Wondering what the pros and cons are of either using a urethane glue to put the windshield in or gasket for a 55 olds 88.98 etc if I glue it then I can do it myself if it takes the gasket then it's going to take somebody far more familiar with that then and myself just wondering what your guys thoughts were

 

they are set in rubber and upper stainless trim goes into rubber on top of windshield

 

I understand that the gasket was there used on the top for mounting purposes but the deciding factor for myself is I can do it by myself if I glue it in whereas if I put a gasket in then it's going to take at least two maybe three people depending on everybody's experience they actually put the gasket in and it's going to take a minimum of a half day with a gasket on three people so I can glue it in and just few hours Time by myself and just set it in let it cure

 

These windshields don't use any type of glue.
And you can't simply glue one in like you can with a modern car
The windshield is sealed and retained by a rubber gasket that surrounds the glass edges.
The rubber gasket should be new, Steele Rubber is a good source.
The old rubber seal may be cut with a box cutter to remove the old windshield.
The new rubber is installed on the glass.
Then a 1/8 inch nylon cord is placed in the channel that goes in the "pinchweld" in the window opening
The ends of the cord should be at bottom center '
Place the windshield bottom on the pinchweld.
Have two assistants apply pressure on the windshield while you pull evenly on the cord so it pulls the rubber past the pinchweld.
If you spray soapy water on the rubber it makes this job much easier.
All of this can be done after you have removed all the windshield trim, as mentioned before.

The 1955 Oldsmobile shop manual is a must for this job.

 

I understand what the manual says and I have done a rear window so I'm familiar with the process the gist of the question is is I can put the windshield in by myself with me in a caulking gun otherwise it takes a small army of people that you have to coordinate to get it all done at one time so the question really ultimately is is there a reason why I can't glue it in place you know is there some kind of a safety reason you know structural reason glass breaking reason etc etc that says that one's better than the other but I can't believe that since they abandoned the gasket you know in the first a cheaper method of doing it anyhow on the newer cars

 

Lay the glass in the opening and you will see why you can't simply glue it in. Later windshields that glue in, lay on top of a pinchweld, then trim covers the edge of the glass and the glue area. The earlier rubber mounted windows do not lay over the pinchweld. The rubber fills a gap between the glass and the body. If you lay the glass on top of the lower pichweld, you will have a huge gap at the top.