924Board.org

[Martijnus]

So my crashed porsche is, after more than one year, almost completely stripped.

I decided to try to get the windshield out, to sell it and to see if I can do it without breaking it.

I removed the window trim parts.. .how should it be done? I bent all that stuff..

I got myself a cheese cut wire, which is just a wire...to cut cheese.

If it's good enough for cheese, it'll do the windshield sealant too... just have to get it in somewhere.

any advice on the whole procedure? Haven't got suckers to grasp the windshield but who cares.

Remind me to make some pics before it's off to the scrapyard.
_________________
"Rule: Turbo's make torque, and torque makes fun." (C. Bell)

924 "50-jahre", 1981.
MSII/extra, LPG, ITB's, 5lug.
To be turbo'ed in a while.
Killed her at the Nurburgring, Porscheless at the moment

[bnoon]

I've used stainless braided wire before but it was a bitch. I started it with a piece of clothes hanger that I poked through at the bottom center of the windshield. If I were to do it again, I would get one of these http://www.amazon.com/Windshield-Removal-Tool/dp/B0040CX7JU and hopefully have a MUCH easier time. The guy who replaced my Silverado windshield had this type of tool and it literally took him 5 minutes to get the old windshield out of the truck.
_________________
'80 924 Turbo - SOLD!
1986 Porsche 944 Turbo - SOLD!
Porscheless

[Fifty50Plus]

So far I've pulled 4 and they were all a pain. I used the professional glass windshield sealant cutting tool once ( biggest PITA) and guitar strings the other three times. The first guitar string might be about the same as your cheese wire. I used that once and the 3rd string the other times.
With the guitar strings, use a whole one. First drill a hole in the sealant from the inside and pass the string through the hole. Tie both ends of the guitar string around wooden dowels (like used in a garrote) and then start pulling the two dowels towards you while you "saw" them. You will have one arm stretched out on the outside of the windshield and the other inside the driver compartment. PITA but it works.
I found that windshields that were original were easier to cut the old dried sealant rather than one that had been recently replaced with the newer stickier urethane - they would re-glue themselves unless you propped the windshield up slightly while working your tool around.
Enjoy
_________________
1979 924 NA race car H-Prod SCCA
1982 924 NA race car - Sold
1981 924 Turbo sold
1982 924 Turbo sold
1972 911 E race car - traded for Cayenne Diesel
1975 914 1.8 Building for H-Prod SCCA

[MRPETE]

Guitar string is the only way to go Trust me don't ask
Pete
_________________
'77 924
"81 924
Lots o' Corvairs

[924RACR]

I've used proper cutting string; we also have a tool that looks a lot like a knife with a 90-deg bend near the tip.

Be patient, take plenty of time. Cut it completely out 3 times before you try to lever it out. Keep re-cutting it as you go.

It also helps to leave the car in the sun for the better part of a day beforehand, as this will soften up the sealant and make it easier to cut. I've done it in the winter, really is tough.
_________________
Vaughan Scott
Webmeister
'79 924 #77 SCCA H Prod racecar
'82 931 Plat. Silver
#25 Hidari Firefly P2 sports prototype

[Martijnus]

thanks for all the tips! The wire I have has loops at both ends so I can insert dowels or whatever (or bolts...dunno yet) It's a bit short though... about 30cm. (1 feet/EU-dicklength)

As far as I could see, the sealant was flexible and soft... don't know what to expect..

I found out that a suction tool to lift it is very very very cheap (5eu/7dorrah or so) so maybe I'll try to find one just in case. why bother when the tools are cheap.

Intuitively I was thinking of the way fifty50plus mentioned... getting the string/wire through and sawing it out. I worked with cheese and these specific wires, so I have some feeling about the maximum load they can take... we'll see how it holds.
It's rainy and I don't have much time so it'll be in a few days.

I'm afraid I'll crack the glass when I try to break through the sealant before I can insert the wire.
_________________
"Rule: Turbo's make torque, and torque makes fun." (C. Bell)

924 "50-jahre", 1981.
MSII/extra, LPG, ITB's, 5lug.
To be turbo'ed in a while.
Killed her at the Nurburgring, Porscheless at the moment

[Fifty50Plus]

as BNOON said, poke a hole in it with cloths hanger wire. I used a small drill bit about the same diameter. Do it from the inside of the car and have your drill bit or hanger wire in the same plane as the windshield. That's the easy and non risky part.
I did one like BNOON and started in the middle of the dashboard and I thought that was harder than starting in the middle of one of the A pillars. Work down both A pillars, then work up the A pillars, then work across the roof. Then you can prop up the glass a bit (or use your suction tool) and slightly slant the glass away from the roof. Then the dashboard/bottom part of the windshield will be easier to do.
Chuck
_________________
1979 924 NA race car H-Prod SCCA
1982 924 NA race car - Sold
1981 924 Turbo sold
1982 924 Turbo sold
1972 911 E race car - traded for Cayenne Diesel
1975 914 1.8 Building for H-Prod SCCA

[Martijnus]

Ok it's out.

But it cracked.

I got myself a nice suction cup for 4 eur!
Together with a friend I decided to do it and I used some electricity wire (solid core) to get through the sealant and pull the cheese wire through, in the lower corner of the a pillar on the driver's side.

Once it was a bit through, I told the friend to pull it further through with pliers... but instead of pulling perpendicular on the windshield, he pulled 'right up', immediately cracking the window. A crack of about 15cm appeared.
This was exactly what I was afraid of and mentioned a few posts before

Decided to proceed just to see how it would go. Got the wire all around in the sawing motion, which works perfect. Teaming up makes it easier for the long parts (top and bottom).

The sealant indeed stuck back together so I made two rounds and with the suction cup I pulled the window a bit outward, it's easier to just push from the inside though. When a small gap appeared I filled it up with some strips to avoid contact to the sealant.

Just like a tire I got it cleared from the pillars and it came off.

I taped the sealant remains and placed the shield back, because I can't sell it and it's easier if its still in. The crack became bigger when I tried to pop the window out. When there's a small crack, it quickly becomes bigger.

Its too bad this all happened, can't help it.. but I rather had destroyed the windshield myself so I would know how to create a crack
Took some pics, will upload them soon if they're useful.

Hope someone can benefit from this topic in the future.


oh btw.. there was some sort of copper wire embedded in the sealant...any idea why this is? I don't think it is to ease removal...
_________________
"Rule: Turbo's make torque, and torque makes fun." (C. Bell)

924 "50-jahre", 1981.
MSII/extra, LPG, ITB's, 5lug.
To be turbo'ed in a while.
Killed her at the Nurburgring, Porscheless at the moment