Partial answer, some guesswork, and more question on windshield removal

[JHertzman@xxxxxxx]

In AD7-148 Michael Hooker asked about windshield removal in the specific case
of the GTV-6, which is also of special interest to me. He wrote:
"i want to take the windshield out of a gtv6 and hopefully save the rubber
too. any tips are appreciated. i took one out of a gtv once, but cut the
rubber because it was beat and just popped the glass out."

I started, but have not finished, an off-digest reply to him. Meanwhile, in
AD7-151 Bob Brady responded:
" I've removed front and rear windows on my GTVs several times (without damage
to the window or gasket) using the follwing technique:
1.  Get about 30 popsicle sticks
2.  From the inside, insert sticks along the top edge, in between the gasket 
and the window frame, every 2" or so.
3.  Have someone on the outside supervise, as you apply pressure on several 
sticks at once, to pry the window/gasket out.  (If you've ever used tire 
irons to remove a bicycle tire, you know the technique).
4.  Repeat the technique along the A pillars, if necessary."

Yes, that is what seems to work with a GTV, Sprint Speciale, and most other
older cars. But there are three different generations of windshields, with
some differences which give me qualms; there are the pre-glue-in gasketed
windshields, (like the early GT Veloces and early Berlinas), the glue-in
windshields (like the late GT Veloces, late Berlinas, and early Alfettas) and
the post-glue-in gasketed windshields (like the late Alfettas, Sport Sedans,
and GTV-6). How do they differ, and why?

My understanding (folklore, no documentation) had been that the glue-in
windshield was introduced under regulatory pressure because earlier
windshields came out too easily, often sailing through the air in one piece
and capable of doing a Goldfinger-job on the necks of hapless bystanders.
Anecdotal case, when my nephew rolled a vintage Toyota on an icy road in
Connecticut the windshield, found a block away, was the only part of the car
which was undamaged. So the safety-boffins said 'Glue the boogers in', and it
was done. But why then did gasketed windshields reemerge in 1978, after eight
years of glue? Perhaps it was not glue which was mandated, but a demonstrably
greatly increased resistance to accidental detachment- like a more removal-
resistant gasket system.

I am in the fortunate position of having both Sport Sedan and Alfetta/GTV-6
gasketed windshields to salvage, with intact gaskets if possible, and a
cracked example of each on which I can experiment- thus no loss if I broke the
$500 glass trying to save the $80 gasket while verifying my technique. All
experiments to date have been on the Sport Sedan. The gasket has a pronounced
projecting rounded lip on the outer edge of the inside face at the sides, and
two long retaining clips on each side (each held by several pop-rivets) which
embrace that lip, making it disinclined to slip out under relatively light
pressure. I drilled out the pop-rivets, removed the clips, and commenced the
popsickle-stick ploy, but instead of popsickle-sticks I used a stack of 2" x
6" pieces of 1/8" plywood and a second stack of Formica samples about forty-
thousandths thick (1 mm). I also squirted rubber lubricants to ease the
slipping out. Several cautious tries later the glass is still in situ. In the
process I also reached the conclusion that the (presumably) synthetic rubber
of the gasket is a lot harder than the pre-glue-in gaskets were, at least on
my sample batch of cars. (Rubber, as we know from tires, can be anything from
quite soft to quite hard).
 
Professionals probably do it all the time. I am not a professional. If you
know the limits and have the technique (which I don't yet) and/or are lucky,
out she pops. Otherwise, it stays, or it breaks. Ping! Oops. Timid souls,
weighing a $500 windshield against an $80 gasket, cut the rubber, or pay a
professional to do it. 

I am chicken. At this point if I absolutely had to save the gasket I would
gather five friends, station one outside to catch the glass, and three
wielding popsickle-sticks- one in the middle and one outside at each end-
while two pushed out on either side of the top edge, and I would keep $500 in
the bank just in case. I have also considered band-sawing some lumber to the
exact contour of the inside of the glass, suitably padding it, and using a
pair of jacks to push out with uniform pressure while I fiddled with popsickle
sticks. And there is the absolutely safe alternative of cutting the rubber. 

So, I do not have an answer yet; I know that the Sport Sedan windshield is a
lot more stubborn than the Sprint Speciale windshield that I helped on. If
anyone out there has had good experience with removing the post-glue-in
gasketed windshields (like the late Alfettas, Sport Sedans, and GTV-6) I would
be every bit as interested as Mike Hooker would be.

Sincerely,

John H. 

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End of alfa-digest V7 #152
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