Anybody have any luck removing a good used windshield from a junk car? My 62 bel air needs a new one and the price of new scare the crap out of me!!! I might know of a few parts cars but I'm worried about removing them with the rubber so hard and brittle.
i have done it, use a knife to cut the rubber gasket. cut the inside, cut around the out side, in other words cut as much of the rubber gasket away as you can, no worth trying to save it.
Be advised old windshields get really brittle. You may get it out by cutting all the gasket away but getting it back in may be a disaster.
I've done it, recommend you learn how to remove, and as Andy advised above, learn how to install one mounted in a gasket.
62 chevy uses a rubber gasket. Newer Chevys often used butyl to seal the glass. Music wire will cut that type of seal. But for the rubber, use a knife and cut the outer part of the seal off, or else cut the inner lip of the seal off where it covers the pinchweld (the flange around the windshield opening). If the rubber is really old and hard, it might break off, instead of needing to be cut off. But yeah, all of my old Chevys are running used windshields, re installed with new rubber gaskets. It's not a big deal.
Be sure to take something like a thick plastic scraper and run around the inside of the gasket before pushing on it. It will probably be stuck to the rubber pretty good. I've pulled a few old windshields before with fair results. When you do it right, they'll usually come right out. You may even want to cut the inside lip off the gasket instead of the outside stuff.
A pair of big suction cups with handles are a big help. When you pull it be sure to have a soft place to put it (truck bed I guess). Couple of blankets folded and placed so the ends of the glass are supported on the ride home. More glass has been broken during storage, transport & handling than on any car I bet!
I use a thick putty knife to go around and scrape/chip away the old seal from the inside . Then with the help of a friend , push the glass out . To be honest though, I've been disappointed nearly every time I've used a used piece of front glass . They seem fine and clear till you're headed into the sun - then ya can't see a darn thing through all the stone blasting , and that's pretty dangerous . Unless a piece of used front glass is perfect or a new piece is a thousand bucks , I'd suggest a new piece (and I'm not a rich man by any means) . I just hate being pissed at myself for cheaping out , every time I look through a crappy piece of glass . Been there , done that , got the T-shirt . Just my firsthand experience talking ... I should add - I ponied-up and got new glass for my "penny pincher" shoebox . It's worth every penny to me (pun intended) .
I've had good luck with used glass in the past. I had a few that I was able to reuse the gasket (taking out the old glass in pieces) if it was still pliable. The new 'shield for my '59 lists between $350 to $450 and I'm considering farming it out entirely to my glass guy. If he breaks it... it becomes his problem.
I'd agree that it's not worth messing with. Step up a few hundred bucks and buy a new one. You're driving enjoyment will be that much better rather than looking through an old pitted windshield. A new windshield will also make the restored car look better overall. Personally, after all the old parts I scrounge, rebuild and repurpose, some used parts are not worth messing with. Windshields are one, along with used hoses, belts, tires, brake parts, etc.
I just used a utility knife to cut the rubber,both inside & out when I removed the windshield glass from the wagon. Take your time and resist the urge to pry on the glass with metal or wooden tools,it's a good idea to have someone helping to push the glass from the inside out. HRP
A quick Google search and it looks like a new one will set you back $4-500 plus shipping. Of course, you may find a local glass place, ordering in bulk, could get you one for less, plus you'd get a professional installation. I'm also thinking, perhaps incorrectly, that a new 2015 windshield would be safer than a 50+ year old one, in addition to the issues cited by other posters. I don't know what a used one would cost you by the time was all said and done, but I, personally, would be looking at new. JMTC.
As far as safety, the point about it being sand pitted or having wiper scratches is the biggest issue. Inspect it first, if it looks rough then don't get it. You also don't want to get a used one that has any cracks.
As several of the guys said in one form or another don't even consider saving the old rubber out the donor rig. just cut the rubber away from the glass after removing the trim and lift the glass out. A little trial and error will show you where you can cut just outside the line of the glass and pull the rubber off in a long strip as you go around the glass with the utility knife. Take lots of good blades.
The first windshield I had in my '53 came from a junkyard. Took about 10 minutes to pull. It was not brittle or fragile, and in fact I had a hard time busting it up to throw it away when the time came. (It was cut incorrectly and never fit right, but fit close enough to allow me to drive it for a few months.) My rear window is from a junkyard '48 Chevy. Just make sure you get one that isn't all chipped and scratched, and I recommend leaving the old gasket hanging on the glass until you're ready to install with a new one because it makes it much easier to move and store to have rubber all around the bare edge.
Cut the lip off of the rubber inside and out with a good utility knife and the glass should just push out from the inside, real easy. If there's stainless trim in the rubber, don't try to pry it out of the rubber, cut the rubber away from it and push the windshield out with that trim in place. Forcing the trim out will damage the trim and sometimes break the glass. My girlfriend's 51 Chevy came with no glass at all and we replaced every piece with used stuff from the junkyard. Didn't break any in the process, either. It's not as nice as new but it's glass and it works just fine. If I were restoring a 409 bubbletop of course I'd buy a new one, if I was fixing up a $900 Craigslist sedan I'd grab a junkyard one in a heartbeat and never look back. It depends on your budget and the value of the car.
for all the guys saying plastic putty knife do yourself a favor and google/ebay/whatever "windshield fiber stick". MUCH better to use and you'll find a ton of other little uses for them also. i have them laying all over the place usually. oh by the way autoglass is my day job................... but yeah cut the inner lip with a good utility knife. if you're lucky maybe you'll find one that the seal is so dried up you may just have to cut the top corners and it'll come out from there. my 67 vw squareback the seals have shrank to the point i could probably just push it out..........
Pulled hundreds of windshields and had maybe 4 break. Those broke when I tried removal when it was too cold up here in Minnesota. That said....the windshield is one of the 2 things you will look at every single time you drive your car. The gauge cluster is the other.In my opinion both better be something you want to look at.Buy new and enjoy the view. My 3 cents(inflation)
Ya I searched, 4 to 5 hundred, too much for me!!! I know of a four door that MIGHT have a good windshield, if it does I could probably get it for less than 50 bucks, probably 20! I also need to remove my back glass and re seal it. Nothing wrong with the glass, but the rubber seal is toast. BSL409, if all else fails I would love to get that one from you but we are quite a ways away from each other. How would a guy SAVELY ship something like that???
It's not going to hurt you to look at used ones , you might find a good one. But practice the taking out on the fucked up ones
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