We decided to do a site install...
We decided to do a site install on the windshield at the Silver Springs Show. Wow, talk about pressure.
When it comes to glass, we all get a bit skittish. After all, the stuff is expensive, and we really don't want to break it, let alone buy it twice. Most of the time, we want to let the pros do it. But on glue-in windshields, that's-well-foolish. Of all the glass to be installed in your vintage Mustang, it is probably the easiest and least stressful-especially when we give you some pro tips on how to make that happen.
OEM Glass put together a windshield for us that is a Carlite-stamped and date-coded piece. Of course, when we ordered it, we ran into our first problem-the windshield is available only in tint. That's fine for most of the Mustang faithful with '69-'73 cars, but our Lazarus Project falls soundly into the realm of "Gee, I never saw one of them before." This is because our Mach 1 is a clear glass car, and did not use a tinted windshield. After a nationwide search by OEM and our staff, we gave up and went with tint. We guess that this is the price you pay for unusual options.
We will also cover how to assemble the cowl, and how to get the windshield wipers to sit below the hood on your '71-'73. So follow along, and see just how easy it is to see clearly now.
Done. And not one crack, chip,...
Done. And not one crack, chip, or break.
One of the first things to...
One of the first things to do if the car has seen a ground-up restoration, such as our Mach, is to tape and paper the windshield edge, and paint the area flat black where glue will be applied. Be sure to tape down to the studs, and tape and paper over the inside trim. We used lacquer paint due to its quick drying properties. Mike Paremsky of Michael's Auto Body in Winter Haven, Florida, and Bob Myhrer of neighboring Lakeland were our hands for the install.
Paremsky uses thin coats of...
Paremsky uses thin coats of the black paint and builds them up. The reason you want this area black is so that after the glass is installed, you can't see any body color. Make sure you get good coverage and paint down to 11/42 inch past the lower moldings.
After the paint has dried,...
After the paint has dried, you will need to install the molding clips. Paremsky suggests that you grasp the center of each clip, and pry the retainer out just a bit. That way, the clips will install easier and won't chew up too much paint. We used a set of needle-nose pliers to set the clips after we tweaked them.
When you set the 31/48-inch...
When you set the 31/48-inch adhesive strip, make sure you get it as close to the inside edge as possible. Start the tape in the bottom center of the opening and work around the opening. We used the 3M Windshield Installation Kit. Be sure to use the 31/48-inch kit. Otherwise, the moldings will not sit flush to the glass when complete.
When the strip is back at...
When the strip is back at the center, snip off the end, and then carefully join them. Note that the bead is centered on the raised area of the cowl tank. This will not be the case on a '69-'70 car. The bead should be applied to the edge just as it is on the sides and the top.
Paremsky cleans the glass...
Paremsky cleans the glass with an ammonia-based cleaner. Be sure not to use a cleaner/polish, because these products will not promote a good seal. At this point, we installed the original plastic glass protector to the bottom edge of the glass. Since these are not available new, we turned ours around and glued it down using 3M 08001 trim adhesive.
It takes two to do this job,...
It takes two to do this job, in our opinion, though we have seen pros do this alone. We figure, why strain ourselves-or rather, why strain Paremsky and Myhrer.