Removing Wind Wing Glass From '37 Coupe

[carlhungness]

      Any suggestions on how to remove the wind wing glass from its frame on a '37 LaSalle Coupe? The frame itself has to be re-chromed. I have seen photos of a tool that grabs the glass and may push or pull, but seriously doubt any of them are still in existence.

[Steve Passmore]

Cut away all the rubber you can with a box cutter getting the blade between the glass and the frame as deep as you can all the way around and prize the frame off. It may go out of shape a little but they can be eased back into shape.

[Joe G 12138]

Agree with Steve. Penetration oil while working it loose helps too. It seems to help that old black window tape fall apart.   Joe

[39LaSalleDriver]

Having just done both my vent windows in the last two weeks, I would offer this advice. As mentioned above, take a blade (I used those .50 snap off knives from the front counter at Harbor Freight) and repetitively dig along both sides between the glass and frame. I also gave both sides of the glass a liberal coating of WD-40 where it meets the chrome, adding more as I dug out the old tape with the blade. I also worked some in the ends and VERY GENTLY pried the frame and glass apart with a small screwdriver. Not a lot, just enough to get it going so I could insert a small wood dowel perpendicularly to keep the separation pressure going, and sliding my way down. Take your time...squirting more WD-40 in the gaps and down the channel as it opens up. Be careful to not push it so hard that you bend the frame in any way. Continue doing that down both edge lengths to the corner. Eventually it will come right off. It will be messy, but it cleans right up.

[carlhungness]

       Thanks for the advice, it is always great to hear from someone who has been there and done it. I also thought of using some duckbill vise-grips covered with appropriate thin wooden jaws to be able to exert some horizontal pressure as one is finagling the glass outward.

[39LaSalleDriver]

You can do what you want, but I'd strongly advise against that. At least if you are interested in saving the glass at all. I would think that is way too much leverage to be using. I found that with patience, hand force was enough.

[carlhungness]

I agree where the glass is good, but one of mine is de-laminated so thought I'd give it a try just for fun. If it cracks nothing lost, and if not the procedure might be useful to someone else in the future. I'll go buy some WD-40.

[harry s]

One other suggestion is to have a pattern or template of the glass to send to the plater so the frame doesn't get distorted.     Harry

[carlhungness]

I am doing just that, probably with a piece of glass.
Thanks, Carl H

[39LaSalleDriver]

After hitting up local glass companies and finding disappointment yet again with what I could find around town, I went through https://www.sandersreproglass.com/

Very happy with that decision. Glass fit perfectly and I didn't have to send any patterns or templates, they already had them. Local glass company wanted as much for one vent window glass as I paid for two from Sanders. That was IF they could cut the glass correctly and had the right materials (according to them).

I like to support local businesses and all, but I've really just gotten tired or running all over creation to find a company can't do it, don't have those in stock and will have to order, have no idea what I'm talking about, overpricing something because they don't want to fool with it, and on and on. My policy these days is to just cut to the chase and order online from vendors who have what I am looking for.

[carlhungness]

     Thanks for the source. I too like to support local businesses but I've found that by and large the Hemmings advertisers are trustworthy and I do like to give business to those in the hobby. Will keep the name of your source on file.