WIND WING DOOR GLASS REPLACEMENT

[LAS VEGAS DAVE]

The win wing glass on the drivers side glass has separated pretty bad so that the glue between the panes is blocking my view of the sideview mirror considerably. I am leery of taking the car to a glass shop and having them replace it. Is there a correct way to remove the glass from the frame? Is it glued into the frame? Can I just slip a new piece in the frame. I hope someone who has done this will reply. The car has all its original glass and I don't need to replace any other piece except the drivers side wind wing. 

[Janousek]

I run a knife along the sides and pull it out.  Not always that easy and might take several passes and sometimes a screwdriver on the end to get it moving.  

 

They used to use a thin setting tape that sometimes acts like glue as it aged.    I run a bead of windshield urethane in the channel and squeeze the new glass in place.  Makes a nasty mess but a razor blade cleans up the excess that squeezes out and final clean with some solvent on a rag.  It does a nice job,  but It sucks for the next guy to get them out.  

 

You might be better off tackling this yourself unless you can find a good/old glass guy that knows what he's doing.  

[Gary W]

Hi Dave!

This is what I did to replace my vent windows:  

 

I removed the entire vent window mechanism for re-chroming.  You should be able to wrangle the glass out.  Mine pulled straight out of the slot.

You won't be removing the entire mechanism, but your glass will come out.

 

 

New glass cleaned up.

 

 

The re-chromed vent window frames and the glass ready to go in

 

 

I used this product called 3M "WINDO - WELD"

Bob and my local glass shop told me no one uses the tape anymore, they all use this stuff (or similar product)

 

 

Using a caulk gun, pump it liberally into the frame.  You will want to protect your paint for this step.  I did this on the workbench so that wasn't an issue.

 

 

Begin seating the glass into the urethane-filled frame.  BE SURE YOU KOW WHERE THE GLASS IS SUPPOSED TO FINISH...How much overlaps the frame,....etc.

Again, since you will do this on your car, it should line up nicely to the rubber edge of the vent separator.

My glass panes were just even with the edge of the frames, so I let it cure on the edge.

 

 

As you slide the glass in, the Window - Weld oozes out.  Just leave it.  

Let is set for 24 hours.

 

 

Use a brand new, sharp blade and trim to the frame edge.

 

 

The window-weld peels right off and leaves a beautiful clean line behind.

 

 

Here is the finished product.

 

 

And now in the metal frames with new rubber and ready to be installed when the doors are painted.

 

 

Good Luck!

 

(My local glass shop said you can use any urethane from Home Depot with the same results.)

 

Gary

 

 

 

Edited November 28, 2017 by Gary W (see edit history)

[39BuickEight]

Dave, you could also look into finding a used one already in the frame.  That's what I did with my passenger door window.  I found a good glass with no bubbles on eBay and confirmed it came still attached to the channel.  It swapped right in.

[LAS VEGAS DAVE]

Here is another question. On the bottom of the vent widow frame is something the looks like a screw head but it has no slot in it. It looks like it might be something that will prevent the glass from just sliding out. The picture is blurry but you can see the dark dot in the bottom of the windshield frame, does anyone know what that is? 

[LAS VEGAS DAVE]

8 hours ago, Gary W said:

Hi Dave!

This is what I did to replace my vent windows:  

 

I removed the entire vent window mechanism for re-chroming.  You should be able to wrangle the glass out.  Mine pulled straight out of the slot.

You won't be removing the entire mechanism, but your glass will come out.

 

 

New glass cleaned up.

 

 

The re-chromed vent window frames and the glass ready to go in

 

 

I used this product called 3M "WINDO - WELD"

Bob and my local glass shop told me no one uses the tape anymore, they all use this stuff (or similar product)

 

 

Using a caulk gun, pump it liberally into the frame.  You will want to protect your paint for this step.  I did this on the workbench so that wasn't an issue.

 

 

Begin seating the glass into the urethane-filled frame.  BE SURE YOU KOW WHERE THE GLASS IS SUPPOSED TO FINISH...How much overlaps the frame,....etc.

Again, since you will do this on your car, it should line up nicely to the rubber edge of the vent separator.

My glass panes were just even with the edge of the frames, so I let it cure on the edge.

 

 

As you slide the glass in, the Window - Weld oozes out.  Just leave it.  

Let is set for 24 hours.

 

 

Use a brand new, sharp blade and trim to the frame edge.

 

 

The window-weld peels right off and leaves a beautiful clean line behind.

 

 

Here is the finished product.

 

 

And now in the metal frames with new rubber and ready to be installed when the doors are painted.

 

 

Good Luck!

 

(My local glass shop said you can use any urethane from Home Depot with the same results.)

 

Gary

 

 

 

 

Gary, I notice your window frame does not have the plug or whatever it is in the bottom of the frame like mine. Both my vent frame have the plug or whatever it is.

 

[Guest]

The glass shops used to replace these without removing the frame from the car.  Our local glass shops still do it this way.  Why take the door apart if there is no need.

[LAS VEGAS DAVE]

I think the glass can be replaced with out taking anything apart except the little plug has me hesitant.

 

[Gary W]

10 hours ago, Gary W said:

Again, since you will do this on your car, it should line up nicely to the rubber edge of the vent separator.

My glass panes were just even with the edge of the frames, so I let it cure on the edge.

 

Dave,

I apologize if I wasn't clear.  I wasn't saying that the entire vent window mechanism had to come out.  The Fisher manual clearly shows how this is done on the car.

I was only trying to show you the materials that I used to complete the job.

 

I removed all my door panels, hardware, windows...... for the restoration.  It all had to be re-chromed, windows had to be replaced, all the interior panels were ruined by mice....  that's why I took my door apart.

 

I hope I wasn't confusing the issue.

Thanks and have a great night.

Gary

 

[pont35cpe]

57 minutes ago, LAS VEGAS DAVE said:

I think the glass can be replaced with out taking anything apart except the little plug has me hesitant.

 

Dave, the "dot" you are speaking of is a rivet, there are three of them, they secure the piece that sticks out the bottom to the vent frame.

[Gary W]

2 hours ago, LAS VEGAS DAVE said:

Gary, I notice your window frame does not have the plug or whatever it is in the bottom of the frame like mine. Both my vent frame have the plug or whatever it is.

 

 

Dave,

Look at my first photo up top:

 

 

You can see the three rivets through the bottom

 

G

[JFranklin]

Just wondering, why hesitate to have a professional do the job?

[LAS VEGAS DAVE]

THANKS SO MUCH you guys for clearing up the rivet issue for me. Now I am certain the glass can be removed by me or a glass shop without damaging anything. I realize that I did not have to remove the frame unless I wanted to re chrome it. I don't want to take anything apart on the door as nothing has ever been apart and the garnish and upulstrey is in pristine condition. I don't even like replacing the glass but I need to see my mirror as easily as possible so the time has come. I love this site as so many guys chime in with help, this site is a pre war Buicks owners dream. Thanks again to all of you.

 

[LAS VEGAS DAVE]

19 minutes ago, Gary W said:

 

 

Dave,

Look at my first photo up top:

 

 

You can see the three rivets through the bottom

 

G

I see them now Gary, thanks for the help.

[LAS VEGAS DAVE]

I took a razor knife and started cutting on each side of the glass. I did it using 3 blades and for about 20 minutes. That stuff is tough. I will do it again and again and see if it ever starts to loosen. Not yet though. Might take 20 or more tries. Do the glass shops have a better way or is this how they do it?

[JFranklin]

You might try something like PB blaster or a solvent to soften the rubber.

[39BuickEight]

While still on the car, it will be difficult to apply anything to soften it much because it really needs to soak.  The best way to soften rubber, in my opinion, is to soak it in vinegar.  There are, of course, many opinions on how to soften rubber.  Armor-All is good too, but takes longer in my experience. 

 

WD-40 and products like that can soften it, but will shorten it's life.  In your case, that may not matter since you are not re-using it.

Edited November 29, 2017 by 39BuickEight (see edit history)

[Barney Eaton]

Interesting discussion.......great pictures on the replacement procedure, and wish my work bench was that organized.

[DonMicheletti]

The glass shops used to have a special puller to remove the glass. Probably near impossible to find such a shop these days.  Just about everything is just glued in

[pont35cpe]

I`ve always used two small flat bladed screw drivers slipped in between the glass and the ends of the frame, top and bottom, and work the glass out. If this fails just break the glass out, then use a flat bladed screw driver to pry the remaining glass out of the frame. Make a pattern out of a piece of cardboard and take it to the glass shop..

[LAS VEGAS DAVE]

Last night I spent over an hour steadily slicing with my razor knife between the glass and the frame on both sides and the front. I broke many blades but had new ones in stock. Finally I started using hack saw blades between the glass and the frame one side at a time. I even broke a few hack saw blades. The glass seemed like it had a gap all around it but it did not pull out with my hand. This morning I drove to the glass shop. The guy there seemed to just grab the glass with one hand and it came right out! I was amazed but ever so happy. He cut a piece of new laminated clear glass which is slightly thicker than the old one. New glass is .250 and old was .220 thousandths thick. He said no problem as the gasket tape he had comes in different thickness. I asked about the silicone stuff and he said he still does the old cars with the gasket tape. In any case he did it while I waited. He does many classic cars and cuts his own glass, total cost was 120 dollars and I am very happy with the result.  

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

Some time nothing like a pro.

 

  Looks good.

 

  Ben

[LAS VEGAS DAVE]

You are right Ben, he made it all look easy and there is no damage to the car. The shop was in Henderson Nevada which is about 12 miles from us. It was a nice drive and on the way back home it was a pleasure to see out the side view mirror. 

 

[jenz38]

Good to see that still some guys understand and love theyr job .

As i pulled out my windows i drilled 2 holes into the glas near the front frame in upper and lower position so i could pushed it out between the secured frame an this holes with a srewdriver carefully.

 

By the way..

here is a Pic out if my manual from the oem vent window puller:

 

 

[Bob Engle]

I've pulled some vent window glass taking two pieces of wood and C clamping them to the glass to give a good purchase for pulling.  In tough situations, I've clamped the wood to extend past the ends and then used a piece of wood as a pry bar between the wood and frame edge.

 

Bob Engle

[LAS VEGAS DAVE]

I was lucky that after all the time I spent with the razors and the hacksaw blade the window finally just wiggled out by hand.