windshield removal?

[kingpin]

Any of you intelligent folks out there got any tricks or tips on windshield removal(glue-in) 4 a '74 gtv? I have to kill all rust and the rust is making my car leak. I'm a long way away, so windshield replacement$$$ i$ not an option unless I screw up.

[jthraen]

I had a similar situation with my Berlina. We tried to be careful, but the glass broke anyway.

In hindsight, I would suggest spending alot of time just cutting away everything that is not the windshield. When you put it back, you can use a new snap-in style gasket. Call Matt at Re-Originals . You will have to either replace your trim with the T-profile trim or you can just glue your old one on.

I ended up buying a whole extra car just for the windshield trim!

[kingpin]

Thanx for the insight, J. I will attempt to be careful. Maybe thread steel fishing leader underneath after trimming as much off as can. Here goes nuthin'.
B.king
'74 gtv
nissan truck(whee?)

[Levin]

I also have a 74 GTV and when i bought it, the windsheild had been replaced and it is the glue in style, not the gasket. i have the tirm that went on the windshield before it was replaced but i dont know how i should put it on. can you guys help?

Mike

[Chsmadden]

Best option:

BREAK IT

You will NEVER get a glue in windsheild out in one peice, and if you do, God must've helped you, every glue in windsheild I have ever had to take out has ended up in the trash can tuesday morning.

[alfa soon]

On my first and only attempt at this I successfully pulled the glue in windshield out of my recently sold 72 gtv project. All it takes is patience and a sharp box cutter. Don't be tempted to pry on the glass at all and don't chip at the edges of the glass when you cut. As was suggested before, just cut everything away that's not windshield. Since you have rust it shouldn't be too bad to do this since the windshield glue will be stuck to paint that is no longer sticking to metal in some places and you don't have to worry about gouging the paint with the razor since you'll have to paint after the repair anyway.

[alfa soon]

Ha Ha, just noticed how old original post is...

[Chsmadden]

Bump......
yeah it was me

[AlfaDavid]

Yes, the original thread is old, but it seems the questions keeps coming up. I just removed my windshield... almost successfully, but at least I learned a pretty good way to do it . For me, the hardest part was the aluminum trim removal. I spent hours on it. I tried everything I owned to slice the rubber under the trim. I eventually settled on a utility knife. Broke about 20 blades and DID crack the WS when I accidently put pressure on the edge of the glass. For the rest, and the majority of the removal, I used a narrow, thin bladed spatula on which I had sharpened the edge. I could wiggle the spatula between the trim and the glass and it cut right off.
Removing the glass was a little easier, but still took a long time. Again, not having a proper tool I used several of the strands of a multi-strand picture wire. Work this between the car body and the WS and pull it along in a sawing motion. This will slice fairly easily through the rubber.
The crack... I'm going to try to live with it. The car is for ME, not for others to criticize. It's about 2 inches long in the lower corner. It's almost invisible. I treated it with "FIX A WINDSHIELD" from Walmart. The test, of course will be if the crack grows when I use the car.

[andyb6]

I have succesfully removed a glue in windshield by fishing some safety wire through the glue joint and tying the 2 ends to some handles and then carefully dragging the wire around the windshield. So far I am 2 for 2 successfully.

[OldAlfaGuy]

I recently removed a glued-in windshield successfully. I first trimmed away as much of the old adhesive as I could. Then I tried using every different kind of wire I had on hand (mechanic's wire, safety wire, etc) wrapped around wooden dowels that I used as handles. I could fish the wire underneath the glass, but it kept breaking as I pulled the wire back and forth. So I ordered the windshield removel kit from Eastwood (Eastwood Company: Auto Tools, Body Repair, Classic Car Restoration, House of Kolor Paint, Powder Coating). The wire in their kit is heavy duty. I had the windshield free in five minutes. The kit was $40 or $50, but it is cheaper than a replacement windshield, new or used.

OldAlfaGuy

[focusa]

As discussed in the other threads, the key is to remove as much of the glue as possible. I've had success by using a utility knife that is usually used when installing carpet -- about $6 @ Home Depot or Lowe's. The blade is long and quite durable.