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Is this how you have to dress to drive your 73-82 Corvette in the rain?
If it rains while you are in your 73 to 82 Corvette, do you have
to don your foul weather gear to keep from getting drenched from the
leaks in your backglass weatherstrip? Don’t feel like the Lone Ranger
because this is a major problem for Corvettes of these years. The other
problem is finding a weatherstrip kit to repair the leaks. Chevrolet
used a pliable adhesive or butyl sealer to seal the glass to the body.
After 15 to 20 years, this sealer dries out and hardens which causes
cracks to appear. When it rains, these cracks allow the water to seep
down between the body and the glass causing leaks. Up until now no one
made a complete kit but thanks to Zip Products, Inc.,
8067 Fast Lane, Mechanicsville, VA 23111, (800) 962-9632, a complete
kit is now available. There are two kits available. One for 73 to 77
and another for 78 to 82. No longer will you have to hunt for
“something that will work” or go to your local glass installer and
maybe have the weatherstrip repaired or replaced, if they even want to
work on it. This new kit will allow you to repair the backglass
weatherstrip right at home in one afternoon. The results are
professional and easy to do. Our Project 77 had quite a few leaks and
was a prime candidate for this new kit. Follow along as we stop the
leaks and store our foul weather gear away. |
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01: The new Kit consists of the adhesive or butyl
seal, spacer blocks, adhesive seal primer and adhesive or butyl cutting
wire. You will also need 1/4” and 3/4” masking tape, 1 can of 3M-08984
General Purpose Adhesive Cleaner, single edge razor blades, an awl,
some common hand tools, and a friend to help with the glass removal and
installation. A Fisher Body Manual and Shop Manual for your year
Corvette is also very helpful. These are also available from Zip. |
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02: Start by disconnecting your battery because the
doors will be open for awhile. Now remove the lower glass trim,
shoulder belts, and side panel trim. |
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03: Next remove the backglass plastic moulding. Be
very careful because this can break very easily. If it is already
broken or does accidentally break, a new replacement is available from
Zip. |
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04: Using a sharp awl or scribe, put a hole into the
adhesive weatherstrip between the body and the backglass. Look for a
place where the awl will go through easily. You do not want to be
twisting or turning the awl because if you catch the corner of the
glass, you could break it. Just push the awl straight in and through.
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05: Now feed the adhesive cutting wire through the
hole. Let it extend about 8” on either side of the glass. Wrap about 3”
of wire around a broken stir stick or screwdriver to make a T-handle.
Now with a sawing motion, pull the wire around the glass, sawing and
cutting the adhesive as you go. This can be done by one person, but it
is much easier with another pair of hands, one pair on the inside and
another pair on the outside. When cutting the adhesive, do not pull out
away from the glass but try to stay parallel with it. This will keep
the wire from hitting the painted surface next to the glass. |
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06: Be ready to hold the glass when the adhesive is
cut through. Sometimes the glass will not fall out after it has been
cut. If this happens, have someone gently put pressure on the outside
of the glass while you support the inside. This will usually free it
from the adhesive and the glass will fall into your hands. You were
waiting to catch the glass, weren’t you? |
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07: Put a mark on either the outside or inside of the
glass. This way you will know which side faces out. Place the glass on
a table and fully support it. Use a razor blade to clean off all of the
old adhesive. |
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08: After you have scraped off all the adhesive that
you can, take the 3M-08984 Adhesive Cleaner and thoroughly clean any
remaining adhesive residue off. You want it as clean as possible. |
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09: You will also have to clean all of the adhesive
weatherstrip off the body. Use a putty knife to carefully remove the
majority of the weatherstrip, then take the 3M Adhesive Cleaner and
thoroughly clean the remainder of the adhesive off. |
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10: Take some 3/4” masking tape and tape off the
outside of the body where it meets the glass. You do this to keep the
window weld primer from getting onto the paint. Also take the 1/4”
masking tape and place it onto the glass about 1/2” from the edge all
the way around. This will give you a 1/2” area to apply the Window Weld
Primer. It will also leave a clean edge when the tape is removed. |
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11: Now pre-fit the glass on the body. Place the two
rubber spacers on the bottom body lip and then rest the glass on top of
them. Center the glass in the opening, both height and side to side.
You may have to turn the rubber spacers because they are shorter on one
side and taller on the other. When the glass is set the way you want
it, glue the spacers into place and place a piece of 3/4” tape on the
center of the glass then down onto the inside of the body. Now cut it.
This will be your line up mark. When you install the glass with the
weatherstrip, all you will have to do is line up the tape. Simple,
isn’t it? |
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12: The Window Weld Primer can now be brushed onto the
glass. Spread on a nice even coat. Do not make it thick. You just want
it to cover. Brush it up to your tape. This Primer only goes on the
side of the glass that the adhesive will stick to. The Primer promotes
adhesion between the weatherstrip and the glass and the weatherstrip
and the body. |
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13: Now spread the Window Weld Primer onto the body
lip. You want to have a nice even coverage all the way around. This is
why you put tape on the outside of the body to allow the Primer to be
spread up to the body’s painted surface. |
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14:As soon as the Primer is dry, usually in about 15
minutes, install the adhesive weatherstrip. Start at the center top of
the glass and place the adhesive onto the primer. Keep the adhesive in
about 1/8” from the outside edge of the glass. Use your finger to guide
it and gently push it down onto the glass. Do not flatten it out. Work
it onto the glass in one continuous piece. Do not put it on in pieces.
When you get back to the top, overlap it about 1” to 2”. |
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15: After you have it into place, carefully remove the
paper backing by pulling the paper back over itself. This makes it
easier to remove and less of a chance for it to stick to the adhesive
weatherstrip. |
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16: The glass is now ready to install. Carefully place
the bottom of the glass onto your two rubber spacers. (You did remember
to glue them into place, didn’t you?) Now align the tape mark. Make
sure the glass is where you want it. When it is pushed up against the
body and the adhesive makes contact with the primer, it is over. You
will not be able to move it without cutting it out and starting over.
When the glass is lined up, gently push it up against the body. Take
the palm of your hand and put pressure against the glass all along the
edge working all the way around. You will see the adhesive flatten out
and seal against the glass. Work the palm of your hand around a few
times. This will help to ensure a good seal. If the adhesive seal is
flat against the glass all the way around, you are done and the glass
is sealed |
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17: Carefully re-install the backglass moulding, side
panel mouldings, lower glass moulding and shoulder belts. Remove the
masking tape. If any adhesive sealer did get onto the body, use the 3M
Adhesive Cleaner to remove it. Re-connect your battery. |
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18: Clean the glass. Store away your foul weather gear and go play in the rain without getting wet. |
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FOUL WEATHER FIXER:
73-82 CORVETTE BACKGLASS WEATHERSTRIP REPLACEMENT
By: Greg Donahue
Photos by: Author
SOURCE:
Zip Products, Inc.
8067 Fast Lane
Mechanicsville, VA 23111
(800) 962-9632
PARTS LIST:
| ZET-397 |
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73-77 Backglass Adhesive Weatherstrip Kit |
| ZET-398 |
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78-82 Backglass Adhesive Weatherstrip Kit |
| WS-4483 |
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3M-08984 General Purpose Adhesive Cleaner |
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1/4” Masking Tape |
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3/4” Masking Tape |
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Razor Blades - Single Edge |
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Shop/Repair Manuals |
The Author would like to thank
Scott Coral of Greg Donahue Collector Car Restorations, Inc. for his
assistance with this article.
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