Author Topic: Help? '67 door glass seal strip & channel installation  (Read 1748 times)

Offline Angela

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Help? '67 door glass seal strip & channel installation
« on: November 24, 2013, 07:50:07 PM »
My first attempt at installing my fastback door glass into the channels failed. The glass wasn't tight enough in the channel and I was able to pull it back out with my hands and moderate force (i.e. the glass didn't *fall* out, but I didn't need a block and hammer to remove it). The stainless steel trim/molding held much better, requiring a block of wood and dead-blow hammer to persuade it to come off again.

I need help/tips to retry setting the glass into the channel.... doing something different so that it stays tight. I suspect either I need different or thicker seal strip or I need to slightly narrow the window channel openings.   

I watched this video several times before attempting this task:

I'm using NOS glass and restored original channels and molding. I removed the original glass from the channels myself and it was VERY difficult to remove the glass. With that said, is it possible that I need to very slightly tighten/close the window channels (using a bench vise) to render a more mechanically sound fit?

I bought the seal strip from NPD. Is there another product you guys would recommend? The stuff from NPD didn't stick to my (clean) glass at all. I gently applied low heat from a heat gun and after 10 minutes or so of alternating heat and pinching by hand, I was able to get the seal strip to form to the glass long enough to attempt installing the channel (first) and stainless molding (second). Perhaps the seal strip from NPD isn't thick enough?

Any other help you guys could give me would be appreciated. Other than watching the above video, I'm not familiar with this process. As described in the video, here's what I did:
(1) aligned the window channel & glass using a straight edge and marked the glass so that I knew where the channel needed to line up so that the molding would go on properly
(2) Applied the seal strip to the bottom of the glass
(3) Using the mark I made in step #1, I used a rubber mallet to gently pound the glass into the channel
(4) Applied the seal strip to the stop and side of the glass
(5) I used a rubber mallet to tap the stainless molding to the glass

Seemed to work, except I could feel the glass wiggling in the channel and the trailing edge of the stainless molding didn't seem to be on all the way

Offline Angela

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Re: Help? '67 door glass seal strip & channel installation
« Reply #1 on: November 24, 2013, 08:39:00 PM »
I have a nagging feeling that someone may have told me that 5/64" thickness setting tape was required between the glass & channel, while 1/16" tape was correct for the stainless steel molding. The stuff I bought from NPD was all 1/16" thick. Perhaps this is the reason my attempt failed?

I also have a vague recollection that someone might have suggested setting tape from a company called Vintique, Inc. Does that sound familiar to anyone?

Offline Angela

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Re: Help? '67 door glass seal strip & channel installation
« Reply #2 on: November 30, 2013, 05:12:30 PM »
For what it's worth, I purchased some 5/64" glass setting tape which I believe should render a better fit between the bottom of the window and the window channel. Additionally, after much searching through several forums, I found someone discussing slight "tweaking" of the width of the window channel itself. I read that the width of the channel could vary significantly along its length, and gentle pressure from a bench vise could slightly adjust the channel to render a (more) consistent width from one end to the other. I am going to retry setting the glass now. I hope the result is better...