[mkling]

I found a windshield and back window on a car at a salvage yard. I can get them for next to nothing if I remove them. What is the best method for doing this?
I'm also looking for install info. this is for a 78 TA that I'm nearly done with, but I wrecked my glass with weld and grinding sparks =(.

[paint guy]

Get a couple of utility knives with new blades and slice around the windows numerous times. you may need to attach one to a longer handle to get at the center of the windshield. After you have cut as much as you can, you will have to make a hole somewhere thru the sealer/ gasket to thread thru a piece of piano wire. When you have about 2-3 feet of piano wire on each side of the glass, (heres where it might take 2 people) grab each end with pliers/vice grips and start "sawing." The wire will probably break a few times, just go slow around the glass and replace the wire as needed. After you've completely cut it loose, carefully push on it and it shoud come out with a little coaxing. good luck.

[Ollie]

After removal do not lay them flat keep them on edge. Fabricate a rack out of 4x4's and wooden close closet rod. cut the 4x4 about 3 ft long cut the closet rod about 2 1/2 to 3 ft long. Drill holes in the 4x4, 4 to 6 inches apart and 2 1/2 to 3 inches deep. apply wood glue and insert the closet rods into the holes, let dry. put the windshields in the rack and use bungee cord to keep them from falling over.

[mkling]

Thanks for the help. good idea on the rack. I was wondering how I should haul them. I do woodworking for a living so it wont be hard to make something out of scraps.
I have a guy that may go with me that worked in the glass business.
What about install? Do most people buy the windshield tape stuff for install? I see it comes in different thickness or widths, what size do I need?

[J.D.]

i used 1\2 inch butyl tape on my 75. pretty sure it was 1\2 inch. $10 for a roll from glass shop. bought two el cheapo suction cup grips for $10. dropped in like a charm all by myself. auto parts stores carry the suction cups.

[T A 70]

Originally Posted by paint guy

Get a couple of utility knives with new blades and slice around the windows numerous times. you may need to attach one to a longer handle to get at the center of the windshield. After you have cut as much as you can, you will have to make a hole somewhere thru the sealer/ gasket to thread thru a piece of piano wire. When you have about 2-3 feet of piano wire on each side of the glass, (heres where it might take 2 people) grab each end with pliers/vice grips and start "sawing." The wire will probably break a few times, just go slow around the glass and replace the wire as needed. After you've completely cut it loose, carefully push on it and it shoud come out with a little coaxing. good luck.

Or guitar string....

[paint guy]

"Or guitar string..." yeah an "E" or a "B" should work well. (Remove from guitar first...LOL)

[Cammer-6]

I use the braided wire that made just for it.
My son perfected a method(perhaps I should patent) of using scrap pieces of seat belt to hold the wire.
With 2 people we can breeze thru a windshield in a few minutes.

[A1Judge]

And believe it or not WD40 dissolves the window seams like magic. Really helped me to remove and replace my windshield by myself. Also, I fabricated an "L" shaped knife that I could use to go all the way around the window.

[Greg Reid]

Originally Posted by A1Judge

And believe it or not WD40 dissolves the window seams like magic. Really helped me to remove and replace my windshield by myself. Also, I fabricated an "L" shaped knife that I could use to go all the way around the window.

WD does dissolve the butyl like magic but that urethane stuff used on the 2nd gen cars is like tire rubber. It is HARD to cut and I don't think anything would dissolve it. Not sure what year they switched over.....'72~'73 maybe? The pros use a 'hot knife' to cut one of those out.

[sts]

Ford and Mopar used butyl after upgrading from gasket set, but GM never-ever used butyl on any glass installation, although it was the replacment service sealer.

Actually, the replacment sealer was installer's choice, butyl or 3M # 08607, the forerunner of # 08609. But I'm, splitting hairs because it depended on the skill level of the installer, and 08607 is next to impossible to find. (I noticed Eastwood started carrying 08607 with a disclaimer. And I was very partial to 08607.)

They started with rubber gasket, went to polysulfide (hard sealer, but not urethane) sometime around '64, and used it until '81. Starting in '82, they have used urethance exclusivly.

I take everything with a cold cut knife, but I wouldn't recomend it for others. I will, however, recommend an effective cut-out tool. E-brake cable: Unwind one strand from the winding. The natural 'winding' acts as saw teeth.

Rather than covering what is and what isn't, '81 and earlier can be installed with butyl, and '82 + IS ALWAYS INSTALLED WITH URETHANE ONLY without butyl. (This applies to every production vehicle on the planet.)

If it were my car, I would install it with 3/8 butyl, because urethane installed glass can actually cause the glass to stress crack on pre urethance vehicles , but what would I know about working on cars?

[Rack776]

Originally Posted by Cammer-6

I use the braided wire that made just for it.
My son perfected a method(perhaps I should patent) of using scrap pieces of seat belt to hold the wire.
With 2 people we can breeze thru a windshield in a few minutes.

I used one of those braided windsheild wires and I managed to "saw" into my window lips, I was shocked to see a few cuts in the metal when I was done!
Must have been made like a McGyver Wire wire saw or something.

Easy does it with that stuff, next time I'll try plain old piano wire.
I do like the e brake cable idea ....I guess any smaller diameter scrap wound steel wire would work as well.