripping can't be removed without ruining it yes, be extra careful removing the reveals along the top and the A pillars they bend very easily.
When using advance search it's best to use quotation marks at start and finish of your search.
IMPORTANT: Use quotes around keywords to get better results. Examples: "fuel pump" ; "fuel pump installation"
When using advance search it's best to use quotation marks at start and finish of your search.
IMPORTANT: Use quotes around keywords to get better results. Examples: "fuel pump" ; "fuel pump installation"
Last edited by floridamale; Oct 11, 2009 at 01:38 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2005
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From: Rolla Missouri
2021 C4 of the Year - Unmodified Finalist
St. Jude Donor '10 thru '25
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 765
Likes: 0
From: Houston Texas
Would it be best to remove the garnish trim, rubber seal, the reveals (top and sides) and the seal channels yourself, and just let them remove, replace and seal the glass in the frame?
Then install the reveals, seal channels, the rubber seal and the garnish trim yourself.
Then install the reveals, seal channels, the rubber seal and the garnish trim yourself.
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Team Owner
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From: Lacey WA RVN 68-69
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If you go to a reputable shop, let them do all of the work. That way, if something is screwed up or is damaged in the installation process, they get to cover it. If you have concerns about the work they will be doing, talk to the shop manager.
Also have him watch while you point out what condition all of the pieces are in beforehand and that you expect to see those pieces in the same condition when the job is done. If you want to buy replacement trim parts, that's up to you but have them with you when the car goes in and tell the shop to use the new pieces.
It's possible that the shop may find some rust spots in the windshield frame once everything is removed. That should be taken care of before everything is put back together. Ask the shop about this possibility and what they would recommend or do to repair any rust damage.
R&R of all of the trim can be difficult if you don't have the experience and the tools to do that part of it.
Also have him watch while you point out what condition all of the pieces are in beforehand and that you expect to see those pieces in the same condition when the job is done. If you want to buy replacement trim parts, that's up to you but have them with you when the car goes in and tell the shop to use the new pieces.
It's possible that the shop may find some rust spots in the windshield frame once everything is removed. That should be taken care of before everything is put back together. Ask the shop about this possibility and what they would recommend or do to repair any rust damage.
R&R of all of the trim can be difficult if you don't have the experience and the tools to do that part of it.
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 3,939
Likes: 1
From: Vero Beach Florida
If you go to a reputable shop, let them do all of the work. That way, if something is screwed up or is damaged in the installation process, they get to cover it. If you have concerns about the work they will be doing, talk to the shop manager.
Also have him watch while you point out what condition all of the pieces are in beforehand and that you expect to see those pieces in the same condition when the job is done. If you want to buy replacement trim parts, that's up to you but have them with you when the car goes in and tell the shop to use the new pieces.
It's possible that the shop may find some rust spots in the windshield frame once everything is removed. That should be taken care of before everything is put back together. Ask the shop about this possibility and what they would recommend or do to repair any rust damage.
R&R of all of the trim can be difficult if you don't have the experience and the tools to do that part of it.
Also have him watch while you point out what condition all of the pieces are in beforehand and that you expect to see those pieces in the same condition when the job is done. If you want to buy replacement trim parts, that's up to you but have them with you when the car goes in and tell the shop to use the new pieces.
It's possible that the shop may find some rust spots in the windshield frame once everything is removed. That should be taken care of before everything is put back together. Ask the shop about this possibility and what they would recommend or do to repair any rust damage.
R&R of all of the trim can be difficult if you don't have the experience and the tools to do that part of it.
If the shop doing the work knows about Corvettes they should know what to look for, if they don't you need to find a different shop
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 752
Likes: 28
From: Ottawa, Ontario
We had to the windshield replaced on our '94 C4 about two years ago. It cracked i nthe middle of thewinter when the wife was clearing snow/ice off of it.
A couple of suggestions/observations.
Make sure the shop does NOT use off-shore (China) glass. Ask for the OEM glass. This might cost more, but IMHO better in the long run.
The urethane foam/glue needs to set up overnight to gain sufficient strength. If the shop does not want to keep the car, I would be looking elsewhere. The shop we use will refuse to do the glass work unless you agree to leave the car with them overnight.
The trim/reveals are very fragile and VERY VERY expensive to replace. Make sure the shop treats these carefully and knows how to work with them. Our needed some re-work on re-installation, but look good now.
Do not be surprised if there is some rust in the windshield frame. Ours had rust along half of the header frame and had to be sent out to a body shop for repairs. I think this comes from the way GM repaired water leaks at the factory, as the shop found a bunch of stuff stuffed into the header frame from the inside. Sure it stopped the leak but let water sit on the header and do its "dirty work" over time.
A couple of suggestions/observations.
Make sure the shop does NOT use off-shore (China) glass. Ask for the OEM glass. This might cost more, but IMHO better in the long run.
The urethane foam/glue needs to set up overnight to gain sufficient strength. If the shop does not want to keep the car, I would be looking elsewhere. The shop we use will refuse to do the glass work unless you agree to leave the car with them overnight.
The trim/reveals are very fragile and VERY VERY expensive to replace. Make sure the shop treats these carefully and knows how to work with them. Our needed some re-work on re-installation, but look good now.
Do not be surprised if there is some rust in the windshield frame. Ours had rust along half of the header frame and had to be sent out to a body shop for repairs. I think this comes from the way GM repaired water leaks at the factory, as the shop found a bunch of stuff stuffed into the header frame from the inside. Sure it stopped the leak but let water sit on the header and do its "dirty work" over time.
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 3,759
Likes: 8
We had to the windshield replaced on our '94 C4 about two years ago. It cracked i nthe middle of thewinter when the wife was clearing snow/ice off of it.
A couple of suggestions/observations.
Make sure the shop does NOT use off-shore (China) glass. Ask for the OEM glass. This might cost more, but IMHO better in the long run.
The urethane foam/glue needs to set up overnight to gain sufficient strength. If the shop does not want to keep the car, I would be looking elsewhere. The shop we use will refuse to do the glass work unless you agree to leave the car with them overnight.
The trim/reveals are very fragile and VERY VERY expensive to replace. Make sure the shop treats these carefully and knows how to work with them. Our needed some re-work on re-installation, but look good now.
Do not be surprised if there is some rust in the windshield frame. Ours had rust along half of the header frame and had to be sent out to a body shop for repairs. I think this comes from the way GM repaired water leaks at the factory, as the shop found a bunch of stuff stuffed into the header frame from the inside. Sure it stopped the leak but let water sit on the header and do its "dirty work" over time.
A couple of suggestions/observations.
Make sure the shop does NOT use off-shore (China) glass. Ask for the OEM glass. This might cost more, but IMHO better in the long run.
The urethane foam/glue needs to set up overnight to gain sufficient strength. If the shop does not want to keep the car, I would be looking elsewhere. The shop we use will refuse to do the glass work unless you agree to leave the car with them overnight.
The trim/reveals are very fragile and VERY VERY expensive to replace. Make sure the shop treats these carefully and knows how to work with them. Our needed some re-work on re-installation, but look good now.
Do not be surprised if there is some rust in the windshield frame. Ours had rust along half of the header frame and had to be sent out to a body shop for repairs. I think this comes from the way GM repaired water leaks at the factory, as the shop found a bunch of stuff stuffed into the header frame from the inside. Sure it stopped the leak but let water sit on the header and do its "dirty work" over time.
I did notice a crack in this windshield though, so it will probably need to be replaced at some point. Right now, the crack is in the lower part in the black area on the passenger side. The crack is on the inside of the glass. Kinda sucks as I just got all the leaks fixed and will have to go through it again if I get the windshield replaced. I may talk with the dealer as his glass man seems familure with these as he was the one who noticed the windshield wasn't installed properly and sealed up the passenger A pillar leak. Though, he didn't do the driver side for some reason, so I had to fix that myself.
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 3,759
Likes: 8
And where is it that the water gets in to cause the rust? Past the windshield, past the weather stripping, or past the weather stripping retainers?
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 4,971
Likes: 9
From: The reason time exists is so everything doesn't happen at once
Make sure you use a reputable shop. The windshield is an integral part of the airbag system. A poorly installed windshield can be blown out by a deploying airbag and you can wind up as a hood ornament.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 7,706
Likes: 485
From: Everett WA
C4 of Year Finalist (appearance mods) 2019
I had the windshield in my 95 replaced two years ago after several small cracks. I asked at the pro shop that does all the mechanical work on my vette who they would recomend and they gave me the name of a guy who comes and does it at your house. This gentlemen came with an outstanding recomendation.
I called and told him that I wanted nothing but PPG. He came to where I work and replaced the glass in two hours.....
He loosened the side trim and then took out the windshield from the bottom and put in the new one from the bottom reversing the process without touching anything else .... he did have several very special tools.....now let me tell you that my vette is a year round daily driver and it rains 6 months a year here in Seattle and not a single drop or leak anywhere at all and this is now 25,000 miles ago.
It's all in knowing how .... he told me that he's replaced winshields in over two hendred vettes and frankly I believe him.
Go to a shop that does lots of work on vettes and ask them for a recomendation
I called and told him that I wanted nothing but PPG. He came to where I work and replaced the glass in two hours.....
He loosened the side trim and then took out the windshield from the bottom and put in the new one from the bottom reversing the process without touching anything else .... he did have several very special tools.....now let me tell you that my vette is a year round daily driver and it rains 6 months a year here in Seattle and not a single drop or leak anywhere at all and this is now 25,000 miles ago.
It's all in knowing how .... he told me that he's replaced winshields in over two hendred vettes and frankly I believe him.
Go to a shop that does lots of work on vettes and ask them for a recomendation
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 3,759
Likes: 8
I had the windshield in my 95 replaced two years ago after several small cracks. I asked at the pro shop that does all the mechanical work on my vette who they would recomend and they gave me the name of a guy who comes and does it at your house. This gentlemen came with an outstanding recomendation.
I called and told him that I wanted nothing but PPG. He came to where I work and replaced the glass in two hours.....
He loosened the side trim and then took out the windshield from the bottom and put in the new one from the bottom reversing the process without touching anything else .... he did have several very special tools.....now let me tell you that my vette is a year round daily driver and it rains 6 months a year here in Seattle and not a single drop or leak anywhere at all and this is now 25,000 miles ago.
It's all in knowing how .... he told me that he's replaced winshields in over two hendred vettes and frankly I believe him.
Go to a shop that does lots of work on vettes and ask them for a recomendation
I called and told him that I wanted nothing but PPG. He came to where I work and replaced the glass in two hours.....
He loosened the side trim and then took out the windshield from the bottom and put in the new one from the bottom reversing the process without touching anything else .... he did have several very special tools.....now let me tell you that my vette is a year round daily driver and it rains 6 months a year here in Seattle and not a single drop or leak anywhere at all and this is now 25,000 miles ago.
It's all in knowing how .... he told me that he's replaced winshields in over two hendred vettes and frankly I believe him.
Go to a shop that does lots of work on vettes and ask them for a recomendation
You must live in a big city if your guy has done 100's of Vettes. I'd be lucky to find someone who has done even one C4. I think I've only seen 5 or 6 C4 Vettes in my town over the past 10 years.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 5,841
Likes: 19
From: CLT, North Carolina
I had a w/shield replaced in my 96 several years ago. I searched the forum archives then and saw several posts that describe the process. The standard recommendation was find someone who had done a C4 before so I called the local Chevy dealer's body shop manager and he gave me the name of someone they call for the Corvettes. He came to the house and did the job here and it was obvious he knew what he was doing. If the tech has never done a C4 before it is highly likely he will damage the w/strip retainers trying to remove them because they have to be removed. It is recommended you plan on replacing the w/strip at the same time as it has to be removed to get the w/shield out and it is likely it will be torn in the process. It probably needs to be replaced anyway unless you recently replaced it. They will have a special black primer paint to paint the w/shield frame if there is rust (after they scrape the rust off of course). Mine had minimal, your mileage will vary.