Windshield install for my 72 Super Beetle

[hwingard]

Hi, I am having problems installing the flat windshield into my 72 Super Beetle. I have tryed everything, but still cant do it. I live in Surprise, and wondered if I can have someone install it for me for a price. The windshield places are charging outrageous prices, and I already have the glass and rubber. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[puddle pirate]

See this thread. It may help to install it. You will need 2 people.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=338949&highlight=windshield
_________________
John
73 Super Beetle
87 Jeep Wrangler
99 Jeep Grand Cherokee

[bon2198]

courtesy of mr. russ wolfe:

How to Install VW Glass
(Still under construction)

Glass Installation Howto




This is an instructional document on the methods that I have found successful in installing window glass in Air Cooled VW's. I can make no guarantees as to your success.

The first step is to remove the existing glass. If you are trying to save the glass, I suggest that you cut the old weather strip with a razor knife and buy a new weather strip. There are several different versions, so be sure you have the right one for your model/year.

If you cannot find a new weather strip, you can remove the glass and weather strip together, but I can make no guarantees as to success. First, try and soften the rubber. I have found that GoJo hand cleaner with lanolin and no pumis works best. It will not stain upholstery, and washes off with water.

You do not want to try to remove the chrome trim before removing the glass. Leave it in place. I think this is where some people get into trouble and damage the trim.

Remove the interior mirror to get it out of the way when doing a windshield. Use a thin, flexible putty knife, and start at the middle/top/inside of the windshield. Gently start prying on the rubber flange that holds the windshield in. Work it slowly all the way around, equally working in both directions starting from the middle, while applying gentle pressure out. Do not apply excessive pressure at any one point.
DO NOT RUSH THIS JOB!

Once the window is out, lay it down on a clean work bench, outside down. Now you can remove the weatherstrip and trim from the glass. Clean all the groves and channels of dirt and broken slivers of glass. Install the rubber onto the new glass and hold it temporarily in place with masking tape. Now start the process of reinstalling the trim. THE TRIM DOES GO IN BEFORE INSTALLING THE GLASS. Leave the center joiner clips slid off to one side of the joint. Be sure that everything is centered on the glass. Hold everything in place with masking tape. Leave the tape in place. It can be removed after the window is in place.

Now comes the secret! Lay a piece of 18-20 gage vinyl coated stranded electrical wire (DO NOT USE STRING OR MASON'S LINE, IT WILL CUT THE RUBBER) into the groove that holds the window in place, with the 2 ends over lapping at the bottom center of the glass. Leave a couple feet extra hanging out. Coat the entire outer surface to the weather strip with the same GoJo hand cleaner. This is going to work as a lubricant while reinstalling the window.

With the help of a friend, set the window back into the opening with the wire ends on the inside. Try to set the window so that the bottom weather strip will start back over the flange on the body. Don't worry about the top for now. With your friend gently applying pressure from the outside, start pulling on the ends of the wire, alternating back and forth to get the window started in the center, working towards the corners. When you get to the lower corners, stop, and go to the outside, and start slapping the window with your open palm in a downward motion, to help settle it onto the lower flange. As it settles on the flange, the top will start to line up.

With the lower flange started, now start working up the sides, alternately. Go to the outside and go through the slapping routine again. As you go, the top should be getting closer to starting.

With the sides started, slowwwwly work your way across the top, alternating from side to side, and gently slapping it to get it to settle into place. The friend on the outside can watch the chrome strips to make sure they stay in place. When the rubber flange is over the body flange all the way around, go to the outside and do the slapping routine until you are satisfied that the window is seated completely.

Now you can slide the trim joiner pieces back over the joint in the trim with a screw driver, or popcycle stick. Also remove the pieces of masking tape.

With a clean damp rag go over the painted surfaces and inside uphosltery and clean off the GoJo hand cleaner. It will also take off all the finger prints you got on the headliner during this.

It may clean it so good, that you will have to clean the whole thing now ;=).

I hope it works for you as well as it has worked for me many times in the past.







A list of VW documents/service bulletins from back in the '60's
A list of VW Links
Russ wolfe
[email protected]
last updated May 26 2000
_________________
1970 VW Beetle 1776cc MOFOCO w/hydraulic lifters, 042 heads and dual dellorto's
"It's better to be hated for what you are than loved for what you are not"

At the end of the day it's YOUR car so do what YOU want to it.

[robclark63]

I know your frustration. I actually broke one on my 72 super, got another one and had a friend of a friend come over. He works in a glass shop and had the big suction cups, the rope tool, and the nerves to make the glass bend but not brake. It is a super tight fit and made me nervous putting it in. Mine has the chrome around it and he said that it would be easier to do if it did not have that. You definitely need two people, put the rope in the rubber track, put the big suction cups on the glass, start at the bottom and work to the left or right, your choice. When you get around the first bottom curve you have to work the other side around. Pulling the rope around the curves will get really tight. You might have to slap the window and use the big cups to keep the window in place. He also sprayed liquid/soap around the rubber to lube it up a bit. We kept pulled and pushing and wallaa it went in. It reads easier than doing it. My suggestion is to have someone there with glass knowledge, but this is how I did it. Hope it helps.

[puddle pirate]

Russ, you should make a video and put it on youtube. You already have the script. Great job. Very thorough. The only things that I would add is the GoJo should not have pumace The second thing I would add is what I usually do is put a twist in the wire where they meet to hold it in place until you get it into the car.

I have also heard of people having success using regular dish soap. They use dish soap to move buildings on the sliders when they undergo such projects as moving lighthouses back from the ocean.

I have used silicone in the past and it can stain the headliner. I like the Gojo method. It will wipe right off and not stain. I have not tried the dish soap yet either. I am sure I will when I put in my new headliner.
_________________
John
73 Super Beetle
87 Jeep Wrangler
99 Jeep Grand Cherokee

[jamesdagg]

I had no problem at all with my '71 Super. I used aviation cable and KY Jelly. It washes up easy. I also put strips of masking tape all around to hold the chrome and rubber to the glass until it was in. And I started from the top center.

No one mentioned how slippery the wire is. You need to make wooden handles or something to hang onto. You can't hold on to your wire with your hands covered in KY.

The hardest part was getting the chrome into the rubber. Finally while in the home stretch I got the hang of "rolling" it in with my fingers and thumb. Next time will be easier!

Hot day is best.

jim
_________________
'72 FI Westy
'71 Super rear inside defrost vents no longer available

[morymob]

What works for me is liquid dish soap mixed 50% water in squirt bottle and coat seal totally in groove and around opening. I put 2 turns of cord in groove=1 toget started and 1 to finish pulling rubber over lip. I also found that just pressing glass evenly down into opening and hold pressure while inside help slowly pulls cords works every time,very slick way for back glass also.

[jhicken]

[damquick1]

This is a great write up, my next project and nemisis...but is there any special trick to getting the seals on the glass? These Cal look seals I have are a pain in the ass to get on the glass, I'm damn mechanical (or maniacial anyway) and it took me about a half hour just to get one on a quarter window!
Then of all the luck I had the damn thing about 80% in and ripped the frigging seal! I have to get another no big problem but I was hoping there was some sweet trick to getting them on the glass easier.
Any thoughts from you pros?

[dews70bug]

A extra pair of hands help me out. I had them hold the seal on as I moved around the glass.

[Cricket]

My brother helped me with mine and had a few tricks. First he gets one short end of the window with the rubber seal on it, then he tied it off with a rope. Then he worked his way down each of the longer sides and would stop and wrap the rope around the window as he worked his way down. I was the beneficiary of his previous tries. It worked pretty slick, now if we could just get the thing into the car. Try again tomorrow.

[aircooled74]

I do my windows with dish soap and water, and instead of rope or wire I use a pick, one for puttin on and removin hoses. Its about 10" long, use it at work on Volvo semi trucks winshields too. Same style

[Raggamuffin]

Place that did mine used Pledge. It went in like butter. Used Pledge on the back and did it myself...furniture polish works well, cleans up easily.

[Chief Wahoo]

i've seen videos of the actual installation of the window, but i have the front window seal, and have no idea which of the 5 or 6 grooves is actually for the glass! i assume one or two are for the chrome trim. i spread the "grooves" and found one or two are wider than others. i can't find any pictures of this being done...
_________________
*please no smartass comments...i'm new to this restoration stuff...*

[jlex]

It's really important to keep the window centered. All that pulling will move it off center then you can't finish the job at the end.
Mark the window and the frame before you start. Have your helper keep a good eye on the marks.
_________________
jlex.
'70 std. "Elsie"
'88 Carrera

[evelwevel]

I used weedeater line and a couple of peeps (my wife and daughter) to put constant pressure on the windshield as i pulled the line out of the groove to get my front windshield seated in my car.

I also used soapy water to help it slide into place.

The hardest part for me was putting the gasket on the window but after a few cuss words i got it on. This took longer than putting it in the car.

It also seemed to help to lay my windshield across my bed while installing the gasket so the work surface would have a little give so i didn't have to worry about breaking it as easily.

[cookrw]

To put the rubber on the window, I layed the glass on the couch and stretched it over the windshield. To get the windshield in you need to make sure the windshield is centered in the window frame, and keep constant pressure on the seal as you pull the well oiled/greased cable or string out of the seal.
_________________
'71 Super 'Vert
'84 Vanagon GL (w/ Sunroof!)
'96 Jeep Cherokee

[JerryMCarter1]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGMd0CrEQig

Jerry
_________________
Experience always triumphs over hearsay and You get to select which theory to believe

[Globespotter]

Another helpful tip:

On my 71 SB, it had factory original metal clips around the frame. REMOVE them prior to installing a replacement windshield. They will not work well with replacement seals.
_________________
1977 Westfalia - October 2015 - Current
1971 Super Beetle - May 2012 - Current
1979 Westfalia - 1986-1991
1971 Super Beetle - 1977-1980

1971 SB Survivor Story: https://globespotter.com/
Road Trip Thread: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=511800&highlight=
My 77 Westy Thread: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=647114&highlight=

http://vw-mplate.com/mcode.php?lang=EN&id=30990
https://vw-type2-id.xyz/mplate/72067382

[cookrw]