Frame Connectors, Freaking windshield!

[hunt2elk]

No the window frame is solid, no rust at all, above, below or on the sides. I looked at all that when it was sand blasted. I don't think there was no give in the rubber because it was so tight I wonder if I should order the windshield from Classic Industries?

I've never had a problem with ones that the local glass guys get. If going somewhere else, I believe ECS is known to have the best ones out there. Definitely wouldn't buy one from Classic.

 

[mpro69rr]

Regardless of where you get the winshield from it probably comes from the same place unless it’s an original. Demand for these can’t be astronomical.

Your probably right, maybe this was an anomaly and it was too big. I read on another forum somewhere that when a guy had one installed they had to cut the window down to make it fit.

 

[mpro69rr]

I recently read something in a thread about a member " cutting down" his windshield to fit. Said there was excess, where the 2 halves met, that stuck out, iirc. Seemed odd to me. I assumed sloppy manufacturing. Does your windshield use a rubber gasket ? If so, the flexing must be major, for it to crack. Maybe check the welds on the sub frame. How do the doors shut, and windows fit/ work ? How's the roof look ? Before it was painted, did you notice any cracks on the door jam, by the top of the quarter, or at the bottom of the a pillars ?Maybe a previous owner had a torque monster that tweaked the car.

Not that I know of, when it was sand blasted the body guy said it was a good solid car, he was surprised. The only rust was the back windshield corner and the rear quarters at the bottom which was cut out and new pieces welded in.

 

[1967coronet]

Now that its broke.
Measure out your windshield opening.
Horizontal , vertical , and diagonally.

Now grab your floor jack and raise each side one at a time and re measure , see what's going on with the opening.
Also measure door gaps front and back top and bottom.
If one side is way different you have some detective work to do.
Sub frame connectors..... I have bolt in ones from competition engineering.
After bolting in I also welded them.
US car tool makes nice connectors they follow the floor pan, carpet and pad will need pulled to install them.
If needed US car tool makes a complete kit to make your B body rock solid.
Something has to be on a bind or a tag of metal sticking up someplace in the channel.
Jmho.

 

[Angleiron2]

I have a star in my windshield about nickel size with small cracks, we race it and jack it up pretty often, I keep thinking I should get it fixed before the cracks travel, but it doesn’t seem to be getting and bigger. The car does have weld in subframe connectors or it probably would have cracked further by now.. The windshield looks like the original with a 50 +year old AAA sticker.

 

[747mopar]

But what could be wrong? The frame is solid. The installer did have a hard time installing because the fit was real tight. Do you think because the windshield was so tight that caused it?

With the thick rubber windshield gasket I just don't see how it's cracking as a fault of the car unless something it really wrong. That rubber should allow for a decent amount of movement. Any chance the car is tweaked, roof ever been repaired, any chance they got the wrong glass?

 

[INTMD8]

Very odd, especially as mentioned, that the glass isn't glued in but in a gasket.

Can you provide any more details of "the fit was real tight"

I suppose if for whatever reason the inside of the windshield frame was skim coated with filler, you could go from a place of the glass able to float a bit to any body flex transmitted to it.

 

[slimt]

Was the car a torndown complete restoration? Any of the forward body, floor areas replaced?

 

[mpro69rr]

Now that its broke.
Measure out your windshield opening.
Horizontal , vertical , and diagonally.

Now grab your floor jack and raise each side one at a time and re measure , see what's going on with the opening.
Also measure door gaps front and back top and bottom.
If one side is way different you have some detective work to do.
Sub frame connectors..... I have bolt in ones from competition engineering.
After bolting in I also welded them.
US car tool makes nice connectors they follow the floor pan, carpet and pad will need pulled to install them.
If needed US car tool makes a complete kit to make your B body rock solid.
Something has to be on a bind or a tag of metal sticking up someplace in the channel.
Jmho.

Good idea, Thanks! I know the doors move less than 1/4 ", actually not much at all but enough where you can't close the door very well.

 

[mpro69rr]

With the thick rubber windshield gasket I just don't see how it's cracking as a fault of the car unless something it really wrong. That rubber should allow for a decent amount of movement. Any chance the car is tweaked, roof ever been repaired, any chance they got the wrong glass?

It looks OK, I think the window was too big and too tight. But who knows, I need to investigate.

 

[mpro69rr]

Very odd, especially as mentioned, that the glass isn't glued in but in a gasket.

Can you provide any more details of "the fit was real tight"

I suppose if for whatever reason the inside of the windshield frame was skim coated with filler, you could go from a place of the glass able to float a bit to any body flex transmitted to it.

Tight fit meaning he a hard time locking in the strip. Getting the top corners to seat was a night mirror. No filler in the channel, rust free.

 

[mpro69rr]

Was the car a torndown complete restoration? Any of the forward body, floor areas replaced?

It was torn down all the way. Floors were great. The only thing that was replaced was the transmission tunnel, it was converted to a 4 speed.

 

[mpro69rr]

It is a non-post car, I wonder if that allows for more flex? I also have no back window in.

 

[MoparLeo]

You never said what you are working on. Convertible ? Sedan, hard top ? Ex/current race car ? All have an effect on old Uni-body cars.
The only cars we had to be careful of jacking up when I was younger were Jaguar XKE. If the doors weren't closed, guaranteed broken windshield.
The only thing to be concerned with when having frame connectors installed ( by a professional welder) is to remove the carpeting/insulation.
They don't use a torch to weld them in. MIG welding keeps the heat in a confined area.

 

[mpro69rr]

You never said what you are working on. Convertible ? Sedan, hard top ? Ex/current race car ? All have an effect on old Uni-body cars.
The only cars we had to be careful of jacking up when I was younger were Jaguar XKE. If the doors weren't closed, guaranteed broken windshield.
The only thing to be concerned with when having frame connectors installed ( by a professional welder) is to remove the carpeting/insulation.
They don't use a torch to weld them in. MIG welding keeps the heat in a confined area.

Its a non post hardtop, never a race car. So having them mig welded in shouldn't effect my paint? You have to get pretty close to the outside frame.

 

[steve817]

Take a pic of the window frame with a closeup of the factory pinch welds, especially in the top corners. As everyone knows, these cars were not perfect and when the factory lined up the windshield frame and pinch welded, there can easily be additional metal sticking into the "hole" where the rubber seal fits. This causes a tighter fitting windshield (and a lot of times...too tight). I trim off the extra "overlap" on the pinch weld and it makes ALL the difference in the way the windshield fits and provides the room for movement due to flex and temperature changes. It takes one little tight spot and it's "game over" when a windshield is cracked during install.

 

[4406bbl]

This is good advice, mine was pretty bad for overlap, so I ground it all down a little. I have an ECS windshield and it looks like they sanded around the outside edges, so maybe new ones are a little too big. For frame connectors weld them in or do not do it.

 

[mpro69rr]

Take a pic of the window frame with a closeup of the factory pinch welds, especially in the top corners. As everyone knows, these cars were not perfect and when the factory lined up the windshield frame and pinch welded, there can easily be additional metal sticking into the "hole" where the rubber seal fits. This causes a tighter fitting windshield (and a lot of times...too tight). I trim off the extra "overlap" on the pinch weld and it makes ALL the difference in the way the windshield fits and provides the room for movement due to flex and temperature changes. It takes one little tight spot and it's "game over" when a windshield is cracked during install.

I would but the windshield is still in, I don't plan on taking out because I have to drive it to the alignment shop and then the body shop. I also want to get frame connectors on before a new windshield in. I think I will get a new windshield from ECS, maybe it will fit better.

 

[mpro69rr]

This is good advice, mine was pretty bad for overlap, so I ground it all down a little. I have an ECS windshield and it looks like they sanded around the outside edges, so maybe new ones are a little too big. For frame connectors weld them in or do not do it.

Yes, that's what I'm going to do, get a new one from ECS.

 

[mpro69rr]

I checked everything out this morning, frame is solid along with the pillars. I jacked up the car where I did yesterday with the door open and it wouldn't close, was a little bit off. It has to be frame flex and the REAL tight fitting window. A lot of good ideas suggested here but everything is solid. Also when he laid the window in it laid flat, I don't think the pillars are crooked. I don't know what else to check?