Rocker Panel Replacement...And Beyond

[petew]

Ok , Wednesday nights project will be windshield install. I have roped flat glass in before but never anything with this much of a curve or this large. So my questions are....
1. What size cord/rope to use ? 3/16" ? 1/4"?
2. Starting point ? Factory manual says run the cord around the gasket and cross it at the top, set the top first and start pulling the cord to slip the gasket over the pinch weld going from the top and finishing at the bottom. That is the opposite of what I have done in the past. I have generally used gravity to hold the bottom of the gasket in the pinch weld and worked the cord around ending at the top.
Any thoughts or suggestions from those that have done this job would be appreciated and thanks for all of the kind words regarding my project.

Pete

[Jerry Box]

I wish I could help but I've never put a window in yet. But I check the site every day to see what you've done so keep your post coming.

[RICH MUISE]

After you practice on yours come do mine! I've procrastinated on this so long it's not funny.
I assume you know the stainless has to be on before installing. I've been told to be particularly careful to not slap the glass to hard on those curved corners, so be careful to center it to begin.
What, if any, are you you using for sealer?

[Ford Blue blood]

Start at the top.  Use plenty of lube.  I use "Special Green".  Push the bottom up and in as you start the process.  I pulled one side at a time.  Pull the cord out until you reach the upper curve where it starts to turn down.  Do the same on the other side.  Did I say use plenty of lube?....push up and in really hard as you pull down the side, stop as you get to the bottom of the sharp turn on the bottom, do the other side the same.  Look to make sure the glass is centered before finishing the pull.  Now is the time to push to the center if it is not as it will slide easily or will still come out easy. Did I say use plenty of lube?  Pull the cord out to the center one side at a time, push and shove on the corners and it will "slip" right into place.  Make sure the stainless is in as well, never get it in after the glass is set. 

For cord I use a piece of Teflon insulated 16 ga wire, it stays slippery, does not even come close to trying to "catch" on the rubber and takes up much less room while trying to fit all this stuff into a tight place!  I was able to set the front and rear glass on my 58 Edsel Pacer (same as a 57/58 500) by myself, took about an hour on the rear (had to start over once) (and it starts from the top too) and about the same on the front.  It actually took longer to set the rubber on the glass then it did to install it in the car.

[petew]

FBB great tutorial , but where in the hell do I find Teflon insulated 16ga wire ?
Rich I considered using sealer but have decided against it. That would just add to the difficulty factor and this car will never see water while I own it.
A couple of pictures for Jerry, got the rear chuck and axles in drums on and brakes adjusted. Been kind of busy doing Springtime stuff around the house but I promise more progress.

Pete

[Ford Blue blood]

I got mine from an aircraft/military surplus store we have here in town.  That was many years ago......

[RICH MUISE]

Great info as usual Bill.
So, when are you coming up to do mine?
One suggestion I'll make here, although too late for Pete, maybe in time for others who are still prepping their cars for paint. When I did my car, I saw alot of heavy burrs and rough spots on the flange the rubber goes over. imo, I figured those burrs had to make a problem for the rubber to go over and to seal. I removed all of the burrs and even went so far as to use filler in low spots to make for a better surface for the rubber to seal against.

[gasman826]

The windows I've removed have a gray putty between the window flange and the gasket.  Butyl or plumbers putty...to smooth the spot welds and seal the gasket to the metal.

[petew]

There is a a corner trim piece that goes to the lower rear corner of the windshield. It connects the top and bottom trim pieces on both sides and covers the retaining screws. Do these corner pieces go on after the windshield is in ??

[Ford Blue blood]

Given the lower trim had a screw in it from the factory (at least on the four I have taken apart, 300s and 500s) and the corner covers the screw I will have to say yes.  Not sure how they did it, never put a 300 back together.  I would imagine it will slide into place with a little help from lube a a prying device.  I did not put that screw back in in the Edsel.  Not sure it is needed?

Rich I too cleaned up the surfaces on the Edsel.  There is no way the rear window ever sealed up from the factory.  The body seam where the top of the quarter and the panel in front of the trunk lid met up had large globs of lead along with the junction of the roof panel and the "C" pillar on both sides.

[petew]

Thanks FBB, I took the info about not putting the screws back on your Edsel and had that in the back of my mind as I put the rest of the trim on. There in no way that i can see that you could get those corner pieces on the windshield after it was in the car. As such I put them on now and that was difficult enough.

Benefit is that having all the trim on is it helps to keep the gasket on the windshield. On the advise of a friend I went to Harbor Freight and bought two suction cup handles, they were about $7.00 each and will make handling the windshield much easier.

[petew]

Finally back on the ground and we have brakes !

[delrio]

 I have corners from a custom that have two tabs on them that hook into the rubber have also seen them where the tabs are rusted off.

[petew]

The deed is done, the windshield went in without a hitch.

[Jerry Box]

Great job looking good