63 Windshield - only tinted available?

[1958 delivery]

Well I was an mechanical engineer at GM for 20 years and spent 8 years in 3 different GM assembly plants. One of my areas of expertise was water leaks. I ran hundreds of cars personally through the water test booth and repaired hundreds personally. I helped design and redesign tons of seals and body sealing on cars and trucks. I trouble shooted leaks on a daily basis and ran them back to the root cause in the trim shop, body shop, or paint shop, or the supplier. I understand sealing of vehicles and know what will leak and what will not.

With all due respect, why did so many leak? Seems your expertise would have put an end to leaks.

 

[bobs409]

That glazing stuff is Butyl and is not the right stuff. Suggest you buy the body caulk and follow the service manual. Sealing the clips and placing the sealer around the seal and on the flange before installing the window is very deliberate. It will ensure a reliable seal. Trying to seal it after it is installed is not reliable. That is why the procedure is what it is. If you plan on leaving your car out in the rain and don't want a soaked carpet, I would follow the manual with the right caulk.

This is the description of the 3-M stuff I bought:

The 3M auto bedding and glazing compound is a non-hardening, pliable, water resistant sealer for sealing between windshield rubber and car body.
This product remains permanently soft and has a non-sag consistency for vertical and overhead applications. Can also be used as a supplementary sealer for auto glass installation.

While I admit, I was hoping it would be more of a non sticky clay type substance, it is for the area between the gasket & body as it says. Putting it in after the install is the only way to avoid getting it all over your hands and the pull cord.

 

[1961 Bubble Boy]

Well first you must understand that the way a car body is constructed it is like a sieve. All the lap joints, seams, doors, mounting holes, and seals make it tough to seal. On top of that you have hundreds of operators and robots who both screw up every once in a while. If they screwed up something in body shop it would be several hundreds of cars before the first hit the water test booth. If they kept going until you found it there are about 300 cars there. Then you have the suppliers who provide all the parts that occasionally don't fit right or are not properly sealed. Finally vehicles are being made at between 40-60 per hour. Combine this all together and it is a full time job to keep everybody on track. The issues in the process or design I fixed were seldom repeaters. However Murphy of Murphy's law was having a field day.

 

[1961 Bubble Boy]

This is the description of the 3-M stuff I bought:



While I admit, I was hoping it would be more of a non sticky clay type substance, it is for the area between the gasket & body as it says. Putting it in after the install is the only way to avoid getting it all over your hands and the pull cord.

Bob you got butyl. It seals great and we use it for many areas. I personally love it because it is so sticky. However nothing is perfect for every situation and it can be a huge mess if you touch it or try and move the part after the butyl sticks. The process for sealing the gasket to the body in the manual assumes you are going to use seal caulk. It is forgiving and does not make a mess. It is the right stuff for the job.
For sealing the glass to the gasket you need to use butyl but do that after everything is in place and use the nozzle.

Ultimately you will do what you want, but I was trying to help you do it like it was originally done. Even with all the advancements over the years, that original process if followed correctly will produce a dry car.

 

[oldskydog]

Bob,
Like Bubble Boy says, what you need is 3M Strip caulk. It's not really sticky.......otherwise known as rope caulk, dum dum etc.

 

[1961 Bubble Boy]

Bob,
Like Bubble Boy says, what you need is 3M Strip caulk. It's not really sticky.......otherwise known as rope caulk, dum dum etc.

I forgot the dum dum term... Man do I feel strip caulk.

 

[Phil Reed]

I always called it dumb dumb!!!!!

 

[blkblk63ss]

Well I was an mechanical engineer at GM for 20 years and spent 8 years in 3 different GM assembly plants. One of my areas of expertise was water leaks. I ran hundreds of cars personally through the water test booth and repaired hundreds personally. I helped design and redesign tons of seals and body sealing on cars and trucks. I trouble shooted leaks on a daily basis and ran them back to the root cause in the trim shop, body shop, or paint shop, or the supplier. I understand sealing of vehicles and know what will leak and what will not.

So what year"s did you work at gm and what plant"s ???

 

[bobs409]

Bob it is removable .It snap"s in very tight.I migh have had mine out when I did windshield can"t say for sure ,but is does come out.I for sure had mine out I think when I painted dash .

Don, your a genius! Just removed it. It's held in with 7 clips that resemble window trim clips. Just slip in a screwdriver or hooked tool to pull the clip away and lift. Go right down the line.

I found some 1967 hair pins in there too. (my car had all lady owners until I got it)

 

[blkblk63ss]

Don, your a genius! Just removed it. It's held in with 7 clips that resemble window trim clips. Just slip in a screwdriver or hooked tool to pull the clip away and lift. Go right down the line.

I found some 1967 hair pins in there too. (my car had all lady owners until I got it)

Just ask ,i know it all!!!!!!!!

 

[1961BelAir427]

Just ask ,i know it all!!!!!!!!

Impossible......you're not a woman.

 

[64ss409]

 

[blkblk63ss]

Impossible......you're not a woman.

OK, your right at least ii am the Boss!!!!!!! WELL MAY BE NOT!!!!!!

 

[bobs409]

What a difference a day makes! Windshield is in!!! I feel like doing the bacon dance---->

With that strip of metal out of the way, the gasket sat better on the flange. I think it was kicking it out in front of it yesterday.

On the bottom, I am going to squeeze that black sealer in between the gasket and body. For the sides and top, I have rope caulk. It's white and works like play-doh. (similar to what it had)

To seal the glass to gasket, I bought the CRL stuff in a tube and made a special tip from 3/16" brake line that I flattened over.

Thanks to all who contributed.

 

[bobs409]

I always called it dumb dumb!!!!!

Are you sure that's not what everyone called you?

 

[rstreet]

I have assisted in setting windshields but not knowledgeable on procedures but have detailing experience and have used for years Bon Ami "can't scratch" on windshields that have stuff on them. I wonder if this would get rid of that golden tint residue as it is relatively cheap and does go on as a wet paste but use plenty of rinse water. Back in the day GM made a similar product that worked great but haven't seen it in years. I guess it went by the wayside like the good GM positraction additive in the 60's.
Robert

 

[oldskydog]

Somewhere I think I have a TSB about back window tinting on 59-60.

 

[1961BelAir427]

Back in the day GM made a similar product that worked great but haven't seen it in years. I guess it went by the wayside like the good GM positraction additive in the 60's.
Robert

Same thing with the old formula of their top engine cleaner. That stuff was awesome. Replacement stuff is just so-so.

 

[1961 Bubble Boy]

So what year"s did you work at gm and what plant"s ???

Worked from 89 to 09

It sounds like Johnny Cash but I have been everywhere...

Engineer full time at
Pontiac East
Linden
Wilmington

Engineering with regular visits
Baltimore
Moraine
Pontiac West
Flint Truck
Janesville Medium Duty/455
Janesville Utilities
Fort Wayne
Oshawa Truck
Silao

A few projects at
Detroit P Truck
Lansing
Bowling Green
Shreveport

 

[blkblk63ss]

Oh ,was just wondering if you worked in the 60"s era.thought may be you did being"s you have a 1961 .Yes you have been around.