SC Windshield...HELP

[white99c2]

In an attempt to have my windshield replaced today the tech could not get the chrome trim that sits in the middle of the rubber.
He put it in twice, then threw in the towel, its now in my garage with a new windshield, a new rubber seal and no chrome trim, its in my trunk.
He ordered a new windshield and another rubber seal and wants me to bring it to him this time.
My car is a '79 911 SC. Can a windshield and the rubber/seal from a '84-'85-'86-'87-'88-'89 or 1990 fit.
My aluminum trim is not in the best shape and I'd prefer to have it replaced with black.
Any suggestions or advice will be appreciated.

[mackskibum]

Seals are the same for the years you mention. New trim is the best- no odd bends to mess you up. Rubber goes on first, then the trim goes in the slot. Whe I did mine, I used Fantastic as a lubricant, but other things will work as well. Once the trim is in place, you can rope the window in place. It needs to be centered top/bottom in order to prevent gaps between the rubber seal and the body.

This is a tricky job- either you have to be patient or find someone who has done these- try a Pcar independent in your area rather than the glass guy.

Good luck

[Formerly Steve Wilkinson]

Azrob, I'm not sure I understand. Did the windshield guy try to put the trim in _after_ he installed the windshield? If so, that's impossible, never happen. You have to put the seal around the windshield and then put the trim into the seal, and the last step is to "rope" the windshield/seal/trim unit into the windshield opening.

I've done it a number of times, for various reasons, including having spun hard enough at Lime Rock that the windshield popped loose.

We assume you know what the roping technique is, right?

Putting the trim into the seal requires that the trim be bent and molded to _exactly_ the right curves before you try to put it in. It should sit _exactly_ on the shape of the glass, and close is no cigar.

[white99c2]

That is exactly as he did it 3 times this afternoon. As he set it up with the rubber, rope and trim he taped it every 4 inches all the way around put it in place, pulled the rope from the bottom center to the passenger side, then the bottom center to the drivers side. He worked it slowly around the curve up the A Pillar and the bottom curve of the chrome popped out. He finished it up, tried to reseat the 2 bottom corners and they wont pop in. I felt bad for the guy, he was bustin his butt and could not win.
My car is just difficult, I think its possessed, everything is a problem, nothing goes as planned.
He wants to try it at his glass shop tomorrow with another guy helping him out. I'm going to call him and tell him to get the windshield, rubber molding and trim for a 1990, do you think it will work.

[scotricker]

your car is gonna be awesome when it's done. you'll be happy in awhile.
just keep at it.

[Formerly Steve Wilkinson]

Well, that's the problem, he shouldn't have to be taping it. The trim needs to conform to the windshield/seal shape so perfectly that tape isn't needed. If it's popping out, ipso facto it is improperly shaped to the proper configuration. It's a *****, and it takes several go-arounds, but anything artificially holding it in shape makes it plain that it's the wrong shape. You _must_ shape the trim, with your thumbs and fingers, and it ain't easy, until it sits in the seal perfectly. Perfectly. Which is why dealing with trim that has been roughly removed before re-installation is all but impossible.

Jeez,I have to edit this to remove the word *****, so let's just say it's a dickens and takes several go-arounds. Golly. Shucks. Goldarn. Jimminy Cricket...lets see if any of them get deleted by the swear-o-thon. Shoot.

[Rich76_911s]

May I ask how he took out the aluminum trim?

It is quite possible he bent it pretty badly when he removed it. If it got bent badly it is darn near impossible to get it back into the correct shape.

[white99c2]

All he did was sit in the passenger seat and pushed on the windshield, it popped out, windshield, rubber and trim in one piece.
He layed it on the bench and the trim wiggled right out.

[joefrantz]

In addition to the comments about shaping the trim, notice that there is a small hook shape at the bottom of the trim where it fits into the seal groove. When pressed in correctly, the hook engages in the seal with a slight snap. You need to squeeze it into the seal until you feel the snap. If the hook engages properly, it will not need to be taped, and it will not pop out during the roping process.

[j_mancini]

I just replaced my windshield seal following the procedures/order described above. The trim is very easy to bend, and if it's shape is off, it will pop out. Try this - lay the trim on the glass and carefully shape it to fit the complex curvature of the windshield. Try to remove any "wavy" bends - the trim should smoothly follow the windshield shape. When installing the trim, I used pliers with taped jaws to carefully pull the seal out and up from the J-shaped hook on the trim while simultaneously pushing down on the trim. It's tedious, but entirely possible -- as long as the trim is correctly shaped! Once in the seal, the trim did not pop out and no taping was needed. Hope that helps....

[JerryL]

I may be wrong but it also sounds like he is trying to install the windshield without a helper?? taping trim and or to the car?? This will not work, I think you mentioned trying it at the shop with help.
one person will never get a windshield in, you need the 2nd person pushing the windshield "in" in the area you are pulling the rope out.
On the removal they should have cut the seal and everything comes out with no pressure risking breaking it and bending the trim.

It you have it, put windshield on a couple saw horses (the little plastic ones will fit inside the area where seal gos) on a blanket, install the seal then put in the trim to fit (a nice sunny day to warm the seal helps), put the joint covering piece on one part of trim but dont slide it over the joint till done.
Center it in both directions and push it into start to seat, look to see the outer lip of seal is out onto the body, then push in where you start pulling the rope (I like to start at the bottom) then have the person helping you follow you with pressure in.
I do bottom one side and part up A pillar then the same on other bottom then around the top and done.
I also use a modifyed chop stick sanded to a flat chisel typr point to pull any parts of the lip that is not out and flat to the body back out.
There is a thread about using a wooden cabinet / door shim sanded to a large radius to aid fitting the corner if standing out.

I ask the local dealer for a recomendation on doing mine, guys showed up and had never seen a seal like that at this point removing it at the body shop, told them to go away.
Called office to ask how many early cars they did, NONE so cut out glass per manual and read up on it, was easy, get a friend and do it your self.

Regards

[68911USA]

I just had the same problem- the trim kept popping loose at the lower corners when I moved the windshield from my work area over to the car. I gave up, called a guy that luckily did a lot of work on vintage cars. He and a helper spent about half an hour working the trim into the new seal. Part of my problem was the little lip on the trim that grabs the interior edge of the seal was crimped upwards in several places, and they had to use some little tools to get the edge back where it was supposed to be. Once they did that, it gave plenty of surface area to hang in there inside the seal, and it went in just fine. I don't think they used any lubricant. I was amazed at how much quieter the car is with a new windshield seal, too- I had no idea how much wind noise I was getting from that old dried out thing! I think part of the trick is to start working the trim to the right contour at a higher point than where it pops out of the seal. That keeps you from having any obvious ripples or kinks in it, and lets it keep even pressure around the edge. Strong thumbs also help. My two cents, if you have black trim around the front, and shiny elsewhere, it might look a little "off"- keep at it!

[sparkle84]

Could be wrong, but I think the windshields were the same thru '89 and '90 up are different. Might want to check on that.

[Biff]

Check out my link to recent WS problem -

Windshield problems on Carrera

I would go with whatever is speced by Porsche for your application and spend the extra money to purchase an original Porsche rubber seal.

Biff

[Jim Williams]

I recently replaced a windshield using a lot of the info contained in these threads.

Gap between Rubber Windshield Seal & Body
cheap/easy/ not correct wndshld trim strip replacement

Good info...