windshield bloody hell

[99ss]

SO .... I wanted to swap the dash an in order to do it the windshield has to come out.

I call the local place and they cant do it, to difficult haven't done enough of them. Call the second place they say no problem. Guy comes out and says he can get it out without breaking it if he cuts the seal. I say go ahead 15 minuted later its out...

Then the fun starts.. the windshield get cracked in a storm so I have to buy a new one at $145. the guy comes out to put it in and say he cant because some of the clips are missing for the chrome and they are needed to hold the windshield in so he leaves. I cal another place they say the guy is crazy they have someone who can handle it.. be right out.. he comes out replaces the missing clips ( I had some here) and spends about and hour and a half on it before breaking it. He tells me since its not their glass they are not liable but he will work with me on it. If they had supplied the glass then he would have to get a new one on his cost until he got it right. I say no one told me that, I could have broken it myself putting it in. He didnt really like hearing that but WTF do you expect. Your charging me $145 to break my glass and telling me your not at fault.
But his cost is $75 and they will split it with me. It was going to cost me $145 to have him put my glass in. He tells me it will most likely leak that there is no gauranty... this year b body and the darts always leak. In the meantime the bill from the first guy comes in. $115 .. 100 for labor and $15 for material. Mind you he was here for 15 minutes cut it out with his knife and left it. WHat is the material cost for? I was told I was being charged hourly... $100 for 15 minutes maybe 20 with a nose pick and *** scratch

I am almost at a blevy..... Can anyone do anything right?

I will talk to the manager about the bill for $115 including materials cost.
I think $45 is plenty for what he did and how long it took him

 

[bigmanjbmopar]

Wow, just wow. That is just a bunch of crap. Sounds like you are getting the bs for sure.

The ones that know better than to touch a rare cars glass are the ones who said no up front the rest just wanted to get your cash and no warranty and walk away. Sux man sorry to hear this story.

Are you going to buy new glass from a vendor that can install it to? Let us know what happens would like to keep up with this since I have to replace my front and back.

 

[dave5237]

I hear your pain, but research is like gold in this hobby. I spend 5 times more time researching people, parts, places,etc. before I let them touch my car. Just had my front windshield put in on my 68 GTX. Talked to company's and this site for two months before finally getting it done. When the guy that did my glass came out I had full confidence in him. I do everything myself when I can because I don't trust anyone ( I know glass is a tough one ). Good luck with the glass.

 

[70rr-brian]

Well 99ss, I had a very similar problem last year. The company that replaced mine broke 2 windshields before they finally got one in. And that was the only company within 20 miles that would even touch it. The difference in my case...It had a crack from road damage and was covered by the insurance. The more they broke...the more it cost them.

Let's look at this as a learning opportunity. Ordinarily I would not condone insurance fraud, but perhaps a better approach would have been taking a nice pellet gun and giving it "road damage" and let the insurance company pay for it.

I know that is unethical, but knowing what I know now, its the only sane approach. People who knew how to replace these windshields correctly are either dead or retired for the most part.

Just something to chew on for future consideration.

 

[Darius]

Safelite did my Dart windshield. This was an insurance repair also but the point is, they had the glass, the "gasket" and everything needed. They made me take it to them because they said they don't do the older cars on site any more. They keep a tech in the shop that has that experience.
Turned out nice, does not leak, etc. Total bill for the glass, materials ,and labor was a little steep at $415 but it was done right and the insurance paid it....Hagerty by the way and they didn't even question it, just sent me a check!

 

[Jim 68cuda]

I had new gaskets front and rear from Steele Rubber Parts, and new clips from RT Specialties when I had a glas shop that I've used several times before on my Mopars, replace the windshield and reinstall the back glass on my 67 Coronet hardtop. They had the car a week getting the gasket to sit right on the windshield before installing.
Then both front and rear leaked in several places. Each time they came back they chipped the ne paint a little and the goop they use to seal the gasket oozed out in places. They started charging for each of those return trips too, and then stopped coming altogether.
I then called every glass shop in the book. Most had no interest in touching the car. A couple said they had someone who could do the windshields on old cars in cities one to two hours away. I finally found a glass shop that had an installer that did old cars and they fixed all my leaks front and rear.
This was a frustrating experience for me too.

 

[99ss]

This is crazy !! I live in the sticks kind of but I didnt think I would ever have trouble with a windshield. I've done a few of them myself but not with the gasket like this. It isnt easy, I know that as I tried it myself..
They will be back on Monday or tuesday to try it again and he is bringing a helper with him this time. Maybe I am just getting to old but where has all the skill gone in this country? Damn video games.

 

[dave5237]

This is crazy !! I live in the sticks kind of but I didnt think I would ever have trouble with a windshield. I've done a few of them myself but not with the gasket like this. It isnt easy, I know that as I tried it myself..
They will be back on Monday or tuesday to try it again and he is bringing a helper with him this time. Maybe I am just getting to old but where has all the skill gone in this country? Damn video games.

Your at the mercy of these guys. Find out what they will cover if they break it installing it before they dig in. It took me a long time and several calls to finally find someone who does old cars. The guy who did it said it takes a lot of patience and kept tapping it lightly getting the rubber to relax especially around the curves. After watching him. There is no way I would try my front glass myself because I dont know how far to push it if it does not go in the groove. Good luck.

 

[b-body-bob]

The first time I needed a windshield replaced, the first place I called came out, looked, and left, they had no idea what to do or how to act. I talked to a friend who's done a ton of them, got my wife to help me, and we put it in ourselves. Not a problem, seriously. Lots of dishwashing liquid for lube, lots of patience, NO METAL TOOLS. Sink the bottom first, and work your way around the gasket bottom to top.

 

[Propwash]

Man I thought I had it bad 99ss, but this story takes the cake. I would be pissed.

 

[northerndave]

Hey bud, this is a cut and paste from prop's thread, maybe it doesn't help.

I can tell you I wish I was there so I could help you put that sucker in though because I know we could get it.

BTW, where can I find new glass for $145?? I need a new windshield too, and soon.

I have put a few gasket style windshields in before, easiest I ever did was on my daughter's 65 mustang.

I fit the gasket to the glass first, then ran a 1/4" rope in the groove all the way around and overlapped the rope tails at thebottom center of the windshield and taped the rope tails to the inside of the glass so the rope didn't fall out while setting the glass in place.

here's my pull rope

bedding compound

They had a nice groove for the initial application of bedding compound which is recomended for this particular application.

I set the bottom edge of the gasket in place first and then leaned the glass in to rest against the window tray/opening. Then I centered the glass left and right and begain pulling the inner gasket lip into the inside of the pinch welded gasket flange. Top corners are tricky, they always are. and it goes better with 2 people, one to apply a little hand pressure outside of the car and one to pull the rope inside the car.

I know our B-Bodies are a little different than this but the basic rope trick is good if it applies.

 

[Propwash]

BTW, where can I find new glass for $145?? I need a new windshield too, and soon.

Hey Dave...I paid $120 for a new windshield from Tri-City Glass (local glass store), and the broke it for me free of charge!

I called Jeff over at 521 Restorations about the AMD glass he has. He said the windshield at $249, shipping around $125 or so and then a $30 handling fee..Ouch!
Being the guy is such an honest and straight up guy, he specified I would be much better off just to check locally unless I 100% need the 1/2" little pentastar "safe glass" logo..

Sorry to sqwauk in 99ss...

 

[kb67mopar]

$115 to remove your old glass? I did both front and rear removal on my 66 net parts car and it took me 25 minutes for both having NEVER done it before and I didn't break anything.

No input on the installation except wow....just wow.

 

[mopwrd340]

Im lucky the guy i bought my car from is a glass guy i got a new windshield and gasket with mine . he said when im ready he will put the windshield and back window in for me . i have probaly put in 200 wind shields in but they were on mack trucks all locking strip type . i wouldnt want to go through what some of you all are dealing with ,

 

[dave5237]

I got my front and back glass from PILKINGTON ( high quality stuff ). That double curve back glass was not cheap.

 

[Meep-Meep]

This is amazing. The only explanation I have is tweakers. The glass guys must be tweakers!!

 

[99ss]

So they were supposed to be back tuesday with glass to give it another go around... havent seen or heard from them yet..... :shruggy:

only good news there is I havent paid them yet so maybe he broke my windshield for me for free. Columbia River autoglass is who got it for me... I've seen them on ebay for the same price but the shipping is the killer.

One thing I have learned this week though is Progressive auto insurance sucks dog turds.. I'll be dropping them as soon as I can. I had my Camaro broken into at the mechs shop. Stole my headers... SS polished 2" primaries ARH.. $1550 out the window.. Progressive says they werent attached to the car at the time ( engine is out of car for work) so they dont have to cover it.. been with them for 12 years and they stiff me the minute I need them. I ever see that Flo in person I've got a swift kick in the crotch for her

 

[70rr-brian]

So they were supposed to be back tuesday with glass to give it another go around... havent seen or heard from them yet..... :shruggy:

only good news there is I havent paid them yet so maybe he broke my windshield for me for free. Columbia River autoglass is who got it for me... I've seen them on ebay for the same price but the shipping is the killer.

One thing I have learned this week though is Progressive auto insurance sucks dog turds.. I'll be dropping them as soon as I can. I had my Camaro broken into at the mechs shop. Stole my headers... SS polished 2" primaries ARH.. $1550 out the window.. Progressive says they werent attached to the car at the time ( engine is out of car for work) so they dont have to cover it.. been with them for 12 years and they stiff me the minute I need them. I ever see that Flo in person I've got a swift kick in the crotch for her

I bet you don't mess up her bush! Perfect hair every time!

 

[Propwash]

I dropped progressive years ago well.....because they suck! I think all the money a guy pays in for insurance goes to pay for their endless commercials, not to fix customers cars or claims. They tried jacking up the insurance on my snowmobile to $1,200 a year...It's a Ski-Doo, not a Ferrari!! Sorry to hear of your endless bad luck man. Did you piss off god or something? Maybe someone has a 99ss Voodoo doll? You live in Amittyville house full of cursed spirits? Hopefully you can turn the corner and things start going your way soon.

 

[Gpuller]

One thing I have learned this week though is Progressive auto insurance sucks dog turds..

I'm an estimator at a body shop and deal with them daily.
We had a guy bring his wrecked truck into us for repairs. It was a 2500 Crew Cab Duramax that had a bunch of add on accessories. Chrome grille guard, spray in bed liner, stainless step tubes that all needed to be replaced because of the accident. Insurance would pay for the replacement because he didn't carry extra coverage on his policy for add on equipment. Needless to say he was not happy and was changing insurance.
The rates are cheap for a reason.