Packard Forum Index » Post-War (1946-54)

Hi

Now we are getting to the tail end of my restoration we seem to be hitting quite a few silly little snags - very annoying !

This one concerns the windshield and rear window chrome inserts to the new Steele Rubber surrounds. After a lot of prep.time, stuggling, pushing, cracking one piece of the windshield, waiting time for latter etc. the glass was in and the rubbers nice and straight - - - AH ! but the chrome which had come out so easily refuses to go back.

I have the Service Manual Section IV but P24-P27 makes no mention of the chrome pieces.

Anyone out there any ideas about what we are doing wrong ? or perhaps a secret tip or two on how to achieve ?

Best regards Michael

I may have bad news for you. On cars I am familiar with you have to put the chrome on before you install the window.

I hope there is some other way of doing it on a Packard but on other cars I have worked on, if you don't put the chrome in first you have to take the window back out.

If it makes you feel any better I learned this the same way you did.

Hi Rusty

Looks like you and me are the ONLY ONES on this one ?

I was hoping for more input.

I've put your information to my Restorer and he's going to remove the rear screen and try your method. He does however think that it "seems strange" - his words not mine !!

I'll report back to this topic on the results.

Thanks again Michael

Don't know about the rear, but the front stainless slips over the body flange around the opening before the rubber and glass are installed.

The rear is the same. The chrome goes on first which has some kind of glue in the inside grove. Then attach that to the body. Next rubber then window.

Thanks jsa and Ross

So three people now say stick the chrome bits in first then the rubbers and glass - got to be right YES !!

Many thanks - this is more like the response I have come to expect from Pack.info. - great !

Best regards to all three. Michael

Can't say for certain about a '48 but when I replaced the windshields on my '47 Super Clipper the stainless went on first around the body opening and then the rubber.

Thanks Dave

Numbers in favor of putting the chrome in first creeping up - I'm getting more confident that this is the way we'll have to go - pity the glass and rubbers have to come out.

How about DIFFICULTY guys ? Any experiences during this work would help a great deal.

Best regards Michael

Packard manual also mentions using a windshield sealer and to make sure it fills the spaces which may be the adhesive someone else mentioned going into the chrome flange. There are some clear and fairly liquid types on the market and believe it would take one of those to wick inside and fill the spaces. On a lot of the other rubber installs from various years they mention using liquid soap as a lubricant when trying to slide glass in the rubber. Might help.

Quote:
Funny you should ask. When I had my '47 painted the windshield glass ,a gasket and stainless were removed. The paint shop broke a new pane of glass, twisted the stainless and then told that they didn't know how to put the windshield in even though they had a glass installer remove it in the first place who was equally inept. I took it to an automotive glass shop, that I have trusted with my modern cars, and the two owners told me that it would be almost impossible to replace the glass even with the manual and refused to even try and that I should never have removed it!
I read the manual over a few times and asked a friend to come over and help me. I sealed the stainless in place using a thin bead of silicone sealant which held the piece in place around the body opening. I wrapped a string around the rubber as per manual instructions and then mounted the glass in the rubber. My friend pushed on the glass one pane at a time from inside the car using a suction cup I bought at Harbor Freight while I pull on the string from the outside carefully wrapping the lip of the rubber around the stainless trim. I lubricated the rubber with soapy water in a spray bottle as I move along. We then moved along to the second pane. In all it took about 15-25 minutes to complete the job. So much for asking the help of glass "experts" when dealing with antique cars. It is easily doable and I would suggest that you carefully read the manual and you should be fine doing it yourself (with a helper).