Closed Car Windshield Removal/Replacement

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Topic author
Rich in Colorado
Posts: 64
Joined: Tue Feb 26, 2019 10:28 am
First Name: Richard
Last Name: Carlson
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1922 Center Door 1923 Touring
Location: Niwot, Colorado
MTFCA Number: 50369

Closed Car Windshield Removal/Replacement

Post by Rich in Colorado » Sat Oct 26, 2019 4:56 pm

I have a 1922 Center Door. I have the new windshield glass, but I am having trouble removing the old glass. I cannot free the glass from the thin channel that is holding on the windshield frame.

Short of braking the glass and taking it out in pieces, anyone have a better method?

Rich
Rich in Colorado
1922 Model T Center Door
1923 Model T Touring
1928 Model A Tudor
1956 Ford Thunderbird
1966 Ford F250 Camper Special


Topic author
Rich in Colorado
Posts: 64
Joined: Tue Feb 26, 2019 10:28 am
First Name: Richard
Last Name: Carlson
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1922 Center Door 1923 Touring
Location: Niwot, Colorado
MTFCA Number: 50369

Re: Closed Car Windshield Removal/Replacement - Update

Post by Rich in Colorado » Fri Nov 08, 2019 1:29 pm

No one answered my post so I thought I would post how I removed/replaced my windshield. Right or wrong.

I used a 2x4 and a hammer. Put the windshield on a heavy, padded, table. Placed the 2x4 on the glass at the bottom of the frame. Tapped the 2x4 against the frame, until the glass started to separate from the frame. You have to move along the bottom edge so the glass comes out even and you don't damage the frame.

There is a very thin brass channel between the frame and the glass. It gets destroyed, but you don't need it. Keep hammering until the glass is separated.

Replace

To install the new glass, it is normal to use Fitment Tape that you could get from a auto glass place. The issue with the tape is, that the channel that the glass goes into in the frame is narrow. The tape I would have had to use was 1/32 thick. So thin I knew I would tear the tape sliding the glass down the side of the frame. So I didn't try it.

I used silicone sealant. I put the glass in the frame, then taped the glass just inside the frame. Pulled the glass back out. This way after getting the glass into the frame, I could just pull the tape and any sealant that oozed out would not be on the glass. (Or the frame, I also taped the frame off.)

I would run a few inches of sealant on the side frames, move the glass a few inches, then a few more inches, and so on until you are close to the bottom. That way you are not pushing sealant all the way down, making a bigger mess. Apply the sealant in the bottom channel, and push it completely into the frame.

Pull all the tape. Let it dry, put the end caps back on.

Rich
Rich in Colorado
1922 Model T Center Door
1923 Model T Touring
1928 Model A Tudor
1956 Ford Thunderbird
1966 Ford F250 Camper Special

User avatar

Mark Nunn
Posts: 1105
Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2019 8:01 am
First Name: Mark
Last Name: Nunn
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1926 Runabout
Location: Bennington, NE
MTFCA Number: 50321
Board Member Since: 2017

Re: Closed Car Windshield Removal/Replacement

Post by Mark Nunn » Fri Nov 08, 2019 1:39 pm

Thank you for the write-up Rich. One of the windshield panels in my '26 Runabout appears to be laminated but I cannot tell what the other one is. I plan to replace that one just to be safe.

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