Spider windshield R&R andwheel alignment

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Paul Irvine asks: Does anyone out there know the procedure for removing
and replacing the windshield on a Spider?

Paul, hope you are as fortunate as I am, but nearby is a very cool
automotive glass shop. When I removed client's '73 Spider's windshield,
I had in hand a new gasket and had ordered a new windshield from this
shop. The glass was badly pitted and I cracked it badly while removing.

I carefully cleaned the entire sealing area (at the request of the glass
shop). I also 'attended to' rust in the corners.

I also had the dash out and, man-o-Manashevitz, was it so nice to be
able to reach right through the opening and attach all the wires to the
instruments. I then attached the dash.

Wrong!

Glass installation guy said simply cut the windshield gasket from the
inside and the glass pops out. He was also somewhat pissed because I had
the car up on stands and had the dash totally in place.

Fast forward to client's '69 Spider. Glass shop couldn't get a
windshield (it's narrower) and had Matt at Re-Originals ship one out
along with a new gasket. Not cheap, but good quality.

I had the glass shop guy remove the windshield because I wanted to
preserve it. He cut the inside gasket, but got stuck on the ID plate
area so I drilled out the pop rivets for him. After that it popped right
out.

I've now cleaned the sealing area, and if I get off this keyboard, the
dash should be installed, but not bolted down, by the end of the
day--and the windshield replaced in the next few days.

Sorry to make a fairly simple procedure lengthy, but I like it when
someone not only talks about what they did right, but what they did
wrong.

Steering wheel centering: When '73 Spider went back together and before
the suspension was aligned, the steering wheel was crooked (you know
what I mean) and would only return one side of the turn signal switch /
lights. Once aligned, including steering wheel, all worked perfectly.

Biba
Irwindale CA, USA

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