Sunday 05/03/2020 I didn't do too much car stuff.
I have a friend who used to work for Safelite Auto Glass who I convinced to come help me install the front and rear windscreens.
Before Eric got here, I installed both seals onto the windows and cleaned the seals and car/flanges therein. I then decided (against my better judgement) to try to use the aluminum trim (I hate that stuff.) in the big windows as it was still quite black and I had it.
I set about straightening the trim for the rear windscreen. It went pretty smoothly, and everything I've read said the rear window is wicked easy to pop in. So I figured I'd give it a go and either succeed or learn something before Eric arrived. What happened next is the stuff of legend.
I installed the trim into the seal, now wrapped lovingly around the window.
Then, I installed the soap-on-the-rope in the seal.
I next soaped the window frame/flange/opening/cavity/hole/orifice/you get the point.
I dropped the window in, rope to the inside, flange approximately in the vicinity of correct.
Next came firm pressure from my right hand and I pulled the rope with my left.
The seal flipped right over the flange like the tales I'd heard. Feeling pretty good, right? Right.
So I get the driver's side seated about 1/3 of the way up the C-pillar and move to the passenger's side. Same story. No drama.
I'm feeling good, but still apprehensive. I don't trust those insolent trim bits...but so far, we're still on the same team.
I move back to the driver's side. I take it up around the corner. Home stretch. I stop 6-8 inches (150-200mm) from center and switch sides.
I get both sides up and around their respective final corners and move back to the driver's side. I'm right handed and wanted to be able to push the glass with my right and rope with my left.
As I draw the rope to seat the last few inches, the trim bits butted into each other...and erupted out of the seal.
First confusion, then swearing, then removal of the whole assembly to start all the way over.
Best I can tell, the savagery used to remove them before I got the car caused them to stretch a bit. My gentle massaging back into shape may or may not have helped.
So I trimmed ~3-4mm off each end. #foolmeonce
Second verse, same as the first...except it plopped right into place and the crowd went wild.
Circling back, I learned something AND succeeded.
So I moved on to the front. Here, I'm quite certain a claw hammer was used to remove the trim bits.
The picture is absolute ****e, but the white spots on the edge of the trim are actually the bare aluminum corners of creases where the trim was ripped out of the car. Neither I nor the trim were excited about this development.
It took me over an hour to persuade the trim bits back into 90% correct shape. I then spent another 40 minutes or so installing the trim (and making small adjustments) into the seal. Once the trim and seal were in place, I placed some big spring clamps on the corners and where the top and bottom seams were to hold it all together while I took a wee break.
Eric showed up about that time, so we caught up a little bit and discussed what I'd learned doing the rear window.
We jumped right in using a similar approach. Except we had a dashboard to contend with this time....and the windshield is living very openly in all three dimensions compared to the relatively flat rear window...and the trim was extra insolent.
If our first attempt had been a baby bird, it'd be a sad, flat bird on the ground 30 feet (9.5m) below the nest.
Our second was better, but you don't need to Rasputin to know where this is going.
Round 3...FIGHT!
We greased and cleaned and wrastled and fought the seal, but in the end we got that surly bish to do our bidding.
It took 4 or 5 attempts to get the windshield passably clean. My fingers were not so lucky. I still have grey around the cuticles and frankly, that is just gross. There will be more scrubbing tonight to remove the offending dirts.
Eric had to jet and my hands and fingers had enough of me, so I packed it in and Kelly and I ate pizza on the couch and watched the Masked Singer. (not a paid endorsement)
I need to reassess and rewrite my list and I'll have a better idea where I'm heading next.
Also, I think the calipers are all seized up. Booster holds vacuum but the pedal is very high and very hard and braking performance is midway between laughable and concerning.
I'll see all you little Hulkamaniacs soon.