Hi Guys,

I've had a fair bit of time off lately so I'm putting a lot of it into getting the primer base coat on the 51.

I've done well, and am down to the cab and the doors. The doors I'll take off and prime/paint/install new chrome wings/inside panels yadda yadda alll at the same time, then put them back on finished.

I'd like to sand and prime the cab (truck is all put together and running and I'm not taking it apart to blast and prime). But, want to pop out the windshield and back window and be sure to take care of any rust/bare spots when I do it. Then prime withthe glass out (also paint around the glass mounting surfaces)

When I reassemble the glass, I had planned to install it with the new rubber pieces I bought.

Problem is, I now have a Stainless Windshield Trim piece I didn't have before, and I want to install it when I put the windshield back in (have the correct new rubber to do this). But the fool at the chrome shop ("it'll be done in 3 weeks" - January 29th) who is supposed to polish it, told me today that he got a big contract from "a buddy he couldn't say no to" and all my stuff got bumped to the back of the line.


x2!!

Question: Can I take my windshield out, do what I've got to do, reinatall it with the notched rubber for the trim and drive the truck WITHOUT THE TRIM INSTALLED AND INSTALL THE TRIM PIECE LATER?

Thanks guys!

Julie

 

The short answer is no. The stainless goes on the rubber, then the rubber on the glass. The window has to be out to install the stainless trim.

 

actually I thought it was rubber goes on the glass, stainless goes in the rubber (now that it is stable) and then whole thing goes in.

net is still no.. can't put it in after the glass is in..

Sam

 

Thanks for correcting me. My error.

 

The shop manual says to install the trim after the windshield is in, that's a bunch of hooey. I've had my windshield out a few times and it's a pain to get in but the only way I've been able to do is install the glass in the rubber, insert the trim in the rubber, leaving the bottom parts dangle and then install the windshield. After the windshield is in pry in the bottom of the trim with a nylon windshield tool.

 

What's the hurry to get it back in????Get EVERYTHING else finished first...if your polisher is STILL backed up, take it somewhere else....but "mate's rate" discount usually puts you behind the big rent-paying jobs.....often followed by a guilt-ridden 'extra eye on quality' job for your delayed part!!!!So get crackin on ALL that other stuff first!!! Take the opportunity to get some NICE pinstriping done on the dash....and get the cowl vent and wiper set up fully sorted and lubed up while you've got the windscreen out and access is easy.....and buff the top of the freshly repainted dash top etc.If you're REALLY DESPERATE...it won't cost any money to pop the old screen and rubber (or one from a parts truck) back in temporarily til the shiny new one is ready!!!

 

Hmmmmm -

Well I count two definate plain NO's, and a NO but do it different, and some great ideas that I could do I guess (cowel vent and wiper are already done and I won't paint the dash top until I get the windshield rubber off the inside edge). I'm in no HURRY, that goes with restoration like oil and water.

I guess I could start on the insulation or something. (can't do the doors, he's got the spare wings and window rail too).

Never thought I'd get to a point with this thing where I'd get far enough along that I had trouble finding things to do - guess I should be happy - close to getting finished. I just want to do things in the right order so I don't "run over" past work.

I'm just not sure when this guy is going to be done. I don't want to take it apart until I have the trim - I do drive the truck quite a bit (lately, I seem to drive which ever one has GAS IN IT!).

Oh well, guess I'll either have to wait, or get the guts to polish it myself. I guess with all this time I could polish it by hand instead of using a wheel. I still have visions of that post that was on here about 4 months ago where the buffer ate that poor guys door panel - or whatever it was. YIKES!

Thanks guys

J!

 

Julie,
Polishing parts yourself is not a big deal. With that said I think that polishing the windshield trim ring could be the most difficult. I have not done mine yet but being that it is so floppy I plan to wire it to a plywood back board and then polish it with a polishing wheel on a die grinder (3 inch polishing wheel). The chance of catching it in a larger stationary buffing wheel and as a minimum twisting it into a pretzel, worst case getting tied up in the pretzel with the associated injury is very real. In short not a job to be rushed.

 

49willard.

Yes......exactly. That's what makes me nervious. And they are getting really hard to find a spares - expensive too. It's big and clumsey but VERY easy to "tweek."

I like the plywood/die grinder-polisher idea - very clever!

Thanks,
Julie

 

I've seen the windshield trim go for over $250 on the 'Bay. I've gotten lucky, I got my last one for $10 at a swap meet. The guy had a rusty hulk of a cab that didn't have a decent part on it except the trim. I asked how much he wanted, he said,"$10", I had it off in about five minutes. It's really easy to it off if you have a pocket knife, rotted rubber and don't have to worry about breaking the windshield or scratching paint.

 

Know what's really funny about this hobby?

You could have a truck with good front fenders (that as parts cost about $600/pair) the Stainless Windshield Trim (at $250); good radiator (at $200) engine and tranny ($1000);
Complete dash and working gauges ($200), Seat (at $250) and every expensive part we buy, Etc Etc. and you couldn't sell that truck for $2000 unrestored as a whole.

My neighbor was given a 46 chevy stake bed (not running) COMPLETE and tried to sell it for $500 - no buyers. Started taking it apart and with just fenders, radiator, and that Stove Bolt Grille sold have made over $2000----that's nuts!

J!

 

I told my wife if I would croke off in the near future I don't want her to sell as a whole lot, I want her to sell it off piece by piece. I figure just by what I have seen on uPay and at the swap meets lately, I have over $20-25K worth of parts, or as she calls it, "Junk". I took her if she had someone come in and offer her $1000 for the whole lot I would come back and haunt her for the rest of her life.

I have had at last count 15+ '48-52 trucks, I have only lost money on one, and that one I pretty much broke even. Every other one I bought low, kept the parts I needed and sold the rest for parts for 100-200% than what I pay for them. Of course I spent time picking them up, tearing them apart and selling the parts and scrap but that's the most fun part of this hobby, other than driving the trucks.

 

Why couldn't you go ahead and install the windshield w/ new rubber now; and then, when you get the stainless back, take the glass out (being careful not to cut the rubber), install the stainless, and re-install it all?

 

Absolutely not reason at all - good point!

You're talking to an intermediate clutz though (I've graduated from basic clutz). So, two opportunities to break it instead of one is a challenge.


...Still amazed that the manual acutally tells you to use a piece of string! Can you imagine someone writing that in instructions today. (wonder what the special tool number of "string" is - tee hee)

J!