Gen3 Coupe Windshield Install Question

[lewma]

Hello All

I'm dry fitting my windshield with the trim ( Flexline UM1913BR 19mm ) installed. I wish I would have done this BEFORE paint but can't go back now. The fit with the trim is very tight.

Question I have is how deep in the window opening channel does the windshield need to sit for the urethane to still hold it in place ? There's no way this windshield is going to sit deep in the opening with the trim installed. Right now the glass sits around 3/8" above the recessed window opening.

Hope I've explained this correctly
mark

[Jeff Kleiner]

My installation guy uses a special application gun (kind of a glorified caulk gun) that leaves a “V” shaped bead that is probably around 3/4” tall. He lays the glass in and beds it into the adhesive so that it’s flush with the outside of the body, not pushed in deep all the way to the body flange.



Jeff

[lewma]

Hello Jeff

That's giving me some hope then if he leaves a bead 3/4" high. With the trim installed there's no way that windshield is going to sit deep in the opening. I'm going to see if I can get it a little deeper then I'm going to install it.

mark

[edwardb]

X2 what Jeff said. The guy that helped me with my Coupe windshield also used the pre-cut triangular "V" notched nozzles. Apparently pretty common in the industry. Also used a battery powered caulk gun to apply the urethane as evenly as possible. Part of the process is to check the pinch weld for height and apply a "V" bead of sufficient height and volume. My guy did several test passes on pieces of cardboard to make sure all was OK. On mine (and I've seen on others) the curve of the windshield wasn't a perfect match to the curve of the opening. If yours is like that, you need to have a method to hold it in place while the urethane sets up. Just taping it down may not be sufficient. Pictures of what I did in my build thread, which was pretty much a copy of what i saw from another builder. The Coupe installation isn't easy IMO and no substitute for finding someone who has experience. Good luck.

[Kbl7td]

Consider this with no rubber, likely what I’ll do.

https://youtu.be/QrbCu0vRJ6M?si=ouwl3PMC6iRneGuj

[edwardb]

Consider this with no rubber, likely what I’ll do.

https://youtu.be/QrbCu0vRJ6M?si=ouwl3PMC6iRneGuj

Good video. Only suggestion is beg, borrow, or steal some windshield suction cups. Way easier to handle and hit the spot. We also put the urethane on the body. Not on the glass. If I were doing another Coupe, I'd probably leave the gasket off too. Talked about this in my build thread. I unfortunately took a rock off my first windshield so had to replace it. It was a major pain getting the old windshield off with that gasket in place. I had the same windshield expert helping me and he had the typical windshield removal tool that uses a wire to cut the urethane bond. But we had to dig the gasket out to get the wire into the pinch weld area. On my truck build, we put the glass in without a gasket and it looked fine. Most DD's are the same way. My only complaint about the Coupe windshield is the edge is unpolished. It's from a 60's vintage Jaguar and used the old style mounting of a rolled in rubber gasket. So the edge is covered. I don't know the process for polishing the edge. Maybe a glass shop could do it?

[Rian_Colorado]

I wasn't present when mine got installed, but I know that the installer shaved the glass down to improve the fit/installation.
I'm having a new windshield protective film applied next week as well to HOPEFULLY reduce opportunities for rock damage (happens in Colorado a LOT)

[lewma]

I spent yesterday shaving down the windshield. Not too bad a process. I just used a drill with a stone and lots of water. Slow process but it works. I tested the fit again last night and I need to shave a little more in spots.

The edge is not entirely smooth but I don't care as the trim is going to be used anyway. Even before the process of trimming I could not see how the windshield would look good without the trim as the spacing between the windshield and the body is not uniform and the windshield edges were a little unfinished to begin with.

Fingers crossed for install this weekend if I can get the remaining trimming done.

[J R Jones]

I spent yesterday shaving down the windshield. Not too bad a process. I just used a drill with a stone and lots of water. Slow process but it works. I tested the fit again last night and I need to shave a little more in spots.

The edge is not entirely smooth but I don't care as the trim is going to be used anyway. Even before the process of trimming I could not see how the windshield would look good without the trim as the spacing between the windshield and the body is not uniform and the windshield edges were a little unfinished to begin with.


Fingers crossed for install this weekend if I can get the remaining trimming done.

Lew,
I have had to alter a windshield edge, and polish-out a chipped edge. I use a belt sander as my grinding stones do not grind smoothly and the impacts caused concern. I have also used a sanding block.
Yeah heat is to be avoided.
jim

[lewma]

Installed the windshield over the weekend. Lots of sweating over this task but I couldn't find anyone local who was interested or motivated to come do it. After becoming "youtube certified", I prepped everything and gave it a go. Came out fine in the end. Pic attached.

20240429_181225.jpg

For me, this was the most challenging task yet on this build, and it could have easily gone very wrong but I was confident after reading many threads on this site and watching endless installation videos. Perhaps it will fall out the first time I drive the car, who knows