A windshield seal question............

[RonW]

I need some suggestions here please. My son and I have been in a very long process of restoring a 69 Mustang Mach 1. Around 2 years ago we installed a new windshield with the typical ribbon seal kit. A few places never totally sealed even after setting in the very hot Florida for long periods of time. We srarted driving it some and it leaks badly. He wants to pull and reinstall rather than cementing around the edges. I will try to identify high and low spots on the pinchweld and manipulate them a bit. I have installed many windshields in years past, but have been out of the mainstream for years now and am not familiar with all current materials. I know I may be able to buy a thicker "ribbon" or use urethane, but really don't want the urethane. Any suggestions on what to use would be much appreciated. Thanks, RonW

[Len]

Unless it's really bad I'd use a sealer rather than remove and reinstall. If the pinch weld has some high and/or low spots an R&R could result in the same problem you have now; thicker ribbon won't necessarily make things better.

This aggravation is one of the reasons that I stopped doing windshields a while back. It's so inexpensive to have an installer come out that it usually doesn't pay to mess with a glue-in but I still do most of the ones that are seated in rubber.

[fixdent]

Actually, installing windshields is not hard at all, but like everything, experience helps, I've been doing it for 33 years.

We install our own windshields in my shop, usually 3 or so a week. We always use Urethane. The 'ribbon' style is pretty well out of date.

I use a product by Sika. It is heated in an oven and very firm (for lack of better word). When you install the windshield it does not squirt out the glue. Actually, you can't even move the windshield around when it is set into the glue. It dries as fast as it cools off, enough to drive the vehicle in 30 minutes.

I would be worried about cutting your winshield out, without cracking it...you must be careful, and go slowly. That 'ribbon' buytl tape is very sticky.

I charge a premium price if I have to attempt to take a windshield out, because of the additional time required, not to break it.

--
Gordon

**Shareware Estimating Program** (www.geocities.com/fixdent)

[Len]

When I want to remove a windshield without breaking it I usually use piano wire with a man inside and another outside. If the glass is already broken or it doesn't matter I'll usually use a knife.


http://weisstool.com/store/products/TA-87460.jpg
Wire Kit

http://weisstool.com/store/products/TN-TA-87900.jpg
Windshield Knife

[RonW]

We will probably go the urethane route. Thanks, RonW

[Phil V]

Ron, before you go the urethane route you might want to try this - Get a tube of butyl caulk which is the same material as the ribbon caulk you used to install the windshield. Remove your stainless window trim and with the caulking gun force the butyl caulk in between the glass and the pinch. Its normal for things to get a little messy at that point and its not a big deal. While you're at it you might consider pulling the windshield interior trim parts and seal around the sides and upper edge from the inside. Once you get all the voids filled in from the outside you can push you outer trim moldings back in place. Get some paper towels and some pre-kleeno (wax and grease remover) to clean up an excess butyl caulk on the glass or the paint. You can use your finger to smooth the butyl caulk on the inside of the car then install your interior trim moldings and use the pre-cleano there also. where you made your mistake was in not using the butyl caulk along with the ribbon caulk when you installed the windshield. Next time use the ribbon caulk and the butyl caulk out of a caulking gun when you install a front or rear glass in those old cars. Thats the way we did it when those cars were still moderately new (early 1970's).

If I were you I'd stick with the orginal butyl stuff instead of using urethane.
Your car wasn't designed to have the windshield held in place with a very stiff urethane adhesive. Also the bedding of the urethane is just about always quite a bit thnner than the older butyl adhesive.