1969 Chrysler 300 Windshield Repair

[ArnieJr]

hello again. I had posted an earlier thread about fixing a leaking windshield, but wanted to start a fresh thread since I now know what I'm dealing with. Thanks to all who replied. After talking to some people and reminding myself as to why I bought the car (to work on with my son, not have it sitting in someone's shop every time it needs something done), I've decided to fix it myself. But I wouldn't object to some guidance. I've pretty much decided against any kind of silicone, I've heard more bad than good on that. Right now, I'm trying to decide between ribbon sealer or urethane from a tube. Getting about a 50/50 split on responses.
As an aside on the ribbon sealer, Amazon has the 3M Ribbon Sealer Kit (Part 08611) or Roll (part 08621). Based on their Q&A, the kit contains setting blocks. I have a rough idea of what they are (cushioning between glass and frame), but are they needed? I ask because the kit has a two to four week delivery, and the roll alone is next day.

 

[Big_John]

The setting blocks go at the very bottom edge of the windshield and keep it from sliding down. They don't go between the windshield and the frame, they are just at the bottom edge.

I would go with the ribbon sealer as that's the way the windshield was originally installed. While the urethane sounds nice, and I'll admit to never doing one that way, the ribbon is very easy to do, especially if you are doing this the first time. No special tools etc.

 

[CBODY67]

You should NOT need to source the 3M items from Amazon! It might be easier, but that should be available from a larger body shop paint/paint supplies place near you.

As mentioned, the blocker/spacer is put at the bottom to maintain the glass's position as the sealer sets up. They stay there, for good measure, too.

Most glass shops will use the urethane in a caulking gun. They know the thickness it needs to be at (bead size and thickness), so they'll probably use that. The roll of sealer can be better in a setting where the installer might not have the experiences in the correct size of the bead. The ONLY related thing is that once the glass is set onto the rolled-out and placed sealer, most of the glass guys will use the palm of their hand to "beat" on the glass to ensure the glass compresses the bead of sealer, which you can also see through the glass, usually.

So, for hat you're wanting to do, the sealer roll/bead would probably be best.

You'll also need to "cut the glass out" from where it is now. This can be laborious, using a thin length of piano wire to do it. THEN you'll need to clean the old adhesive from the glass and car body. More laborious work. When that's done, I believe there's a primer liquid to coat the body with, before the sealer is applied.

And don't forget the available special tool to remove the chrome trim with! And the possible need to need a few new metal clips.

Now, there's nothing "magical" about doing these things. I certainly understand and appreciate your orientation of doing these fixes with your son, BUT I figured out long ago that there are some things that might be best left to people who have done it before AND are set-up to do them. To me, the additional cost is worth the price.

In the case of glass sealer repairs, what might take y'all several h ours to do, a professional glass installer might do in an hour, have everything there to do the job, AND give a guarantee on materials and workmanship. PLUS being more accomplished of "handling large pieces of glass". AND possibly do it on-site! As you and your son watch and understand what's being done.

What y'all can do is get the car ready for the deal. Get the molding tool and carefully remove the surround mouldings (there is a little trick to this). Then clean the area of accumulated debris, down to "bare paint". You might also discover some impending rust near the windshield's base, which can be sealed over or fixed BEFORE the glass work is done.

With that fancy glass removal/holding suction cup tool that is in the Safellite tv ads, it makes the whole operation much easier to do.

Just my observations on windshield replacement/repairs,
CBODY67

 

[1970cat]

you'l want to invest in a windshield removal kit.

one person inside and one outside. you poke a hole through the sealer, thread the wire through and saw your way around the windshield. there are plenty of videos online showing the process.take note of how the sealer looks through the glass. check the distance from the edge as well as the smoothness and uniformity of the sealer.
be careful not to nick the edges of the glass, especially around the corners or it will crack. be careful of your trim and dash inside.when it's ready to come out, start at the inside top and push it out to the outside person. there will be some resistance, but if you think it's too much, stop and figure out where you are stuck.
scrape out the sealer and clean off the remainder. ( i can't remember what i used but i think it was paint or lacquer thinner). lay your ribbon in the same place as the old, pressing the gap together at the bottom. lay in your blocks, set the bottom of the glass and tip it down to the inside person. press it flat until the are no gaps or bubbles in the sealer as viewed through the windshield , like you saw before removal. there is no real set up time for the ribbon , it will stay flexible for years. remove the blocks , reinstall trim and mirror wipers etc.
sounds worse than it is . it's probably a 1-2 hour job. most of your time will be getting the trim off .

 

[MarPar]

This is what the setting blocks look like