Windshield install success!

[Torkman]

Spent a good part of yesterday trying to install my windshield with new CAL seal from KGP. No matter what I did, I could not get the window to fit and it seemed the corners had gaps. After reading several of the hits on Samba and sleeping on it for a night, I went back out today to give it another try...armed with some ideas. I installed it perfectly in 30 minutes and learned several great tricks in doing it. Thought I would pass them on to the next one installing a windshield.

1. If you have just installed a new headliner, trim out all of the overlap in the window channel and make sure you remove all traces of glue. There is no need for the headliner to overlap into the window channel if you have glued it properly along the inside parameter. Any glue residue will keep the rubber seal from slipping into place.
2. When I first got the seal out of the box, it was inverted. The outside channel was on the inside and the inside channel was on the outside. Not a big deal except that I had no clue how the channel slits were supposed to be. Through trial and error, I discovered that the single slit is the one that goes on the window and the side that appears to have a larger almost double looking slit goes on the outside (windshield frame). Easy to just invert the seal to make it right.
3. I placed a 1/8" nylon rope in the channel with the overlapped ends ending at the TOP OF THE WINDOW...not the bottom.
4. I applied a light coat of lubricant to the window channel on the car.
5. I then placed the window in the opening with the TOP EDGE IN FIRST. I really pushed it firmly up into place to try and get the seal down inside of the top channel opening in the car. At this point the bottom of the glass and the corners look like crap and do not fit anywhere near where they are supposed to. You will think that the window is too big by looking at the bottom edge...it is not! Just work on the top for now.
6. Applying firm pressure along the top, I slowly pulled out the rope about 6 inches one way and then six inches the other way. I would then stop and from the outside firming push the seal up as tight against the top channel as I could. The key is to get the rubber section that the rope pulls out over the channel lip (inside the car) up as far and seating as possible. You do not want it to just cover the metal lip...it should fully overlap the channel lip by nearly 1/2 inch.
7. I did this all along the top until I got to the corners and stopped. At this point you need to fix a problem with the way the upper seal will be embedded on the top channel on the outside. The seal has a rubber flap that is pulled out all along the outside edge that fits very nice against the painted area all around the windshield (outside). This flap gets wedged into the channel after the above procedure and forces the whole glass down just a bit...so that the bottom cannot be pushed up into place. I used a small plastic hook tool and pulled the rubber lip out all along the top of the seal (outside lip) all the way across the outside top portion. Then go back down to the bottom and firmly push up on the window to get the top of the window and seal as high up in the channel as possible. At this point, the middle of the bottom of the glass will probably start fitting better into the channel...but not perfectly yet.
8. Pushing firmly on the outside of the window side section, pull the rope out and get the inside lip seal in place down to the bottom corner. Do this on both sides and then again pull out the outside lip around both top corners and down each side. At this point the bottom corners will start to fit into the channels with firm pressure from the outside.
9. Take your time here to really go back and forth along the bottom of the window with the heel of your hand pressing in the seal into the bottom channel. It should slowly move into place after about 6 or so passes of pushing along the bottom. Now start pulling the rope along the bottom. Stop every 6 inches and firmly push the seal from the outside and pull the outer seal lip out as well as you go 6 inches at a time. Do this along the entire bottom.

This should help you get this job done. The outer seal lip that I keep referring to completely seals the window to the car and there are ZERO gaps in any portion including the corners. Very tight, very sealed, looks very nice. The real trick that I discovered was to start at the top, and make sure that you pull the outer lip out of the channel or that little extra rubber is enough to keep the bottom from fitting into the channel.

Hope this helps.
_________________
1968 Ghia Coupe

[jacobdillingham]

This post helped me very much. I got my rear windshield installed in about 30 minutes using these tips.

Thanks!

[execk2]

MODERATOR PLEASE MAKE THIS A STICKY!
_________________
Mike

www.mikeandjosee.com

[boat_builder]

I agree, this should definately be a STICKY.

I installed my front screen tonight with the help of a patient friend (never done it before) and this method worked beautifully. I didn't use any lube at all, just the talcum powder that was already on the new rubber seal.

I used the house of ghia blocked seal, the original screen and chrome trim. (72 ghia). For pulling rope, I used some "washing line". Its plastic on the outside with an inner core of steel wire, so its very strong.

The only glitch was that I slightly tore the seal on the inside with the rope as I was finishing it off at the bottom, where the rubber is spliced and glued.

[Torkman]

Have had a lot of folks PM me on how this helped them out. Glad it did. Also had some questions as to why start at the top rather than the bottom...simple. The hardest part of this job is getting in the final portion of the glass to fit into the channel...it is very tight with a new seal. So, if you start at the bottom, then when it is time to get the final section into the channel (in this case the top section), you have very awkward leverage trying to push down on the window to get it in the channel. Even though the Ghia is short, getting the needed pressure all against the top is very awkward and difficult...especially when trying to apply downward pressure towards the center of the top,

So, if you put the top in FIRST, then when the hard pressing time comes on the bottom section, you have great leverage and you can position the heel of your hand against the bottom on the outside and apply good solid pressure to push the window and seal up and into the channel...even in the center.

Hope this helps explain the method to the madness.

Let me know if you have any questions.
_________________
1968 Ghia Coupe

[boat_builder]

Same goes for the rear screen. Put the top edge in first. I've had mine in and out three times because of fitting problems and I tried it different ways. I can now put a screen in on my own without a helper!

[YloMagna94]

"4. I applied a light coat of lubricant to the window channel on the car. "

What type of lubricant did you use? Some say to use KY , silicone, dish soap/shampoo, etc. and not petroleum base products.

Would it help to heat up the rubber seal so it's more pliable? With a heat gun, or maybe installing it outside on a Texas 100+ deg. August day?

I assume you did not have a helper (which will be my case)...but if you did will a constant pressure from the outside help?

Good stuff T-man! This helps a lot!

[boat_builder]

Personally, I didn't use any lube for the front screen....just the talc powder that was on the seal already.

The rear screen was a bit harder to slot in, but I'm going to try it tonight with a vw seal and just talc powder for lube

[morgan8899]

Did you remove the metal gripper strips?

And do you think I have enough space between the dash pad and window?

[dingerjunkie]

Thank you so much for posting/sharing this. Very useful.

[sputnick60]

[modoc_333]

Headliner is on my short list of projects. Thanks for posting this. It will be very helpful and really should be a sticky.

[Heiferman]