So my 50 is Chopped.. Looks great.. Winshield is cut and ready to go in but 2 glass shops have told me today they cant put it in due to insurance regualtions with a 2 piece glass.. Anyone ever had this kind of problem and anyone in the phoenix area know a place that can come to the house to put it in. dont really wana drive around windshieldless
get a friend over and put it in yourself. its not hard just be careful. get a piece of nylon string and soak it in glass cleaner, and get 2 of the plastic tools from a glass shop. they shouldnt have a problem giving you any if they themselves wont install it for you. install the rubber on your glass, and then install the string in the channel that your metal will sit in. have your string start and end on the top of your windshield. overlapping your ends by a good 8" or so. you want your string long enough to have about 3 feet extra on both ends. set your glass in the opening. keep pressure on the outside of your glass while someone on the inside is pulling on the string and setting the rubber lip in place with the plastic tools. just take your time. it takes a lot of force to break a piece of glass. also might help to do it one side at a time.
Just put in the glass on the current project '47 Merc. JohnnyG has it right. Another thing we found helped was a bit of dish liquid in the rubber channel we were trying to get over the window lips. There's also a lot of how to videos on the web. Just search "installing windshield"
Guys who work in the back room at glass shops are pretty close to body men who work for someone else in that they often take on side jobs. Of course you can't have the boss hear you make the deal. It isn't rocket science though and a guy should be able to do it especially if he has some help.
Theres no insurance reason......its just insurance that you don't become a headache. Especially if its a v-butt, they just don't want to deal with leak issues. PS the soft braided nylon thats about the thickness of clothes line is what we use, the thinner stuff will cut/tear the rubber alot easier.
I installed my split windshield in my 48 Ford coupe. It was a bear. I learned that with a two piece you really need three people and to install the passenger side first . One person inside on pass side one outside on pass side and the third on drivers side holding that glass while other two work. Do like said above and use soapy water . I like to use the small 1/8 " diameter braided nylon rope you can get at the hardware store. Its smooth and strong. Good luck.
What he said^^^^^. It seams to me in the past 10 years glass guys have gotten soft, around here anyway. I blame new cars and a lack of old timers. Now a day the glass guys won't pull or install any kind of trim around the windshields. When I first started in the auto industry they did it all. Now all they want to do is install the glass, they wont even pull old glass anymore. Like already posted, with 2 guys it's not a hard job. 1 guy outside pushing, and 1 inside pulling string and working the gasket. Liquid soap and glass cleaner in a squirt bottle will help tremendously. Put some urethane glass goo on the center divider and lower corners after the glass is in and you're golden. Glass install isn't hard, just a pain in the ass!
just because you have it done by a shop does not guarantee that it will be done right. I had a stock '41 Chevy sedan. Took it to a older guy that had done old glass installs before. picked up car and looked good. the next day I jacked up the rear of car to swap out the rims/tires. next thing I know there are cracks in the upper corners of windshield. shop had not allowed clearance for body flex. go back to glass shop. turned out he decided to let one of his employees do the install without him. said not his problem since it was not a standard install. could have sued but, too involved. found a guy that did glass out of his garage and everything was great after that.
Listen to 'em. Just another thing you can say you did. What's better is you'll know how to do it faster next time!
It is probably best if you find someone local to do the install, professionals use a bedding material between the body and the rubber and sealer between the rubber and the glass (I think I got the order correct with the sealer and bedding material). That being said, I have done it myself ... by myself. I can promise you this, it will be a lot easier with fresh rubber. I installed the rubber first, then fit the glass pieces in, one at a time. I cut the plastic handles off of a couple of cheap paint brushes, them went at them with a grinder in order to create some wedge shaped tools that would allow me to "coax" the rubber without fear of scratching the glass or ripping the rubber (no sharp edges). I also used dish soap as a lubricant. Once the first piece of glass is in, make sure you protect the edge of the installed piece from getting hit by the edge of the other piece during the install. As others have stated, it is not impossible ... just take your time.
Did this job for years. LUBRICANT is the important part! CANTSTOP is right, the cord is the way...the thin stuff is like piano wire and two sticks: a good Nazi could cut a head off with it. Best lube for the job is waterless hand cleaner. Period. (better than K-Y) Glass goes in the rubber. Then into the metal cavity. Glass shops are few now, (good ones) contact Rod&Wheelers son in Hayward, CA. The best. Rod&wheeler is a member here....
I am a fan of waterless hand cleaner, the kind WITHOUT pumice, for the lube. It stay put and is super slippery.
Ask a mobile tech if he wants to make some money on the side. They all wanna make money on the side. Problem solved.
I used to do it for a living. Post #2 is dead on. And the post advising 1/8" cord are correct as well. GET A FRIEND AND TAKE YOUR TIME ! PBR when you're done.
Wow thanks for the response... ill give it a try i guess as soon as it gets back from the tranny shop.. ill keep you guys posted and if i break the glass ill start a collection..
I know JohnnyG and he knows what he's talking about two guys that's all it takes. Hand cleaner works as a great lubricant also. CRUISER
IMO the best cord to use when pulling windows in is 16ga stranded, insulated auto wire, the kind you buy at Shucks to rewire your stereo.
Correct on both accounts. I use sovt nylon about the size of cloths line and whatever shop the fella was dealing with wanted easy money.
I tried the wire way...used lots of liquid soap,and gouged my new weatherstrip,then I read the advice from mid fifties that said to use nylon closeline cord 3/16 dia. (.1875) it worked like a champ,it was in in a matter of seconds...scratched my head "it CANT be that easy.It was its done.And I didnt have to pay any "experts"
I used cat 5 network cable (computer stuff) because it was what I had handy. Did the windshield and back window in my 55 chev in about 10 minutes. If the string is lubed up good it really is as easy as everyone makes it sound. Scot
The Jalopy Journal
