Been doing a frame off restore on my '74 F-100 for years now, it's going to be a daily driver not a trailer queen.
The possibility of moving across the state in a few months has got me wanting to seal up the cab for transport.
I have the newly painted cab mounted on the frame. The cab has nothing in it, it's bare to the firewall.

I have been calling around the city to only find out no glass business wants to come out or able to install a windshield for me.
Most say it's too old and to find a specialty restoration shop, the others wont return calls. So it looks like I'll have to do it myself.

I researched the process and it looks like a chore I'd really rather pay to have done, but doable.
So now I need to source a gasket and glass, (clear glass / no stainless trim.)

Thinking about ordering the glass and seal from LMC, is this a good choice?
Anyone have a good experience with a particular brand?

Thanks!!

 

If you have never installed glass before, do not attempt to do it by yourself. If you have installed glass before, do not attempt to do it by yourself. I used to install automotive glass. Rear windows aren't too difficult to get done by yourself but still much easier with two people. Installing a windshield that are not glued in with urethane really requires two people to get the glass installed without cracking it or ripping the weatherstrip.

The installation isn't overly difficult, but you should have someone in the cab pulling the rope and someone outside pressing on the glass slightly behind where the rope is coming out. Going around the corners is the tricky part and requires some finesse and use of a "hook tool" in addition to the rope.

To make the job easier make sure you have a can of the foamy glass cleaner (comes in a blue/white can) and use that liberally as a lube as you pull on the rope. You will need a couple large suction cups too to hold the glass, having a couple pair of cups is even better, you can have a couple inside the cab to help pull on the glass while roping it in and the cups outside will help to get the windshield into position and give the person outside something to grab onto to shift the glass around as needed.

You might check around at the local body shops, a body shop that deals with classic cars is even better. In some cases they have someone on staff that knows how to install glass using a rope, but in many cases they will know an independent glass tech that they call to the shop when they need glass removed or installed and all that person does is bounce between all the body shops in town doing glass removal and are set up to be mobile.

If you can't find someone that has done it before, find a competent friend to help you out and both of you head to YouTube university and watch some videos together before attempting. It would not be a bad idea, if you have the old windshield still, to practice roping that one in first and if you do crack something, oh well, you didn't mess up your new glass.

Good luck!

 

Those shops are trash and are doing you a favor. There are lots of places that only do the new glue in style windshields.

If nothing else, call safelite as they will install fresh glass for you. But… if you keep looking, you’ll find someone independent that knows how to do the old rope-in windshields. Those people will default to cheap Chinese glass but if you ask, they might be able to source a piece of OEM car lite glass for a few bucks more. I recommend this.

where do you live? Perhaps someone here can offer a recommendation.

 

Between my painter buddy and a customer who was at his shop helping him ...and later my local glass shop, my '77's W-S was out and back in 3 times due to rubber issues, finally used the rubber with no lock strip groove, in 2022. The part I was so pleased about was NO BREAKAGE. My buddy and the shop both use the rope in method. In my case, my '77 originally had the chrome mylar type insert that served as a lock strip, and each time we tried they tore in the last corner. Lastly, I just ordered the solid rubber, no channel, and it fit fine. Looks good too .... and no chrome mylar to fail.

 

Put a back glass in it (or PIECE OF PLY WOOD) in the cab against the back wall and load it backwards on the trailer for the trip....Yes those glass shops that will not do it, are NOT REAL windshield/glass shops. Good thing you are moving across the state to get away from them.

Trying it by yourself, and or with a helper and using the rope trick and a regular style seal might work, and you might crack it. But if you just have to seal it for the road trip worth the risk I guess.

 

I'm "in the business" per say and had a hard time finding someone. (Dealership parts/service/body shop)
Three well known glass shops never returned multiple calls. (including Safelite)
One said not interested.
One moonlighter broke two pieces of glass and just never came back or returned calls.
One smaller company trying to make an impression came out. Got 90% in but had to send a different guy to finally get it done. (We now use them at work for all glass needs)

The chrome lock strip is a bit wiggled at top side and one faint scratch on inside upper corner. Six months later the "chrome" is faded/gone. I laugh when thinking that the wife and I were going to try it ourselves.

 

That chrome lock strip on mine was replaced in 1989, as was the rubber, at an old shop well versed in it, but after a number of years the chrome mylar was white. I just "lived" with it.

In 2022, I knew after putting it in and out those times, the stretch marks from wrinkles, it was trashed.

 

I feel your pain OP. It took me months and months to find a guy who was capable of doing it. Don't even bother with Safelite or other big corporations, they'll laugh you out of there since all they have these days are relatively unskilled employees who can't do much else other than use a glue gun. Our truck has been sitting and waiting at a local hot rod shop who has a "glass guy" but he's very busy and in high demand. There are 5 other cars at the shop waiting for glass. I'm trying to be patient and I don't really have another choice. Don't even bother trying to do it yourself. Go around to all of the performance and resto shops and ask who they use. I bet you'll be able to find someone but you'll most likely have to wait for the guy to get around to it. Best of luck.

 

I see that you are in Nebraska. Check with Pat, the NE Chapter Leader. He might be able to help.
I had a windshield installed in my 79 F150 about 40 years ago by a local auto glass company. Still in good shape and not leaking although the body is shot.

 

Every area has a classic glass shop you just have to find them. ask a local car club or someone like that.

As far as the rubber goes you want Precision brand, not great but the bust on the market. for the glass everything I found was made in Mexico, the standard glass often has some abnormalities so I paid for the Carlite brand. it's the same glass they just pick the best ones and put the markings on it.

Since you don't have the stainless trim it won't be that bad to install. with it is a nightmare.

 

X10 new rubber soapy water for the rope to soak in. Plenty of soap. 16 years at glass shop only broke 1 windshield, only cause boss said push harder. 23 years at Deeres broke 1 windshield, the glass handler dropped it. Wife and I have done them at home, too old for that now.

 

Back in my youth, my friends & I did our own windshield installations, as we had no money, & we didn't know that it was hard. We found out what we were doing was hard years later, after successful installations, after reading up on it. It just never dawned on us, we did what had to be done.

I do recall the first time I helped with a gasket windshield on my brother's 66 F100. All we knew was rope in the groove in the gasket, push the windshield in from the outside, pull the rope. What we missed was the gasket goes on the windshield, not the cab! Doesn't work the way we tried! No youtube or forums to look to for guidance back in those days. Someone in the know clued us in to the right way, it went in with little drama.

When I redid my 79 F150 20 years ago I had the glass company with the best price send a guy out to my place to install a new windshield. With all the fresh paint, I really didn't want to mess it up. This was with the original gasket in mint condition, they just don't deteriorate here where the sun doesn't shine. A young guy came, looked at the cab, said keep it in the (pretty tight fit) garage, too hot to work out in the driveway. I offered my help, as I had experience installing windshields."Nope, I'll get it myself" was the answer. It took all of 10 minutes for him to install the windshield. Never a leak, not a mark on the new paint, sure is nice looking thru new glass. I was planning on doing the rear window myself, but he said he'd do it for a $20. Sold! Done in 5 minutes. He got a couple more $20's as a tip. I guess those days, and installers are history.

 

The benefit you had was the presence of friends who knew what they were doing and were willing to help. I don’t know anyone that I feel comfortable enough with to ask them for help who even knows how to change their own oil.

 

I was thinking the same thing. I replaced the windshield and slider in my 77.5. A few years later I swapped out my 77.5 cab with a 79, then had to swap the glass. Both times I was in my late teens and early twenties.

Now I’m 57 doing a frame off restoration, and everyone has me second guessing whether I’m going to get the glass out and in with a friend. I was hoping to reenact the whole thing with a friend and twelve pack. I hope god still protects fools and babies.

Come to think about it, last times it was outdoors in the summer. This time it will be winter in a garage. I wonder if that will raise the difficulty?

 

Yeah, I was hoping on Safelite, they have done several vehicles for me before.
Here's a snipit from their online help:

Wesley D (8/14/2024, 6:28:31 PM): Unfortunately, our tech said that they will not be able to do the work. The note states"Comments to Provider:
REPAIR / REPLACEMENT NOT POSSIBLE. too old of vehicle."

I'm near Lincoln, NE I would have thought someone would be able to do it.