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  • Anders
    Super-Experienced
    • Jan 19 2008
    • 2213

    Removal of front and rear windshield.

    Anyone who knows how to best, and safest take out the front and rear windshield ? Cut the rubber or? Heat gun to make the rubber softer? Itīs stone hard now
    sigpic..."Lil darling Ruth":)
    http://www.tbirdregistry.com/#33158
  • simplyconnected
    Administrator
    • May 26 2009
    • 8778

    #2
    I cut the original out of my '55 with a knife on a nice warm summer's day.
    Member, Sons of the American Revolution

    CLICK HERE to see my custom hydraulic roller 390 FE build.

    "We've got to pause and ask ourselves: How much clean air do we need?"
    --Lee Iacocca

    From: Royal Oak, Michigan

    Comment

    • Anders
      Super-Experienced
      • Jan 19 2008
      • 2213

      #3
      Well, Itīs winter here. Snow and cold.. But my garage is heated, but not as a sunny day perhaps. A few degrees less than inside the house. Thatīs why I wonder if I dare to warm it up with a heat gun. I donīt want to destroy the glass...
      sigpic..."Lil darling Ruth":)
      http://www.tbirdregistry.com/#33158

      Comment

      • Guest

        #4
        Anders, probably both a heat gun and a sharp knife blade would be the best. If you can get a small space opened up between the glass and the bead edge that you could fish a wire through, you could use a wire saw, but that would take another person to man the other end of the wire saw. One guy inside and one guy outside.
        Attached Files
        Last edited by Guest; December 11, 2012, 04:48 PM. Reason: added text

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        • Anders
          Super-Experienced
          • Jan 19 2008
          • 2213

          #5
          Thanks guys. I think I try to carefully see if I can warm it up a little, and start with new blade on the knife, and see how it goes. "Commando Wire Saw" looks like scary stuff
          sigpic..."Lil darling Ruth":)
          http://www.tbirdregistry.com/#33158

          Comment

          • simplyconnected
            Administrator
            • May 26 2009
            • 8778

            #6
            Yeah, I've seen more broken windshields come out with the saw than ones intact. They use the wire when the glass is set in urethane (without a gasket). I saved my windshield and backlite with a good sharp knife. Get one with a solid back so it doesn't flex and break the blade (or cut your hand). Be careful and go slow.

            Propane is kinda scary if you have real cold temps. Simply cut thin strips at a time. Soon, your glass will lift straight out. - Dave
            Member, Sons of the American Revolution

            CLICK HERE to see my custom hydraulic roller 390 FE build.

            "We've got to pause and ask ourselves: How much clean air do we need?"
            --Lee Iacocca

            From: Royal Oak, Michigan

            Comment

            • partsetal
              Super-Experienced
              • Jun 4 2005
              • 850

              #7
              There is no easy way for the front glass. A utility knife with two good blades. The goal is to cut away the seal so that the edge of the glass is exposed, then try a gentle nudge at the top center. If that doesn't release the glass, make another cut behind the edge of the glass followed up by another cut to remove more rubber to open up a space beyond the edge of the glass. It should now be easier to nudge the top center. Once you have the slightest movement there apply pressure all around the glass. It should be pushed straight out. I've removed them myself, but it would be better to have a helper. Same procedure with back glass, use the knife to cut away the surrounding rubber.
              Carl

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              • Dakota Boy
                Super-Experienced
                • Jun 30 2009
                • 1561

                #8
                Can a windshield be replaced without the dash removed?

                Mine is pretty pitted from its early years on gravel roads in Iowa (or so I was told), and someday I might want to replace it.
                http://www.tbirdregistry.com/viewdat...ryNumber=33517

                Comment

                • partsetal
                  Super-Experienced
                  • Jun 4 2005
                  • 850

                  #9
                  Yes, It can be replaced without removing the dash. You do have to remove the dash to windshield trim.
                  Carl

                  Comment

                  • Dakota Boy
                    Super-Experienced
                    • Jun 30 2009
                    • 1561

                    #10
                    I've used Eastwood's glass polishing kit a few summers ago. It improved the glass quite a bit actually, but I may have to try it again (I have some "spider webbing" when it's dark and there is another car in the on-coming lane).
                    http://www.tbirdregistry.com/viewdat...ryNumber=33517

                    Comment

                    • tmjsong1aolcom
                      Experienced
                      • Mar 31 2004
                      • 329

                      #11
                      First question is the rubber soft at all if it is hot??

                      You can do all this in the cold but the front is a crap shoot in the cold.

                      I have used a knife to remove both front and rears. Sharp utility knife with new blade. Change blade to keep it sharp. I cut along the windshield outwards tword the metal and remove the outer lip that the windshield sits in. This exposes all the edges of the window. Now very carefully from inside the car push on the upper edge in the center of the windshield. CAREFULLY. If the adhhesive does not give you will have to take the knife and now cut the remaining gasket using the window as a guide. This will remove another section of the gasket exposing the edge of the glass so you can run the knife along the inner edge of the window and release the adhesive on the inside edge.

                      Alternatively you can cut the layers all at once. Knife edge verticle to the gasket and cut down thru the layers using the edge of the window as a guide. May have to make a few cuts to start but once started its easy to cut the outer edge in one cut. Once the outer edge is removed then the adhesive can be released with the knife and/or push from the inside.

                      Assuming that the gasket is pliable and you wish to save the gasket, you can remove the entire assemble assuming you have a lot of patience.
                      I have done this with both 64's and 58's. The best way to do this is with the dash out and rear package tray and trim out. Basically start in the middle and and reverse the process of an install by pushing the gasket back out the opening but it will require going around the window many times and moving it out very slowly.


                      I usually cut the windows out as the gaskets are hard and brittle.

                      Good Luck
                      Fuz
                      58's&64's
                      tmjsong1@aol.com
                      Sun Prairie, Wi

                      Comment

                      • Anders
                        Super-Experienced
                        • Jan 19 2008
                        • 2213

                        #12
                        Did this today. Took pretty much 1 hour. I heated the seal with a ordonary hair dryer ( and kept it warm while I was cutting ), and cut with a new knife. One with blades that you can break. It worked perfectly and I never broke any. The window then came off very easy with a slight push with one hand. One thing to think of is that you first have to unscrew the little piece of body in front of the doors. Access to this is two screws that you see when you opend the hood. Than there is a little nut on the inside of the panel of the inside of the car. On the left side, this panel holds the water switch, so that need to come off first.
                        Attached Files
                        sigpic..."Lil darling Ruth":)
                        http://www.tbirdregistry.com/#33158

                        Comment

                        • Guest

                          #13
                          Anders, Wow!, pretty slick operation. You made that look pretty easy. Congrats and Merry Christmas to you.

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