Windshield and Back Window Install

I've found out that some sealer under,around the clips is a must, and use strip caulk is a must if you intend to leave your car outside or drive it in the rain. These cars have channels inside with holes for a reason, they leak....
 

pvs409

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 11
Paul, working on my windows (frt+rear) which caulk should I use, roll or strip? I think its the 1 foot strip caulk but not sure. Thanks....View attachment 56954 View attachment 56955

I use the strip caulk box (the one on the right in your pictures)- to control the amount I add using the small strips in the box. I also use a plastic window installers rounded end plastic scraper to push the caulk in place next to the rubber and around holes in the body as needed. The plastic scraper will not scratch my paint.
I can take a picture of the ones I was given from my window installer.
Paul
 

lennyjay

Well Known Member
Thanks guys, strip caulk is the one with some extra around the clips. The back is ready to go in, and it is a good window. The front has a bullseye and just looks old. Where is a good place to get a front windshield, clear or tinted. My front is green tinted at the top. Any photos of whats needed (tools/product) is certainly appreciated.
I have been looking for a video for the frt/rear window install, but have not found any where it does a start to finish.....can always hope.

Ken...
 

lennyjay

Well Known Member
Also around the large side window moldings (these hold the weatherstrip that front and side windows roll up into) there was some white/grey caulking just under the drip rail. Mine is falling apart. What is that caulk? Is it body seam caulk?, the kind that comes in a tube?....thanks...
 

Impalabricker

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 2
I too would like to know the answer to the above question. Also, is there supposed to be some caulking/sealer inside the windshield gasket? My windshield literally slides around in the pillar frame if enough force is given. It's kind of difficult to get exactly center diagonally and horizontally due to the curved glass and the chrome pieces that go between the wing windows and front glass.
 

pvs409

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 11
The gasket on the windshield goes over the lip on the windshield frame(on all 4 sides). Its pulled in with a "rope in the layed in groove" in the gasket. Install the gasket on the windshield itself (all 4 sides) then add the rope starting at a bottom corners if I recall correctly. I always had a old car glass guy do mine.
If you have not done it, you should have help and also find something showing how the installation is done. The rubber must be clearly installed so the windshield rubber itself is visable from inside the car with no gaps in the edges that show.
The windshield rubber pulled onto the lip in the frame is done after the upper windshield reveal molding clips are driven onto the upper windshield lip.
The side vertical stainless trim does not get installed until after the windshield is installed and the rubber windshield gasket is sealed with strip caulk or similar material (strip caulk goes in after the windshield rubber is pulled onto the lip)

Paul
 

Impalabricker

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 2
Thank You for the replies. I now see that my glass guy is an idiot who likely has never worked on an old car.
 

pvs409

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 11
This article from Late Great Chevy's is good because it shows the front and rear glass reveal molding clip installation locations and pictures of the clips installed on the windshield. They do not use a rope, which is the best way to install the glass front and rear. Note that there are two sides to the gaskets -outer side and a inner side of each gasket.

http://www.lategreatchevy.com/assets/pdf/lategreat/1959-64 IMPALA WINDSHIELD & REAR GLASS.pdf

All my old glass installers (2 of them over the years) do not use the sealer on the windshield and rear glass until after the glass is installed. They did not or do not use liquid sealer.
Paul
 

oldskydog

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 10
The shop manual covers it in detail. A strip caulk type bedding is installed in the windshield mounting frame flange then after the windshield is installed, a liquid type sealer is installed between the gasket and the glass….thats the messy part.
 

pvs409

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 11
I respectively disagree that a liquid sealer is need on the gaskets for front and rear.

My 40 + year installer said he never used liquid sealer only a strip caulk. He worked on the cars from a local glass company from the time when they were new until 30 years after the 60's. He told me that he did over 200 1960's Chevy front and back glass replacements. My most recent glass installer learned the trade from another glass installer from the 60's and he also does not used liquid sealer on my 1962's and 1963's that I have had him install my new glass over the last 7 years.
I have done 8 to 10 front and back glass installations over the last 20 years and none of them ever leaked and liquid sealer was not used.
Paul
 
I think there are "claims of no leaks" , but if your car is garaged or you have all the interior panels in, you are just not seeing the leaks. That's why there are troughs inside below the front, rear window, then drain holes that drip into the side and the more drainage holes.

Put some black silicone in the gasket channel for the glass, put the gasket on the glass, then, here's the the secret, use KY or some other personal lube, yes it's funny, but it's water based, Very important, in the windshield frame channel with a small, 1/8 rope stuffed in the channel with the ends on the bottom. Temperature should be above 70 degrees so that the gasket is soft.
Learned this from my dad who still does it this way, takes more time to get everything ready than to put the windows in. Takes about 10-15 min on the front, about 5-10 on the back...sedans (Biscayne,belair) put the top of the rear glass in first.
Never smack the glass, hit it in any way, or use any metal tools. One person on the outside holds the glass...really easy to do. Let the KY dry. Then stuff the sealer in, again only with plastic tools. Oh yea, did you put caulking around the trim clips before you put the window in? Make sure to fill in the holes.
It's harder to do the ones without a gasket because you have to be careful not to smear the rope seal or put fingerprints on edges.
 

El Rat

Well Known Member
Do you just want to do this? Are you located in a cave in Packastan? If not hire a pro (with ins.) do it! Just sayin!
 

Impalabricker

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 2
Yeah thanks guys, I hired a classic car glass guy "$250 for both window installs. He basically said exactly what you all said "including the article". My next question.... He is also going to rebuild my vent windows, new rubber, channels, etc.. I have the vent window kit and channels. But he is telling me that I need vent window rubber stoppers (bumpers) that go at the tops of the pointed area. I checked classic industries site and it only shows those available for convertibles and 63/64 models. Did 62 hard tops also use them?

https://www.classicindustries.com/shop/all-years/chevrolet/impala/parts/?q=vent bumper
 

pvs409

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 11
Yes there are bumpers at the top of the vent window wisker strips installed with each one with a original philips screw made only for the vent windows stops.
They are sold for 62 to 64 2 door Hardtops. I think they are 61/62 and 63/64 ( I can find them this afternoon and were I got them - Show Cars or Cars Inc as I recall) The repros "do not fit as good as the originals -they stick out further.
Replacing the vent glass beaded edges and the weatherstrip is not a easy task if you have not done it before.

For the vent windows I replace the rivets in the vent windows tracks with fine thread screws, hex nuts and washers(I have pictures of the work). You have to salvage and not break the 6 squeeze on clips(3 per side) from the original vent window rubbers.
Also do not use Fargo brand vent weatherstrip. It does not fit (leaves a gap by the vent window glass) I switched to
Steele Rubber products for my vent glass weatherstrip.

Paul
 

Impalabricker

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 2
Thanks again Paul, I was hoping you would reply before I hit the road! My glass guy offered or shall I say Suggested he rebuild the vents since we were installing new channels which I didnt even think about. The thing is.. this is my 1st Impala and Im starting to learn which parts are missing, even the smallest parts.
 

61belairbubbletop

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 2
Yeah thanks guys, I hired a classic car glass guy "$250 for both window installs. He basically said exactly what you all said "including the article". My next question.... He is also going to rebuild my vent windows, new rubber, channels, etc.. I have the vent window kit and channels. But he is telling me that I need vent window rubber stoppers (bumpers) that go at the tops of the pointed area. I checked classic industries site and it only shows those available for convertibles and 63/64 models. Did 62 hard tops also use them?

https://www.classicindustries.com/shop/all-years/chevrolet/impala/parts/?q=vent bumper

I took my car to a well known automotive interior shop in the South Bend, IN area. They were to install front & rear windows that I bought new. I had also restored all the stainless exterior window trim, and they were to install that. I also bought a complete CARS interior kit, and they were to install the headliner, with the center dome light. I would install the window garnish moldings.
They bent one of the exterior stainless trim pieces, and broke my dome light bulb socket. $750 for labor.
Guess where I'm never going again.
 

pvs409

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 11
Here are the 61 and 62 Chevy vent window stops from Show Cars.
they are good having quality parts to sell so I recommend them for this part
https://www.show-cars.com/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi?preadd=action&key=5593

Other dealers sometimes pick cheap parts vs the better quality parts for some items (you have to watch them).
pictures attached of the clips on weatherstrip to save and reused and all the items for the vent restoration displayed.

Two pictures of the chrome beaded wisker strips installed on the vent window tracks using the fine thread screws,hex nuts and lock washers without the rechromed pot metal vent frames installed on the vent veritcal support tracks

The last picture shows the fine thread screws used to reinstall the chrome beaded vertical wisker strips after the rivets are drilled out.
Paul
IMG_0024.JPGIMG_0025.JPGIMG_0031.JPGIMG_0027.JPGIMG_0028.JPGDSCN7731.JPG
 
Top