Hi guys, I am restoring a 1980 spider convertable. I have now received all the refurbishes / chromes etc components and the fitting and rebuilding is really exciting !!! HOWEVER can anyone explain how to fit the covertables windshield, I cant seem to get it in with the frame in place.......or must it be fitted after the windshield is in the frame?
Thanks
Tom
WINDSHIELD FITTING
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gchocevar
- Posts: 108
- Joined: Tue Oct 21, 2008 9:40 pm
- Your car is a: 1979 Pininfarina 2000
- Location: Cleveland Ohio USA
Re: WINDSHIELD FITTING
Hi,
I just went through this with my 1979 spider. With the cowl still removed make sure the gasket is clean and in place in the frame. There is a lip on the interior side of the gasket that the dashpanel slips into first. This is kind of a bear and you might have to use a 2 to 3 inch putty knife to guide it in. If you do not' have this seated you will have a hard time with popping the glass in to the outer seal. I loosened the frame. The glass fits into the outer seal pretty easily with a little attention to the outer lip again. Push it in to the top of the frame and seal, then guide the sides into the gasket and then drop it down to the lower edge. It's a one man job but with two its' safer. I believe a new windshield is around $500. You have to have patience and it doesn't take a lot of force. The cowl and the stainless trim that you place into the gasket last, keeps the glass pushed up into the top rim of the seal and tight.
Have fun!
I just went through this with my 1979 spider. With the cowl still removed make sure the gasket is clean and in place in the frame. There is a lip on the interior side of the gasket that the dashpanel slips into first. This is kind of a bear and you might have to use a 2 to 3 inch putty knife to guide it in. If you do not' have this seated you will have a hard time with popping the glass in to the outer seal. I loosened the frame. The glass fits into the outer seal pretty easily with a little attention to the outer lip again. Push it in to the top of the frame and seal, then guide the sides into the gasket and then drop it down to the lower edge. It's a one man job but with two its' safer. I believe a new windshield is around $500. You have to have patience and it doesn't take a lot of force. The cowl and the stainless trim that you place into the gasket last, keeps the glass pushed up into the top rim of the seal and tight.
Have fun!
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redfiat2000
Re: WINDSHIELD FITTING
So, its that easy...well sounds easy enough. I will let you know if i come right. Thanks again for the tip.Regards
Thomas
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jfrawley
- Posts: 260
- Joined: Wed Mar 19, 2008 10:00 pm
- Your car is a: 1982 Spider
Re: WINDSHIELD FITTING
This past summer I replaced the windshield on my '82. One of our leaders in DC Fiats, John Erskine, and I changed mine, and his, in an afternoon. We removed the two windshield frame bolts on each side of the car, and carefully pulled the frame off the car while leaving the glass and gasket attached to the car. We then pealed the gasket off the top and sides of the glass, carefull to leave the bottom of the gasket attached to the pinch weld. The glass then just slipped up and out of the car leaving us with the gasket still attached to the pinch weld, but otherwise loose.
After carefully cleaning the inside of the frame and gasket of all the old foam, and repairing a couple of things on the frame, we slid the new glass down into the gasket on the bottom, carefully worked the gasket up and over the top of the glass, and secured it with some painters tape. We shot a big bead of RTV into the frame, slid the frame back over the whole thing, lined up the bolts and loosely attached them. We then closed the doors, lined up the frame correctly to get a good closure, and secured the bolts on both sides down pretty tight, but not all the way. We then raised the top and snapped it down to make the sure the windshield was in the correct spot, and finished securing the 4 bolts. The last step was to shoot a bead of RTV between the gasket and the windshield to get a good tight seal.
I'd never done this before, and I'm not sure it would have gone as smooth if John wasn't there to lead the way, but it sure came out nice. You can do this yourself with a little help.
Hope this helps in some way.
After carefully cleaning the inside of the frame and gasket of all the old foam, and repairing a couple of things on the frame, we slid the new glass down into the gasket on the bottom, carefully worked the gasket up and over the top of the glass, and secured it with some painters tape. We shot a big bead of RTV into the frame, slid the frame back over the whole thing, lined up the bolts and loosely attached them. We then closed the doors, lined up the frame correctly to get a good closure, and secured the bolts on both sides down pretty tight, but not all the way. We then raised the top and snapped it down to make the sure the windshield was in the correct spot, and finished securing the 4 bolts. The last step was to shoot a bead of RTV between the gasket and the windshield to get a good tight seal.
I'd never done this before, and I'm not sure it would have gone as smooth if John wasn't there to lead the way, but it sure came out nice. You can do this yourself with a little help.
Hope this helps in some way.
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redfiat2000
Re: WINDSHIELD FITTING
Well that does not sound too difficult. Now I have 2 ways of doing it. THANKS GUYS. I suppose because the vehicle was spripped completely and I am redoing from scratch, the best way would be to first trys and silicone the bottom of the window seal to the pinch frame.
Thanks
Thomas
Thanks
Thomas
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wikkid
Re: WINDSHIELD FITTING
At the risk of hijacking the thread a bit, or at least diverting its course, what would you folks recommend as a windshield frame/gasket removal procedure to get the car ready to be prepped/painted? I want to pull the bumpers, trim, etc, but not strip the car down to a bare bones body shell.
The answer may be obvious to those who have already done it, but I haven't really looked at what needs to be done so that I don't end up having a lousy masking/potential overspray situation.
The answer may be obvious to those who have already done it, but I haven't really looked at what needs to be done so that I don't end up having a lousy masking/potential overspray situation.
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redfiat2000
Re: WINDSHIELD FITTING
Well I have just been there....done that! I however stripped the car to just the shell and the wheels. The window frame with the with comes off very easily. There are 2 bolts attaching the frame to the body (inside the door frames) Once these are off, the frame can be removed. BUT, the previous advise would then become applicable ..........TO PUT IT BACK.
Regards
Thomas
Regards
Thomas