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  View original topic: How to treat small rust spots on windshield of my 1978
sweetog Fri Jul 25, 2014 5:34 pm

Hi all, I am seeing some very small and tiny rust spots starting to form on the bottom of the windshield of my bus. What can I do to treat these rust spots? I know this a very common area for rust to form on VW buses.

Evilrift Fri Jul 25, 2014 6:18 pm

My best guess is you need to make a decision to do it right or not do anything. Patching it up without removing the glass isn't going to be a long term solution. The only way you'll know what you're dealing with is by removing the windshield.

I have this same dilemma. I can't see any rust forming but I know the PO most likely fillered the heck out of it instead of doing it correctly before painting.

sweetog Fri Jul 25, 2014 6:30 pm

Thanks evilrift, I got some rust in the well of my roof and under the front part of the white top, going to have all that done by a professional next week, probably cost me a grand.

The rust on the windshield is small, just got it painted 8 months ago.

Will keeping wax on it slow down the process?

Daisy71Kombi Fri Jul 25, 2014 7:35 pm

They make a product that nuetralizes the rust. I usually sand it first to bare metal and apply for a little bit tell it soaks in. Then clean off the residue. Then use primer or something to seal it from being just bare metal. Touch up paint can be used also. I think the name is like rust mort or close to that. I also used it on light rust to keep it from getting worse and didn't sand first

sweetog Fri Jul 25, 2014 7:36 pm

I heard Navy Jelly is a good product too that neutralizes the chemical rust reaction.

notchboy Fri Jul 25, 2014 8:07 pm

sweetog wrote: I heard Navy Jelly is a good product too that neutralizes the chemical rust reaction.


Nope. Pull it out and fix it right - replace the rotten metal. Period. Anything else is a folly and bought time for the inevitable. Ask me how I know :wink:

sweetog Fri Jul 25, 2014 8:15 pm

Well I guess I will have to, but it is just the smallest of specks right now, just trying to figure out somehow that does not require pulling the entire windshield yet, I mean I am taking like a small little speck

Wildthings Fri Jul 25, 2014 9:42 pm

Pulling the windshield isn't a big deal. Just slide a radiator pick under the seal between the seal and body all the way around, inside and out, and then get a couple of buddies to help you out. Two to push the top of the windshield out from the inside with their feet and another to make sure it doesn't fall to the ground. Just go about it slow and easy.

A windshield shop will probably have a product just for fixing such rust spots. When I had my windshield replaced seven years ago, I had them treat the rust spots on my '77. Haven't seen any reoccurrence to date.

Daisy71Kombi Sat Jul 26, 2014 2:23 am

I have replaced well over 10,000 windshields and these are not always easy. Broke mine using a new seal and it was 10 years since breaking my last one on any vehicle. If the seal is new it might take a lot of work and skill to get it done right. Not something I would recommend to someone who has never done it. An old gasket is a different story and can be super easy most of the time.

mojogoat Sat Jul 26, 2014 9:32 am

If you see rust spots, it most likely will be worse under the seal. Saturate the rubber and lip with rust converter (Walmart $7) several times to stop the rusting till you can pull the window. Also take a look from under the dash with a flashlight to see if its progressed that far. Mine didn't look that bad till I pulled the windshield. Had to weld in a new lower panel. Not that hard but not fun either.

Wildthings Sat Jul 26, 2014 9:45 am

Daisy71Kombi wrote: Not something I would recommend to someone who has never done it.

We all have to start somewhere. :wink:

brainwash Sat Aug 02, 2014 12:15 pm

My '78 also has some rust in the bottom of the windshield area roughly 1" x 3" . I need a new windshield as it is (due to a crack and a chip) and I have the new gasket for it.

Would a rust spot of that size be fixed by a body shop? I don't believe I'd need the LOWER WINDSHIELD REPAIR PANEL 6IN 68/79 from KlassikFab, but would love others' opinions. Is it something a windshield repair/replacement place could take care of?

I know this can easily turn into scope creep and end up having to repaint the whole bus, but I just want to solve the rust and windshield issues for now. Any suggestions?

busdaddy Sat Aug 02, 2014 12:32 pm

Depends on the body shop but one that welds holes instead of filling them with bondo should be able to handle it, do expect to find much more once the glass is out, what you see is likely the tip of the iceburg. They should be able to paint the area surrounding the windshield after and blend or tape the edges so it doesn't show too badly.

force3g Sat Aug 02, 2014 3:23 pm

I didn't think mine was that bad until I pulled the glass. Mine needed replaced badly!

My first look at the damage after pulling the glass.



Cutting away the rust.



This was the only rust on the bus.



Ready for Por 15



Welded, welds ground, and etching primer applied to the new metal.


static Mon Aug 04, 2014 7:32 am

Been putting off this repair for nearly 20 years.

Just thinking about how to go about it would give me the vapors. I "knew" that it would be too expensive to have a real shop do the work, yet I also knew that I was far too much of a weenie to do the work properly myself.

Finally bit the bullet and had a real shop do the work: new windshield, new rubber gasket, new proper piece of metal fabbed in and primer painted.

Cost: Approximately $350. For everything.

Should have done this years ago.

marcusdrives Mon Aug 04, 2014 6:42 pm

Here is a diagram if you are wondering how the rubber interacts with the window, and bus. It's not perfect, but I didn't understand how the rubber held in the window until I removed it. Obviously don't cut your rubber if it's still good to reuse.


Colonel Mosby Tue Aug 05, 2014 6:19 am

I am in the same boat. I am going to get this done next. Just a few more weeks and I should have the cash together for this repair. I already have the new glass and rubber. Just need the bread for the shop. $350 sounds reasonable to me. Hope I can find a deal like that.



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