The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Installing 1-Piece Windshield on a '54

Looks like I'm finally getting my truck back from paint and I'm thinking about putting the new windshield and rubber in myself.

Should I? Or should I pay a pro to do it?

If you've installed one, give me the low-down on it.

Thanks!

I've installed them on newer trucks with a 1/4" rope. I might be nervous doing it with a hard-to-find windshield though. Might be better to pay the professional.

Hi Alan,

You are the guy I have to thank for helping me find this forum. I was looking for dulcimers and ran across your site. One thing led to another (as it does so often) and now I have enjoyed this fantastic forum most every day for a few years. Thanks a million.

Can't wait to see pics of the new paint. Congratulations on the progress.

I have installed windshields on my 55 first and would say go for it. There are a few guys here who install glass professionally and a search for jockbolter50 posts and ob1quixote posts will give you lots of help for instance. Steele http://www.steelerubber.com/ also has some helpful information on their site. If you go to the correct catalog listing for the windshield gasket there is a link to an installation PDF.

Alan,

Will your 54/55 seal/windshield have the stainless-steel trim? If it does, take a look at the "dry fit" of your glass in your cab opening. If your glass (especially if it is a reproduction piece) is a tight fit, you might have difficulty getting a good fit all the way around. Most likely even a professional installer would have a problem doing this installation. I would not go to an installer who has never done this specific installation - they'll say they can do it but they might end up having problems you will end up paying-for.

If you have no stainless trim you will most likely have no problems installing the glass yourself (use a sealant as described in the 1954 Shop Manual).

Alan, if you're in any way doubtful about attempting the install yourself,it would be worth the extra $$s to have a pro do it.

As Tim mentions,try and find a glass shop who has experience with older vehicles,even more so if you have the stainless trims.
Unfortunately a lot of glass guys nowadays are only familiar with the newer bonded techniques.

If they crack the glass during the install,it should then be down to them.

It would be an expensive mistake for you if you were to attempt this yourself and the worst happens.

Thanks, everyone.

I'm not afraid to do this myself, as long as there aren't any "tricky" deals about getting it right. I generally do things, as a first-timer, better than most pro's do things. I'm just so gifted and talented, with total genius capabilities ... thank God I don't have any tendencies to brag (LOL).

Hey, Peter -- I'm glad I steered you toward this best-of-them-all site, Brother!
:o)
And THANKS for those links -- I'll definitely check them out.

Hey, Tim -- No stainless trim ... just the rubber gasket.

I'm just looking for tips, like do I put the rubber on the glass first? Or do I put it on the window opening and then get the glass in? I'm thinking Peter's links may be what I'm looking for.

I may be getting the truck back this week. As soon as I get it situated, I'll be taking pics and letting everyone here see.

Hot dog!

Alan,

Follow the instructions in the Shop Manual and that are available from the Steele Rubber website.

Put the sealant in both places as described in the Shop Manual (for 1954 windshields). The 3M sealant is non-hardening, cleans up easily, and seals nicely (and, it will clean up nicely when/if the glass ever has to be removed).

It is nice to have two people (for the company, for safety, for four hands, for a person inside and outside the cab, and for a wider variety of swear words).

I tried to install one in a 54 and would suggest that you have a professional do it.I broke one and the professional broke one and finally he was able to get one installed. They usually do not cost that much, shop around for prices.

Hi Alan,,,glad to hear youre getting your truck back. Ive been thru a few '54s myself and agree with the above posts from everyone.
Just one more thing, please spend the extra $$ and buy a Steele Rubber Co. gasket.
At this point,youll be glad you did.
Good Luck,
Marty

Thanks, again, all.

I'll order the Steel Rubber ... and I've been thinking about a guy I know who knows the old-school stuff. After reading some from the links Peter posted, I think it would be well worth it to pay someone who knows the process and avoid all those curse words!

Alan, it's a shame,I just realised I was in your neck of the woods a couple of weeks back, I'd have gladly given you a hand to install your windshield.

I do this for a living.

Plus I could probably have taught you some new Scottish curse words!

Hi Alan,

The first third of this log entry from my site explains the tricks I developed, and some pitfalls encountered, to get the gasket on the windshield and the windshield in my '55 1st series, by myself.

Windshield Epic - The Good (Fini)

jockbolter50: PLEASE come back to my neck of the woods!!! I want to learn those new Scottish curse words, man! LOL! I will be getting my truck back, if all goes as planned, right around September 7th ... THEN I'll be looking for someone to put the new windshield and rear window in for me.

LAROKE: I'm off to read your Windshield Epic right now.

Thanks.

Okay. I've read enuf! Ain't NO WAY I'm attempting doing this myself. I'm definitely going to find someone who's done it before and is a pro at it!

I'll save my energy for having fun doing my interior in buffalo hides.

I did it with help from my wife. She barely knows the difference between a car and a truck. I had never done it before, either. You can do it.

Thanks, Chicklin

Did you ever think you might break the glass? How long did it take you to do, from start to finish?

Alan,

Does your have the optional stainless-steel trim that goes around the windshield?

Hey, Tim

No stainless trim on mine ... just the rubber gasket.

Hello Alan,

I got mine (finally) sealed nicely using the non-hardening 3M sealant in the locations suggested by the 1954 Shop Manual (sealant where the glass meets the seal and where the seal meets the pinch weld of the window opening).

The Shop Manual has you put the sealant in the outer channel of the rubber before you try to install the rubber/glass into the opening. You know the glass/rubber is in place when the inside edges of the rubber look right on the inside (carefully pushed in, all the way around the opening - while a person inside is pulling in the rubber, all the way around, inch-by-inch).

The Shop Manual has you seal the glass-to-rubber after the glass/rubber is in position. This probably works fine most of the time (it did not for me). After unsuccessfully following this step in in the Manual, I found the rubber at the outside edge of the glass was not very flexible and I found it hard inject the sealant and hard to get a water-proof seal (at the glass edges) all the way around.

Instead of injecting the glass-to-rubber sealant after installing the glass/rubber (as described in the Shop Manual), I put the sealant in both sides (channels) of the rubber seal before I put the glass/rubber into the cab-opening (on my third try, using a new rubber). This acted as a lubricant and resulted in a completely sealed window.

The non-hardening 3M sealant cleans up easily, even after a few days.

Thanks, Tim. I appreciate your info greatly.

Are you saying that the 3M sealant goes in the sides (channels) only? What about the top and bottom?

PS - I should be getting my truck back this week. If I can find someone to install the glass for me, I will do that ... otherwise I will do it myself. And, of course, I will be reporting my experience here at Stovebolt.

PSS - Did you use 1/4" rope to pull the inside lip into place?

Yes

Thanks.

You use one piece with the ends hanging out at the bottom ... is that right?

PS: Are you saying that the 3M sealant goes in the sides (channels) only?

What about the top and bottom?

Alan,

Words sometimes fail - I hope I understand your questions and can describe what works for me.

"You use one piece with the ends hanging out at the bottom ... is that right?"
One-piece of string? Yes, cross-over at the bottom and hanging out the bottom on the inside (interior side) of the seal (that's the way that I have always done and the way I've seen pros do it - also, look at the Steele instructions).

"PS: Are you saying that the 3M sealant goes in the sides (channels) only?

What about the top and bottom?"

The way I do it: sealant goes all the way around the outer channel (rabbet) of the rubber seal ( step 8 in the Shop Manual ). I put the sealant in the outer rabbet/groove of the rubber seal (even though the Manual says to put it "along the the outside rabbet pinchweld"). I tried putting the sealant on the pinchweld a couple of times - it was messy and most of the sealant got displaced when trying to get the rubber seal around the metal pinchweld.

Larry's (Laroke's) advice might be better than mine - have you read his writeup?

I do not know what you mean by "top and bottom"

Aside:

Here are the Steele Rubber Installation Instructions. They show glass and rubber orientations that do not match the 54 windshield.

Steele Rubber Instructions with no trim insert

Steele Rubber Instructions with a trim insert

Look at their Type002.pdf - it shows the glass outside and against the side of the pinchweld. On all the 54 windshields that I have removed and installed, the glass must fit within the perimeter of the pinchweld. Look at the drawing: the 54 windshield fits above/inside the pinchweld - the pinchweld should point right up, towards the glass edge (that is why it is sometimes quite difficult to get the stainless trim/molding in that tight fit)

Maybe Steele's instructions are better suited for the 47-53 flat-glass installation?

Thanks again, Tim. Well, it looks like I've got a pro that's gonna do it. I saw a '34 Ford Roadster and a '47 Plymouth he did the windows on; he knows how to do these, so I'm gonna pass on the install and have him do the windows the day my truck comes home -- late this week or early next week.

I am stoked!

PS: He charges $150 to $200 per window, depending on how it goes. I'm guessing, since I don't have the stainless trim, it'll be $150.

If he does a good job, I might drive to NJ to get him to install my next one with the stainless trim.

I'll keep you posted.
:o)
I have to put everything back in my dash (speedometer, various switches, etc.), and I have to put my side mirrors back in ... and the chrome trim rings on the headlights, my antenna, etc., etc.

Once I have all that done, I'll probably shoot a video of everything and put it on YouTube. I've been making 10-minute videos for a little over a year now, teaching Bible prophecy and singing my original songs, so I've got a pretty cool process down. I'm thinking that all my future "photo tutorials" about each new project on my truck are about to become "video tutorials" and I'll create a new YouTube channel for that.

PS: If you're interested in my above mentioned YouTube channel, you can check it out here:
http://YouTube.com/WatchAlan

Hoo-wee!! I got my truck back today!

The paint turned out beautiful ... great colors and a job well done. He also took the bolt heads off the front bumper so it's all smooth - nice look!

I tried putting the windshield in today with my nephew ... ouch! What a bear that is to do! We couldn't get 'er done ... so, I'm having a great mechanic I know do it next weekend. This guy is a real gem! He comes to your house and does work ... he knows all the old-school stuff ... he's truly brilliant about all things mechanical ... **and** he never charges as much as you think he should. How cool is that!? He says he'll also install the windshield and rear window for me ... and I'm *really* happy about that because the only other person I could get, who has his own glass installation company, said it would cost $150 to $200 *per* window (depending on how difficult it is). That seemed like an awful lot to me.

Anyway, she's finally back and I can start posting all my new photo-tutorials again.

Have a great Turkey Day everyone!

Alan