Date: Wed, 5 Apr 1995 20:46:17 -0400
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: KevinM9696@aol.com
Subject: replace windshield ?
Ok, yesterday I decided to finally replace the scuffed and foggy `72
windshield in my bus with a slick double tinted almost new model
out of a 77 bus, yes, the same 77 I snagged my new tranny out of.
I just got my last shipment of goodies from RMMW last week and in
the boxes was a nice new rubbery windshield gasket just waiting to
replace the scrungy, cracked, fugly looking thing lolling around my old
windshield. For 24.95 it was one of the better investments I've made...
To shorten this epic I proceeded to cut off my old gasket, removed the old
windshield and then should have driven down to my glass installer for him to
complete, but.......
Phone rings.....
blah,blah,blah.... 5 hours and a dozen phone calls later
I get a break and run outside to resume my project to find my front tire
has gone flat and it looks like it is seriously gonna storm any minute...
I decide to push Buster 30 some odd feet into the front of my garage so
the nose at least will stay dry while I contemplate my new mess.
Hmmm, I've read a bunch about replacing glass, and an article or two
on similiar experiances while stringing new headliners, Hell, I loved the
part in Wim Wenders "Until the end of the World" when Solveig
Domarten is run off the road, flips her car and has a new windshield
installed with what appears to be that spray caulking expand-O-foam
stuff you shoot into your walls to insulate em... I figured I'd give it a
try...
------------lot's of variations on a theme-------------------
I finally got it in & properly seated by inserting my string/nylon cord
all the way around the body cavity (on the gasket) and overlapping by
a good 5 or 6 inches. The ends protruded from the bottom center of my
windshield gasket (BTW, the glass is already mounted in the gasket) &
rested on the dashboard until I slowly pulled first one side a few inches
then the other. I found the trick was to have my S.O. play Eric Satie in
the background while she held slight pressure on the glass and gently
thumped the gasket on her side as it seated. This had the effect of keep-
ing me calm and helped me pace the string pulling so as keep an even
amount of distance on both sides of the windshield until I reached the
top. The top was the easiest until I got a bit cocky towards the last and
pulled the string a bit to fast leaving a section of the gasket lip behind
the body frame.... Aaargh!
My daughter saved the day by suggesting I use the curved dental pick ( I
threaten to eviscerate her with it if she doesn't do the dishes.... ; ) )
that
can reach up under the rubber and pull the fold out with. After minutes of
tedious pick fiddling I get the gasket uncrimped & seated properly. Whew!
Not that difficult, but I'm sure there is an easier and
probably quicker way than the round about way we did it....
I planned to remove the windshield in a few months as well as the rest of
the glass when I paint Buster (color undecided as yet) and really wanted the
opportunity to see under my gasket (rust y'know) before I got too carried
away with paint schemes. I do need to do some serious
work on the face of the windshield frame, the flat part the gasket sits
on where it meets the body (not the lip where the gasket resides) and
am wondering the best route to take with this. Lay new metal probably
as that would give me a good support. I've heard fiberglass and even
epoxy could be options, but have little experiance working with these
on areas of this type.
Any advice or ideas?
Kevin Murray -FEETSFirst Films
1965 SingleCab (FS 3000.00 obo)
1967 Panel Bus (FS 400.00 obo)
1969 Beetle
1969 Beetle
1972 Busto-Westie
1974 412 Station Wagon
1976 Rabbit LS (FS 300.00 obo)
