windshield lip repairs

[Bleyseng]

windshield lip repair are pretty easy so I thought it was time to finally fix mine.
First I cut the rusty lip off back far enough so I could cut the new piece and remaining part to fit later.

using a thin wall disc after cutting out the spot welds with a spotweld cutter.

the rusty lip coming out.

The lip is gone and the metal is ground down so its smooth and clean.

The new piece is drilled with 1/4" holes so I can puddle weld the spots just like the OEM welds.

Fitting the metal in.

Welding!

The results so far! I stopped as I still don't have much strength in my right arm and was too tired to keep going today... Its a good start though.

[Sylvester]

You did all this in one day? Far out. Where did you get the lip? Don't give me no lip, but that lip is lookin fine.

[Bleyseng]

Bus Depot...you do have to have some basic metalshaping skills as the lip metal doesn't fit perfect. Big deal, you use a hammer, dolly, pick, etc....
Yeah one HALF day it took to cut and fit it...now I just have to stitch weld it in slowly and then grind it smooth and paint it.

[hambone]

Not everybody can do that.
Nice work.

[Bleyseng]

Started in on the fitting and triming. I use a Dremel to cut both pieces so it leaves a small 1/16" gap which is easy to weld. You go thru lots of those crappy little cutting discs.

Here we hold the metal lip flat to the nose and weld it in.

Slowly stitch weld it in...



I use a sanding disc instead of a grinding disc on thin metal.


Done for the day in 2 hrs. Tomorrow I'll dig out the epoxy primer and shoot it to seal the metal.

[satchmo]

Wow. Well done, Bleyseng. Awesome work and amazing pics. Who is your photographer?

Tim

[Bleyseng]

Me or my son who was helping.

[Amskeptic]

Me or my son who was helping.

That looks pretty good. I wish you well in your windshield replacement fitment.
Colin

[Bleyseng]

I found a NOS PPG tinted windshield to install, hopefully it will go in smoothly if I take my time. The inner panel of the bus windshield sets the shape of the whole windshield frame so with the repair I haven't changed anything.
I still can't believe all the replacement glass in being made in China, so no wonder the USA has a jobs problem, we don't make anything anymore.

[Sylvester]

I still can't believe all the replacement glass in being made in China, so no wonder the USA has a jobs problem, we don't make anything anymore.

I believe this is correct.

[hambone]

And of course it doesn't fit right...

[Amskeptic]

And of course it doesn't fit right...

My Zengzhou Most Glorious Glass Works windshield had excellent optics, the best I have ever had, had a perfect perimeter cut, but was not formed at the top corners correctly so was pulling the surround rubber at the corners. Acchh. What to do, what to do . . .
Colin

[Bleyseng]

Didn't you post pics of that pulling before?? I thought I saw that somewhere.

Today I cleaned up everything with the metal cleaner and shot the Epoxy metal primer on the lip and the repair/metal fill on the ex front tire holder which I removed. God, I hate those things.

Now to find a nice chrome or white VW symbol.

I guess I should say that this took me 1 1/2 hrs to do. Now to let it dry until tomorrow then coat it with a sanding primer and skim coat the nose with bondo.

[dtrumbo]

Now to find a nice chrome or white VW symbol.

I have a brand new white plastic one you can have. I bought it to attach to my black vinyl spare tire cover, but I didn't like how it looked so I just have it hanging on a nail in my shop. I even have the black plastic clips that hold it onto the nose. If ya want 'em, PM me your address.

[Bleyseng]

Now to find a nice chrome or white VW symbol.

I have a brand new white plastic one you can have. I bought it to attach to my black vinyl spare tire cover, but I didn't like how it looked so I just have it hanging on a nail in my shop. I even have the black plastic clips that hold it onto the nose. If ya want 'em, PM me your address.

Wow, I'll take you up on that! Thanks