53' pilothouse glass install woes

[YourPowderCoating.com]

WTF?

how does this work? I have new window rubber for the back 3 and started with the "easy" one, the flat center panel.

I ended up breaking it and then tried to attack the corner glass, it doesnt seem to want to go in for nothing....serious.

I tried with the rubber on the glass then tried to put it into the frame with string wrapped around the rubber, no bueno.

I tried putting the rubber in the frame and tried to get the glass in, I think the glass grew in size (J/K) since its been removed and doesnt seem to even fit anymore.

Anybody have any tips, secrets, voodoo hoodoo.......

Thanks

[norrism1]

did you use some soapy water?

[YourPowderCoating.com]

yup, used a light amout, but it still didnt look like it wanted to fit at all, I'm kinda scared to push and force more than I am already since I already broke the "easy" flat glass.

was kinda hoping for some insight.

[Jim Gaspard]

I wanted to re-rubber my B3B (51) driver glass in 2006. I bought the rubber from Roberts and then drove my truck to an glass installer to get a quote. He blew me away with a $500 labor estimate (I had all the glass and the rubber). I said, I can do this myself. I read all the historical postings on this forum and blocked out a few hours on a Saturday. After five hours trying every technique possible, inside mount, outside mount, rope pull, soap soak, WD 40, Windex, I gave up. I took it back to the glass installer this January, and the first thing he said with a smiley smirk, "It was harder than you thought, wasn't it. That's what all my vintage customers say".

There are PH owners on this site who have successfully replaced their glass and rubber. My hats off to them. I don't give up easily but in the end it was worth every penny to have it installed.

Jim in Dallas

[YourPowderCoating.com]

I wanted to re-rubber my B3B (51) driver glass in 2006. I bought the rubber from Roberts and then drove my truck to an glass installer to get a quote. He blew me away with a $500 labor estimate (I had all the glass and the rubber). I said, I can do this myself. I read all the historical postings on this forum and blocked out a few hours on a Saturday. After five hours trying every technique possible, inside mount, outside mount, rope pull, soap soak, WD 40, Windex, I gave up. I took it back to the glass installer this January, and the first thing he said with a smiley smirk, "It was harder than you thought, wasn't it. That's what all my vintage customers say".

There are PH owners on this site who have successfully replaced their glass and rubber. My hats off to them. I don't give up easily but in the end it was worth every penny to have it installed.

Jim in Dallas

ahahahahhaa, damn! that story sounds like my efforts today and I didnt get one piece of glass in. The thick frames make it a real bitch indeed. I guess I'll be hunting down a glass shop soon, hoping to have mine on the road in a week or so. Its a gasser styled monster, tunnel ram and fender headers and blah blah blah

[Merle Coggins]

I agree with Jim on this one. I had a local glass company cut all new flat glass for me because mine was all cracked or delaminating. When it came time to install it I started messing with the rear center one and struggled with even keeping the rubber on the glass, let alone getting it over to the cab. So I caved in and had them come install it all. These are good guys and we (the company I work for) do a fair amount of business with them. They carged me a couple hundred bucks to install them, and even these "professionals" said it was difficult. For me it was money well spent.

Merle

[Allan Parkhurst]

Just a note. I got my corner glass installed last fall with the help of my neighbor. He was the brains and I was the brute force. It took less than 30 min. per window. We installed the rubber on the window first. I found out that they were roller inside out at first so once I figured out how to put the rubber on the glass we used 16 Ga. coated wire in the groove with both ends meeting at the bottom corner closest to the door. We installed from the inside pushing the lower corner in first. My neighbor lubed the rubber with WD 40 then used 2 vicegrips,twisted around the end of each wire and clamped. Holding one vicegrip at the botton corner he pulled the wire so the rubber slipped over the metal. It takes alot of pressure from the inside, always toward the area the rubber is being moved. It is like pushing against a brick wall. Once the bottom corner was started and around the top curve it went easier. Keep holding the other vicegrip in place until the wire comes around in the clockwise direction. Hope this helps. Good luck.

[YourPowderCoating.com]

awesome! ok, I will try it again following these directions, good lord knows I was a shovin' and pushin', some cussin' and all the while, trying to shove em in from the outside.

I will give her hell again tomorrow from the inside and update with the results.

Thanks again.

Just a note. I got my corner glass installed last fall with the help of my neighbor. He was the brains and I was the brute force. It took less than 30 min. per window. We installed the rubber on the window first. I found out that they were roller inside out at first so once I figured out how to put the rubber on the glass we used 16 Ga. coated wire in the groove with both ends meeting at the bottom corner closest to the door. We installed from the inside pushing the lower corner in first. My neighbor lubed the rubber with WD 40 then used 2 vicegrips,twisted around the end of each wire and clamped. Holding one vicegrip at the botton corner he pulled the wire so the rubber slipped over the metal. It takes alot of pressure from the inside, always toward the area the rubber is being moved. It is like pushing against a brick wall. Once the bottom corner was started and around the top curve it went easier. Keep holding the other vicegrip in place until the wire comes around in the clockwise direction. Hope this helps. Good luck.