The wave of disappointment is moving over me as I type.

[Boydsdodge]

I have been working on TB, my 1973 Imperial. I am working on the loose windshield. I have been taking it very slow and patiently, removing trim and getting the glass to slowly unseal the last few inches.
I was so close I tell ya, close. Then pop goes the crack. Uugghhh!!!
Sorry but I need a windshield.

 

[Big_John]

Been there... Done that... (a couple times actually) and I feel your pain.

 

[livininharrow]

the only way i have ever removed a windshield was to gas it first. as in dripping gas on the seal and therefore softening the seal. insert a fine wire through the gasket and cutting it all along like a cheese cutter wire would do. someone on the inside and you on the outside. soak it long enough and you should be good to go. no prying involved. just dont light up your smoke too close. im sure professional window guys have a cleaner way to do it.

 

[detmatt]

Yep I broke one too recently that I was trying to get out in 1 piece and it’s very upsetting especially since it happens after hours of effort…

 

[MoPar~Man]

If the glass is laminated, it's not supposed to break apart into little piece right? I mean, it will break into little pieces but they'll stay in place, not fall to the ground?

Maybe this is not the time or place to ask (I can imagine the feeling) but - what is the scoop on laminated glass and these old cars? What year did they start, was the situation different for the rear window, and was the side glass ever laminated?

 

[CBODY67]

As I recall, ALL front glass (windshield) should be laminated. So that if it cracks, it stays in place. Later models were modified a bit in the lamination to deform should a human's head hit it. I saw some pictures about that back then (i.e., later 1960s).

Side glass can be laminated, too, but possibly not in all cases. Rear glass can be tempered, rather than laminated. It would break into lots of little pieces with smooth edges (rather than jagged edges).

Seems like that in the markings on the glass, near a bottom edge or corner, or in the middle for windshields (?), it should list "tint" or "shade" (when applicable) and possibly "laminate" or "tempered"?

I remember hearing about using "piano wire" to cut the sealer with.

Sorry for your loss,
CBODY67

 

[6PKRTSE]

I set the windshield up on on of my shelves wrapped in moving blanket and supported the curves with 4x4's while we did the headliner and roll cage in my Challenger. I went to uncover it and it was cracked from top to bottom just sitting on the shelf. I understand your disappointment.

 

[413]

windshields should be stored on the edge, not laying flat.

 

[Boydsdodge]

As soon as that first one inch crack pops, you then get the smack in the head of "WTF. What were you thinking? Why did you do that? "
I then saw my fault of going at it from both sides.
It was going well, but slow. The upper two thirds were compleatly unsealed, and when I lightly pushed with the shim it would release farther along. I continued this slowly around through the lower half. I sprayed deep creep along bottom to help with the shims, as it lubed and showed me where seal was free.
4" remained.
I then left it for three hours to seep and with light pressure on on glass with shims. I should have removed the right side of shims before I applied more pressure to left side shim. It did not take much but It was plenty enough to pop.
Dumb ***.
Now the search.

 

[Big_John]

If the glass is laminated, it's not supposed to break apart into little piece right? I mean, it will break into little pieces but they'll stay in place, not fall to the ground?

Maybe this is not the time or place to ask (I can imagine the feeling) but - what is the scoop on laminated glass and these old cars? What year did they start, was the situation different for the rear window, and was the side glass ever laminated?

Laminated windshields date back into the 1930's. Two pieces of glass, with a layer of plastic in the middle. If it breaks, the laminate holds all the pieces together and (in theory) will keep the occupants in the car in a crash. There was a time, before seat belts, that if you crashed, you'd plant your face into the windshield. If the windshield was regular glass, you'd go through it and the glass would rip you to shreds.

The side and rear windows are tempered glass. One layer of heat treated glass that breaks into small, non lethal pieces when it shatters. The pic I posted is the rear window of my 2010 Ranger and that's a good example of broken tempered glass.

BTW, the plastic laminate blocks UV rays (a good benefit) and UV light is what makes the "self darkening" sunglasses work, so that is why your expensive glasses that they talked you into won't get dark when you're driving.

 

[3175375]

That stinks.

Sempre Adelante!

 

[vdk2010]

Oh no, that sucks

I ruined my right quarter window a while back by dropping a socket on it ...
I bought 3 Quarter Windows since then, 2 had the wrong tint, the 3rd, from Murray, had the wrong stainless in the front...
But hey, think positive, you don't have to ship a new one around the globe ;)

Good luck finding a new one! I know a conpany in Finland makes them new, so there should be a company in the US that makes them as well, I guess?

 

[Marv]

1969 - 1973 Chrysler Dodge Plymouth Windshield Glass Hardtop 69-70 Convertible | eBay

73 Imperials shared the front windows with New Yorkers and Newports

 

[Boydsdodge]

1969 - 1973 Chrysler Dodge Plymouth Windshield Glass Hardtop 69-70 Convertible | eBay

73 Imperials shared the front windows with New Yorkers and Newports

Thanks for that link.

 

[Ross Wooldridge]

I have a glass guy in Toronto that can source original windows in warehouses. PM me. Eddie the Glass Guy. He's is the best.

 

[Ross Wooldridge]

I messaged you on FaceBook.

I called Eddie the Glass Guy at 416-704-4949 , he's already on it!

 

[Boydsdodge]

I messaged you on FaceBook.

I called Eddie the Glass Guy at 416-704-4949 , he's already on it!

Thanks, thats great.
Should I give him a call? Are you saying you called on my behalf?

 

[Ross Wooldridge]

I did call - he'll let me know regardless, but you are welcome to call him too. Tell him you're the guy with the 73 Imperial that Ross called him about - he'll want to verify body style etc just to be sure.

If it's out there he'll be able to source it.

 

[68PK21 440.6bbl]

As soon as that first one inch crack pops, you then get the smack in the head of "WTF. What were you thinking? Why did you do that? "
I then saw my fault of going at it from both sides.
It was going well, but slow. The upper two thirds were compleatly unsealed, and when I lightly pushed with the shim it would release farther along. I continued this slowly around through the lower half. I sprayed deep creep along bottom to help with the shims, as it lubed and showed me where seal was free.
4" remained.
I then left it for three hours to seep and with light pressure on on glass with shims. I should have removed the right side of shims before I applied more pressure to left side shim. It did not take much but It was plenty enough to pop.
Dumb ***.
Now the search.

I don't know WTF the boards are all about, big no no. I sure hope you weren't doing this in the cold weather or a low heated garage. leaving it out in the hot sun helps the age-old sealer soften up, yea some king of solvent may help but be careful as Jay Leno found out about flammable liquids. Piano wire or very strong stainless wire will do the job. They make many new gimmick tools with teeth type cutting wire, one man deals with a rotary suction cup gimmick, just keep in mind most of them are designed for taking out a broken glass and have no regards to saving the glass, A tall, long arm person can do the cut with a healthy length of wire and some wooden cut broomsticks even on a large C-Bodies, you don't need 2 people, just plenty of wire. When you get to the A post you can shorten up the wire by rolling it around the handle. Start at the middle top, pull down to both sides then do the bottom starting in the middle pulling outwards. Then go all around again to ensure it's all cut, be very careful to avoid dragging the wire across the outer edges of the glass as it can chip and then you will get a crack. Once done the glass can be hand removed without any prying. Oh and BTW clean the friggin channel, wash it clean as dirt dragging into the wire cut can chip the edge. And if you're not saving the vinyl cut it away and if no vinyl protect you paint with heavy tape.

One such glass crack I wasn't going to own was when I was changing out a intermittent speed wiper motor on a 80's Crown Vic. Seem the windshield had been replaced by our local slipshod hokey glass shop and they didn't put the protective plastic channel back on (or damaged it upon removal) the lower edge of the windshield. One slip touch (tap) of a 1/4-inch rachet drive handle caused a chip on that lower edge which immediately turned into a crack right up the center section of the notoriously low-grade non-Ford windshield. I told the owner of the company I ain't paying for that, you take it back to <name redacted> and have them do it right. Luckly, he arrived in one of the newer cabs that hadn't had the windshield replace yet and I could do a look at this finger pointing session with a 'Why do you think Ford put that plastic there'?


.

 

[Big_John]

A tall, long arm person can do the cut with a healthy length of wire and some wooden cut broomsticks even on a large C-Bodies, you don't need 2 people, just plenty of wire.

I've done it that way!