White Spyder

The heat has caused the back glass in my convertible top to come loose. I need some suggestions of what to use to glue it back A local glass shop sent me to a ulposter who said i would have to replace the top! The has to be something just hold the glass in place and i know that there is no better place that here to get help

Thanks in advance

Lady72nRob71

What car?

Allan R

Rob
This is the 75 Delta 88 he just bought. Remember the front brake repair and 1200 mile roadtrip?



Whitespider - gotta do some looking on this. It just wouldn't make sense for the vert top to let the glass go. Are there signs of any adhesive holding the glass? Wondering if it's the right stuff.

White Spyder

Yes that is it.

All around the glass there is a pocket sewn into the top and the glass was glued between the flaps of the pocket. Upholstery guy said that when the top was made that there was a special machine that rolled over the edges to seal the adhesive and that is why he could not do anything with it and that I would have to get a new top. He quoted 1300.00 installed.

Allan R

Haven't found the adhesive type yet, but I saw some vids on you tube that showed a guy who had the same problem you do. He re-glued the fabric to the glass and cleaned up the stuff that oozed out. Looked pretty decent.

I think the guy who quoted you 1300 is just trying to use you to pay his alimony or something.

Go to Apple Auto Glass or something like them and ask if they can re-glue it. They replace windows all the time and convertibles would be right up their alley. Just a thought. At least you could find out what kind of adhesive you need to use.

White Spyder

My thought was he was not interested in a 50.00 glue job in the heat and just threw out a hight number. Yours idea sounds better

White Spyder

Tte heat played a major part in the window separation from the top but there was a contributing issue found. The base of each side of the window it lifted into place by a spring loaded arm that seem to not be doing its job. I lubbed up the hinges and it seem to move better but still is not lifting the back glass as high as it should. May be the springs are week but they are fairly strong Any thiughts or hints?

I will post photos when I am not on my iPad

Allan R

Just curious - and truth be told I don't know the answer without some more research - did the car originally have a glass rear window or was it that crappy film stuff? That might explain the springs??? I'll try to find an answer, but it might be worth starting a thread in the big car forum about "75 Vert - Glass or film rear window?" That would address both issues of the spring and the style of glass/film. This post you started was mostly to address the need for re-glue. Now you need to re-focus the vert crowd to your current issue.

66luvr

The trim shop I use, and have used for 30 years, says he cant re-glue the glass windows, he can't get them to hold. He's old school, there are a lot of newer products out there, you may find someone who has succeded in gluing one back in, maybe not.
$1300 for a new top with a glass rear window would be cheap in my area.
Another option may be getting a plastic rear curtain installed for around $250.
Good luck.

White Spyder

Thanks, will post in the other forum.



Did some searching on line today and found a top kit with plastic window, tack strips, cables, staples, glue, pads and instructions for $300. It also has a 5 year warranty. Not bad, I wonder what the labor to install would run.

MDchanic

$1,300 is not an unreasonable price for a quality installation of one of these tops.
They are much more complex and difficult to get right than a normal top, and special expertise (or lots of time and patience) is needed if it is to be done right.
Also, it is likely that bushings and fasteners in the frame will have to be replaced, as they wear and cause problems, and that is another source of expense for both parts and time to properly install them, and completely realign the top mechanism from scratch.

I would not install a cheap top, nor have a cheap installer put it on.

All of the windows were glass, and the arms are designed to pull the window down into a safe position when the top is lowered, not to push it up.

I very seriously doubt that you will be able to successfully glue that glass back into its pocket. The top is shot. You need a new one. I'm still saving up, myself.

- Eric

White Spyder

I see duct tape in my future until I can save up a few bucks.

MDchanic

Now you're talkin' my language.

True Americans do not fear duct tape - they embrace it.

- Eric

Allan R

After having learned from their Zamboni driving neighbors to the north

Rickman48

I'd be going to the 3M websight, or even giving them a call.
Adhesives have come a long way in the past few years!

MDchanic

We're all Americans, Allan, US, Canadian, and Mexican
(and Central and South America as well:
Think about it - duct tape is one of the few universal constants from Yellowknife down to Tierra del Fuego -
you might say it binds the hemisphere together! ).

- Eric

Allan R

Eric, see my PM. It was too political for this forum

White Spyder

Took some time yesterday to work on a temporary solution for the rear glass. I found an outdoor high temp glue from Lock-Tite that listed glass and leather as materials that it would bond.

I used ratchet straps on the afore mentioned arms that are attached to the rear glass to lift the glass a bit while the top was raised and supported about 10 inches. Laid a bead of the glue on the glass and put it in place. I secured it with Gorilla Tape and did it again on the underside.

After letting it sit for 12 hours I put the top back into position successfully.

Will let all know how it works out

hookem horns

I've heard of some success using trim tape.
http://www.amazon.com/3M-Automotive-...=pd_sim_auto_2

White Spyder

Got home last night from a work trip and the repair has FAILED. Neither the glue or tape held. ARRRGH! I am going to try again with a 3M automotive product as soon as I can get it.

Allan R

Sorry to hear. 3M has quite a range of adhesives. Hope you find the right one.

Al Graaf

I like your current disclaimers now....

Allan R

It came to me courtesy of a non practising lawyer who's a member of this site.

White Spyder

My brother is in road construction and said that they use 3m VHB (very high bonding) tape #4910 and #4010 to do sign overlays and it is hurricane rated. It is expensive but can hold a large traffic signs over head. He is going to send me 10 feet to try.

Al Graaf

You ever get your white over flow tank done?

Allan R

It's had enzyme cleaner in it for the past month and is starting to look a lot better. Short answer to your question though - Nope. Not yet.

rroth01

Duct Tape the Handymans Secret Weapon..If Women dont find you Handsome..They should at least find you Handy..

White Spyder

Tape arrived a few days ago. Lifted the top and supported it 10" at the windshield with a small box. Un zipped the zipper above the glass and cleaned the pocket that holds the glass. I used tie-down straps to pull the bottom glass support forward to release all stress at the point of repair. With the glass supported from inside I placed the tape on the outside first and used a seam roller to press the top material onto the tape. Did the same on the inside and then used black duct tape to hold everything in place. Did not touch anything for 72 hours. So far, it is holding but it has not been as hot lately. Temps go up again thi week so we will see.

Allan R

So far so good. Got some pics of the repair?

White Spyder

It failed been near 100 and very humid i am trying to contact 3M to find out what they think

bdub217

I suggest you jb weld that thing in there........ then take some good silicone (clear) or black if you're good =.0 and seal it up inside and out..........you can find a rubber trim to make your own trim ring outside........ just some thoughts i wish it was here i'd help you out for free =) well a cruise in it at least.........

bdub217

Oh, don't break the window after J.B. welding it in there. ........You know this ...I know this ...... will be messy.

White Spyder

When I relive the pressure on the top by raising it slightly the pocket that the glass fits in meets up with the edges easily. When the top is secured the is a lot of pull and on the fabric along the upper edge and that is where it fails.

I have thought about other options like JB Weld but with the constant movement on the glass I think a product that hardens would crack and fail as well. However I might be getting to the point of no other options.

One that I am thinking about is making a flat aluminum bar inside and out to sandwich the top and glass with screws going through both. I will post a drawing soon.

White Spyder

OK here is what I am thinking. Use some thin metal bar stock inside and out side to keep a "grip" on the top material. This would be held in place with some small bolts going through the top material just above the seam for the window pocket using grommets to go through the top. The pocket would be filled with a glass epoxy and the grommets sealed with silicone.

Thoughts, comments or improvements?

Did a drawing in MS paint but can not get it to attach

MDchanic

I hate to be the one to say it, but you could go through a lot of time and trouble to get it almost right for a short while, or you could just put on a top.

Not what I'd want to hear either, but you know in your heart what you must do...

- Eric

bdub217

Would something like that work? use those brackets on both sides to sandwich it like you said and then trim it out......

obviously we wont put square brackets on a rounded corner but i wasnt finding a good pic to use with square edges.

White Spyder

Yea I know but right now I need a solution to keep water out while I build the funds needed for a new top.

White Spyder

The issue is at the top of the glass not the corners. Similar idea though.

MDchanic

In that case, for a practical, functional repair "for the duration," I'd recommend (with apologies) removing the glass and using an appropriate adhesive to glue some clear, thick plastic in there (an auto top place may be willing to sell you some proper window plastic). With its much lower weight, the plastic should seal up just fine.

- Eric

bdub217

plexi glass at mendards - cheap and various thickness i replaced a sunroof in a saturn with it, never had a leak or problems =)