72hardtop

Looking for help on the rear window seal on my '73 Omega. I found a hatchback lid to replace my rusty one, and currently have it at the body shop. Today they painted the inside of the lid but before they paint the outside, they needed to pull the non-tinted window out.

They then went to clean up the seal left behind from the rear window but found it very difficult to do so, they even called me asking if I knew of any solvent that might dissolve the rubber like seal so they didn't need to continue to scrape it off the metal.

When it's all done, we need to install my tinted glass on the lid.

Does anyone have any idea of what might be used to easily remove this seal? They described it to be like a rubber coating so I'm not sure if the previous owner was trying to fix a leaky rear window.

Thanks in advance for any help that might be offered.

seansolds

If no one is sure what the chemical was used to adhere the glass to the body, then my experience would be scrape it down to the metal and use a metal primer. Most REPUTABLE body shops would be able to recommend a good glass adhesive system, which consists of a pinch weld primer, a glass frit primer and urethane adhesive that work together. Such as Sika product or Essex. The fact that they went to you for answers for clean up frightens me a little. You may want to call a local professional glass company to get involved. Hope this helps.
Sean

CRUZN 66

I would check with a professional automotive glass installer such as Safelite...

joe_padavano

The factory installation used a urethane adhesive. If you read the Fisher Body Manual, you'll find that the recommended approach is NOT to remove the old urethane unless you need to for rust or paint repair. You pretty much need to cut it off with a knife.

You can get urethane in a tube or butyl tape for installing the glass. I've used the tape, but the urethane is better. Again, read the Fisher Body manual for proper techniques. If your shop doesn't know how to do this, I'd find another.

72hardtop

Thanks everyone, yes, I was very concerned when I got this call. I just went to them to paint/swap glass/install a 'new' hatchback lid. Telling them that once we had the funds, we would return to have them complete the rest of the body work/re-paint the entire car. Now with everything I've been through, I'm just hoping I get out of there with the hatch lid correct and find someone else to complete the rest of the work.

72hardtop

What a nightmare, so my hatchback lid has been at this body shop for 11 weeks, they have had major turnover with their managers and I had to get pretty shitty in my last discussions to move the project forward.

So now the hatchback lid is painted both inside and out, but I noticed that they did paint right over the urethane adhesive, so now I need to have them put that back on right?

Then their glass guy thought that there was a rubber seal that went around the glass before it gets in installed. I called Classic Industries (as they carry Nova/x-body parts), and they only have that rubber seal for the early 60's Nova's.

Joe, just like you said, it sounds like there is no rubber seal so they should just use urethane. I think their glass guy has never touched anything this old.

I did find my '73 Fisher Body Manual, I'll look in there to get additional info for proper techniques.

At this point I've pretty much lost all confidence in this body shop, I think I'll probably just go over there and pick up the hatchback lid without them doing any other work, then take it to someone else to complete the job.

Koda

Dude, make like a bucket and BAIL.

72hardtop

Thanks Koda, that's exactly what I'm doing. Just got off the phone with them to let them know I'm on my way to pay for the paint job and i'm bailing to find someone that knows what the hell they are doing to finish the job.

72hardtop

New body shop, in and out in one day to mount the new hatchback lid and install the glass.