My car at about 40K miles is believed(by me) to be unhit/factory original (super good fit of doors to body) but I have an issue with windshield fit. Took out a PPG unit and am installing an AutoCityGlass replacement correctly dated, etc. On first install the fit was so tight on the driver side it rolled the seal on the bottom so I took it back out. See the two pics. I sacrificed a good Corvette Rubber seal (cut the top off) so the windshield would set in place as if the top part of the seal were there. In the first pic (passenger side) the glass basically follows the edge of the pinchweld. On the driver it laps the pinchweld significantly. It is like the birdcage was welded out of position. Given no other advice I plan to grind the driver side to look like the passenger so that the seal revealed below the stainless trim will be equal across the top and the seal fits snugly to the glass surface on the bottom. But I was wondering if anyone else has seen this and what they did about it. I don't believe it is a glass size issue...I actually have two new windshield and they both have this issue.
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Re: Windshield Fit for C2 Coupe
Hey Larry, Good photos. It looks as though the glass is shifted to the driver side. I would check the frame dimensions for symmetry first. You could make small wood blocks for the bottom so you can lay the glass in without the seal to check the glass to frame shape. If the frame is right and pinch weld is altered too much, the moldings on the seal may lay uneven. I recently used an Auto City windshield and it fit nice. I usually do a trial fit up with a little soap on rubber outside channel to check fit . The glass can be shifted around a little by a careful slapping on glass in direction needed. Using both hands on either side of glass and a push or pull motion also works. Getting the glass centered and down most the way on the bottom lip makes the sides, top and corners go much easier. A cotter pin removal tool with polished tip is my tool of choice. If the glass is too off center, one side will push right on and the other will go harder if at all. By the second fit they seem to fall right in. -
Re: Windshield Fit for C2 Coupe
Larry, try a dry fit of the weatherstrip to the windshield. Just to see how it fits. If you have the old windshield take some measurements to see how close it is to replacement. I have installed a few repro mid year dated windshields with out a problem. one thing you’ll want to used a non Harding sealant on the the windshield channel and inside weatherstrip, it messy so go easy with it.After windshield is in place you can use strip chalk in the upper and lower corners as needed, and I used the rope method to install around the inside perimeter of weatherstrip.New England chapter member, 63 Convert. 327/340- Chapter/Regional/national Top Flight, 72 coupe- chapter and regional Top Flight.Comment
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Re: Windshield Fit for C2 Coupe
Evidently no one who has read this so far has seen this issue but it is real. I put the old PPG glass in today just to see what the situation has been for all these years. It was both wider and taller than my new glass but was also tighter on the driver side. What I learned from this is 1. confirmation that my issue was not just due to my new glass and 2. that I'm glad I don't have to wrestle this old glass in a complete installation as tight as it fits. I decided the better way to mark my new glass was off the body ledge which is perpendicular to the pinchweld rather than following the pinchweld since it can very a little in width. The pic is a first pass at this using a little wooden marking jig I made. My analysis is that you need 9/16 inch for the seal to lay flat against the pinchweld. I'm going to do this again tomorrow and then grind the glass....that will take time since I must avoid heat build up.The removal tapers to nothing about the center of the car.Comment
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Dino LannoComment
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Re: Windshield Fit for C2 Coupe
What you think is off center is parallax from the camera angle....it measures the 9/16+ from the body ledge on both door pillars. It is sitting in a complete seal on the bottom and a seal with just the outside lip cut off on the pillars.....just no seal across the top and top corners. When I put the old glass in it was so tight side to side it was mashing the trim clips and it demonstrated the same issue. Before I grind I will verify that it is sitting the 9/16 off across the bottom but I'm reasonably certain of that already. The other new windshield I have was fully installed and tight so I know what tight is. The amount of window seal visible after trim install varied about the same amount as you see in my grind mark. The old one may have been the same and maybe I didn't see it. But if I know it is there it will bother me...maybe a lot.Last edited by Larry M.; April 2, 2021, 05:34 AM.Comment
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Re: Windshield Fit for C2 Coupe
Larry, a piece of laminated glass has a considerable amount of flexibility. In other words when you install the glass in the rubber seal the glass will bow out slightly in the center. You can lay the windshield on its face in your workbench and can see how the ends sag under its own weight. You have a very low probability of edge grinding that windshield without cracking it without the proper equipment. If the PPG windshield came out, your new one will go in...you are overthinking this my friend.Dino LannoComment
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Re: Windshield Fit for C2 Coupe
So my wife thinks I'm reluctant to take advice or ask directions and she may have a point ...so I ground the glass. One pic shows the fixture I built to hold the glass. I'm using a Foredom tool which runs 14,000 RPM unloaded. I started with a diamond burr (chinese) but it was too agressive and chipped the edge more than I was comfortable with. It got better as it wore down but I switched to a Dremel 8193 grinding stone. I'd bought five of these but didn't need but the one. There's a pic of the glass laid back in the car and one with the 9/16 inch marking tool I made stuck in the gap....does the same thing on the passenger side. I didn't take as long as I thought and the bucket of water was to cool the edge....grind a little sponge with water and so on. The peice of dark blue tape was to transfer the corner contour from the passenger side...it was different on the driver so I decided to make them match. I had not mentioned that I measured by car a while back and it was about 1/8 or 3/16 short on the driver side but took off 1/4 or more to get this result. Now I'm using 150 grit and finer silicon carbide paper to polish the edge and remove the chips to the extent practical....my concern is that they could start a crack if the glass is stressed.Last edited by Larry M.; April 6, 2021, 06:06 PM.Comment
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Re: Windshield Fit for C2 Coupe
So most have likely lost interest by now but here is the conclusion...one pic of the edge before installation and two post installation. After removing the 1/4 inch or more from the driver side the glass went in easily and the seal position versus the body is balanced. I'm glad I took the risk. The glass could still fracture from stress...we'll just have to see. If it does I'll let your know (confess).Comment
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Re: Windshield Fit for C2 Coupe
looks great, Larry!
now the next fun part...getting all your stainless back on tight and tucked in...
good luck!
thx,
MarkComment
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Re: Windshield Fit for C2 Coupe
I like your style. What ever it takes to get done. Nice job.Comment
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