Windshield comes loose Plinkington

worn · worn's Garage

I am wondering what I can do to keep my windshield in place. 1980 911SC. The seal appears to come off starting at the lower corners. These show a gap between frame and rubber even at the best of times. I suspect the replacement windshield doesn't fit right. Here are pictures of the gaps.

Note that there is a gap for the rubber to fit in on the top and the bottom, yet the glass overlaps the frame on each side. The glass says Plinkington on the corner, which I thought of as a reputable British company. But I confess it came from Rock Auto which can be hit or miss.
Any wisdom would be appreciated. Also, the glass developed a crack as we tried to install it the last (2nd) time we installed it, so it will be replaced.
Thanks.

worn · worn's Garage

I realize that you cannot easily see the gaps, so here is a shot of the other corner

Superman · 03-08-2022, 08:49 AM

All that space is taken up by the gasket. In situ, the glass comes nowhere near touching the metal. The glass is suspended, by the gasket, above and away from the metal frame.

john walker's workshop · 03-08-2022, 09:19 AM

Joke, right?

proporsche · proporsche's Garage

worn..dude it is not like modern cars ..these windshield come together with a big rubber seal ..use your google for pics ..learn about your car a little ...man....

Ivan

Jeff Alton · 03-08-2022, 10:45 PM

Are you trying to install yourself? Is so, stop, get help.... you appear to have no clue what you are doing.

The brand in question produces a very good and accurate piece of glass..... And when done PROPERLY, it is relatively easy to install even for a DIY

Cheers

worn · worn's Garage

I am puzzled and a little hurt by the responses. I have other cars that use the same system. I have an autographed copy of Wayne’s book that includes this stuff. I also got the windshield installed with the rope technique. However, when i bought the car there was a visible gap between rubber and frame at the lower left and right corners. The book I bought about how to buy 911 mentioned these gaps. My replacement of that glass produced more or less the same gaps. The windshield made it to Montana and back as well as around a few blocks.
But it eventually came loose.
The part I noticed and wonder about is that there is a considerable gap between windshield and pinch weld at the top and at the bottom that can be filled in with rubber gasket, but at the A pillars on each side the glass overlaps the pinch weld. My question was directed at that in particular, as I am having a bit of trouble visualizing how the rubber transitions from the gaps top and bottom into the overlap at the sides.
Agreed I am not brilliant, but any advice would be welcome and more important taken to heart. I have read and watched on line and printed stuff, some of which has noted the lower corner problems from the factory and problems of fit from the aftermarkey glass vendors. As I said, I thought of Plinkington as a quality name brand. But things change.

LIRS6 · LIRS6's Garage

What seal are you using?

Your windshield and seal should be sitting as follows (my ‘79 SC):

Jason

worn · worn's Garage

OEM seal, whatever that means. Purchased from our host. I see that in this case I might be advised to buy the Uro product. Your photo looks better than mine would have looked, but I can see just a hint of a gap in the lower corner with your seal. Perhaps. Not quite sure.

john walker's workshop · 03-09-2022, 07:38 PM

Common to have to mould some dum dum in the corners to prevent the lip from falling in. Strip caulk.

worn · worn's Garage

Oh, yes. I have some of that. Mostly used on my 914s and the Tr6.

john walker's workshop · 03-09-2022, 08:50 PM

914s use a sticky rope seal. 3m Strip caulk is different.

proporsche · proporsche's Garage

worn.. you have started with the wrong picture and questions..we took it like that.So you know a little by now how to go about it ..most of the times the alu. trimming is the culprit for the seal not to be correct at the corners...there is plenty of info here ...showing several techniques how to do it..

Ivan

Dpmulvan · 03-10-2022, 03:49 AM

You can use something thin between the rubber and trim to push or lightly hammer the trim into the corners.

worn · worn's Garage

Anyone willing to comment on the difference in glass to frame clearances with a nice gap top and bottom and less than no gap side to side?
I read the review about the Uro seal on this board and am intrigued, but the OEM seal I have is pliable and relatively new. Any comments on that choice?

worn · worn's Garage

Thanks John. Putting glass in my 914s is a piece of cake. The 911 and my TR6 windshields are more of a PITA. When I said I had used the 3M strips I was referring to the rear glass in the 914s and on the fender seams in the TR6.

911obgyn · 911obgyn's Garage

Perhaps the new glass will fit better?
I saw a thread a few years ago with dimensions of the windshield openings for different year cars. I use rope that is long enough to go around twice, first time around gets the lip over the pinch weld and mostly sets the glass in place, second time around pulls the glass in. I have used cord on the edge of the glass to push the seal outward in the corners and leave it in there.
Gentle slapping sometimes helps, but no pushing hard.

porsche930dude · porsche930dude's Garage

I dont have experience with the porsche but it doesnt seem right to me. If the gasket is the usual H profile. The overlap wouldnt allow for it to sit properly im surprised you were able to get the stip in at all. However the glass does sit proud of the car quite a bit so maybe that is the answer. Perhaps the lip should have been bent out more to better match the angle of the glass.

Superman · 03-10-2022, 08:44 AM

There is a nearby thread in which I offer my suggestions about fitment. In my view, a gap-free fitment is possible when the trim is shaped and installed properly and the OEM gasket is used. If John says this is not necessarily true, then my mind would be changed. Unless that happens, I will continue to think the secret is in the shaping of the metal trim.

kd126500 · 03-10-2022, 10:36 AM

I had the same issues with OEM and off brand rubber seals. Someone on the forum posted the solution of using a piece of wood to mould the trim into the corners.

I used an old paint stick and rounded the leading edge to fit the curve of the corner. Then sand the edge flat or reduced height so it will fit under the trim between the rubber. Slowly hammer using slight pressure to form the trim to the corner. Worked beautifully!