Windshield removal and install [Archive] - Father Larry's Corvette Shop

fatherlarry

07-30-2002, 04:47 PM

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Removing the windshield on the hardtop. Below is how I tackled mine. I am a tradesman and I don't recommend this if you have never done one before. Also, if you do it yourself, and the car is still under warranty, you may void your warranty.

It's kind of hard to save the upper rubber finishing molding, so I ordered a new one ahead of time. Remove the right and left windshield inner post finishing moldings. Be careful when pulling them off. Then remove right and left side door glass weather stripping with hair dryer. After that, remove the channel on both sides that hold the weather stripping. And that will leave the finishing molding on the windshield post which is all one molding from the windshield to the back of the roof panel. On the finishing moldings, make sure you remove all screws and then apply some heat with the hairdryer. Pull cautiously. Now on to the windshield molding. I then took a hair dryer and heated it at a far distance, so as not to heat and bubble the paint, but only to warm up the molding, glass and sealant slightly. Pulled the molding off. Washed and cleaned the wax off the edge of the roof that meets the top of the glass where the molding was. I then put a four inch glaziers tape to protect the paint. Be careful when cleaning the area to only use cotton cloths and a mild dishsoap, so as not to scratch the finish. Then took a glaziers cutter and cut clear the silicon sealant on the top of the windshield.

Got two vice grips and used a thin wire, sort of like a high E string on a guitar, referred to as a piano string in the trade. From inside the car I took one end of the wire and ran it through the top of the windshield, through the sealant, bringing it out about five feet in length, and then took the glazing cutting knife and cut a slit on the bottom of the sealant of the windshield. Stuck the other end of the piano wire through and leaving about another five feet exposed. Put a piece of 5 in by 5 in square cardboard between the piano wire and the bottom of the windshield not to disturb the rubber sealant on the cowel for the dashpad. I then attached one end of the vice grip to the end of the wire on top and one on the bottom, and slowly went to the top of the windshield and used a back and forth sawing motion to create a friction which in turn made the wire hot and was able to slice through the sealant on the bottom and sides. Repeated process on the other side. Don't forget to remove the rear view mirror and disconnect wire harness from rear view mirror so it doesn't hang and damage the headliner. Also remove windshield wipers and cowel finishing panel.

General Motors recommends removing four bolts starting from the rear of the fender forward and swinging them out, but I didn't. I just covered the ends of the fender with tape, opened the windows and both doors. When done cutting, stuck my hand inside the windshield and pushed forward, then grabbing the top of the glass with my right hand, took my left hand out from inside and placed it on top of the windshield and with my right hand grabbed the bottom, using gloves of course, and picked the windshield up over the car. Remember the hood is also open. With the technique I used, I didn't have to remove the two stops that are on the cowel, which are stuck on with two sided tape. So I know the glass will go back to original position. I would recommend two people doing this. Remember, cover the fenders and doors with blankets so in case you lean you won't scratch the car.

Windshield In

I cut away the excess stripping, bought some windshield primer paint to touch up any scratches that I may have made with the blade. The molding was nice and soft from sitting in the house. I set up the horses and opened the box for the new factory windshield. Cleaned the windshield with GM glass cleaner. Put the molding on. Vacuumed the area for any dirt or dust. Covered the new dash. Covered the fenders. Had three tubes of the GM weather strip sealant, and I put a nice high beam all around the roof, windshield posts and the cowel. Took a three inch strip sealant foam about a quarter inch thick, placed it near the serial number on the windshield, so when windshield goes into place, the sealant won't ooze out and block the serial numbers. Picked the windshield up carried it over to my friend on the other side, wearing gloves, and started from the top end of molding corner, laid windshield corner to corner top end flat, then slowly dropped windshield down into bottom cowel without removing the factory window stops or swinging the fenders out like GM recommends. Put two pieces of tape on each end of the windshield on top, taped to the roof to hold the windshield from moving down. Put the heat up in the garage to 70 degrees, put the windshield cowel cover back in place, left the windshield wipers off until it dries for 24 hours. All that's left now is the weather stripping for the doors, channel and finishing molding.
Just reverse the process, and don't forget to use the weather stripping sealant when replacing the molding channel and weather stripping. Be careful of the headliner, that you don't damage it when removing or installing windshield. It's very delicate. Also, make sure your emergency brake is on so the car doesn't rock and roll while you're working. Also, make sure batter is disconnected and use goggles or protective glasses in case of any broken glass.

Good luck. Let me know how you make our or what you decide to do.