Glass install question

[Marc]

Planning to install the quarter windows on my 4-door custom 300. It looks like there was a little bit of some unknown sealant installed at the factory so I'm guessing they shouldn't go in dry.
Any tips on what type of sealant / adhesive to use?

[Ford Blue blood]

Check with a glass shop, most of those guys will tell you the "secretes" they use.  Generally though the sealant used today is an urethane product.  Makes a mess but cleans off easily with bug and tar remover....or gasoline if you're brave:<)

[Marc]

Thanks Bill. Most of the shops around here only have experience with late model stuff, but I think there's one that might dabble in the older cars now and then.

[lalessi1]

I think what the factory used was strip caulk. 3M still makes it. Not that sure but somewhere in the recesses of my mind... never mind. Suede57ford is a 3M rep and he can help.

[Marc]

That's good, because I have a ton of strip caulk lying around! Did a little research on the interwebs about this and had no idea it was such a nutty topic. You've got the butyl camp, the urethane camp, the put-'er-in-dry camp, the bedding compound camp, and they all insist they're right and the rest suck. Urethane appears to be more of an adhesive than a sealer. Butyl the other way around. Makes for some interesting reading. In the end it seems like each method has its pros and cons.
I guess it comes down to whatever you're happiest working with. There were a few videos out there with reasonably experienced folks using the strip caulk. It appeals to me just for the simplicity of application and the minimal mess. I'll give the strip caulk a shot and see how it goes.

[RICH MUISE]

Fresh yak poop works well, and I'll bet there's no arguments on that suggestion.
Since there were no yaks to be found when I needed it for my windshield and back glass, I used the 3M caulk strips as well. Particulaly wanted to use it on the back glass because of contact with the headliner.

[Marc]

fresh yak poop is so hard to find! All I can get around here is frozen!

[lalessi1]

I bought mine at the Sherwin Williams Automotive Paint store...