Getting ready to tackle the cowl rust in the '62 Dart 440. I plan on taking the upper cowl out by drilling out the spot welds to I can get to the lower cowl. I'll need to take out the windshield out to do that.

I've put rear windows/windshields in with butyl tape but I've never installed a windshield with a gasket. With a helper, some soapy water and some Hobo Freight plastic spoons will I be able to install this thing (I have medium-low patience)?

Reinstalling the OEM glass and seal ? - Easy peasy

As long as the seal is still soft and pliable. If its hard and brittle like a lot of old seals are, easy is deffenately not the correct descriptive word for the installation.

I'll buy a new seal, I'll have to cut the old hard, crusty one out of the car when I remove the windshield.

Agreed, Condition is everything

I had a glass company install with a new seal on my Roadrunner..... it took them 2 hours...and they were not happy..... lol

I have a 49 Dodge pickup with the rear cab corner windows. I bought 2 new corner windows and two new rubber gaskets from the same company, and had them installed by a professional glass installer. The 1st attempt the guy spent 4 hours busting his butt fighting with it. He came back a few days later and we finally got them in, and sealed after another 4 hours. With my insistence, we finally had to make a couple cuts on the new rubber (on each window) to get it to go around the corners. Eight hours +, most of it for two 15" x15" corner windows, the rear center glass and both pieces of front glass only took about 45 minutes of that time. For the record, that was the only rubber gasket maker offering the rubber gaskets for corner window glass.

When the rubber doesn't fit, the install is a nightmare.

My son has a 57 Dodge wagon. It needs a new windshield (plenty OEM versions are available) but the only company that offers the rubber tells you it doesn't fit well. That company recommends you locate a car with a good pliable rubber gasket! His windshield doesn't leak, and the rubber on his 67 year old car is still soft, but he is concerned about it leaking with the new glass. The glass installer he will need to use is the same guy that installed the corner windows on my 49.

Picture of the one of new corner windows and the center rear glass, and a picture of the two piece windshield.

That sounds a little scary

I plan on buying the gasket from Detroit Muscle Technologies. I think they are a sponsor here on Moparts. I hope the gasket fits and works well!!

I wouldn't say its easy peasey, but you can do it with time. DO NOT ever force it. nor tap on it with your hands. Set the glass and rubber in the bottom flange and start bringing up both sides equally. As you get to the top corner it will become harder and harder to work the outer lip over the glass, with the inside of the gasket kept on the flange. Keep the gasket soap water lubed up all the way around. As you get to the top the glass may seem an inch out, but just keep going across the top and then the glass will move in on its own and the rest of the top is easy. Expect first time about 4 hours, maybe more.

I would recommend hiring it out. The hard part will be finding someone familiar with the process. They will make it look like a walk in the park. What's a new windshield cost ??? I am fortunate I have a retired guy that does it all (side windows too) and is cheap IMO. DO verify their experience as most don't have a clue.

Patience is a key factor. If you don't have it, you will break the glass.

Even if you do have it, you're likely to break the glass on a first try.

Ive done a couple myself re-using tyhe OEM glass with no problems


I needed a glass for a 68 Charger a few years ago

So had the local glass company come out and install the glass they had, guy broke it in 10 minutes. I dont know the glass brand name


I had the car transported to the shop itself , They changed glass brands ( to a pinkerington I believe ) Different guy had it in the car in under an hour

The above statement says it all quite clearly IMO 👍🏻🍻

Sometimes the bet tool for the job is a checkbook.
In my collision-repair & restoration career, I've likely had a thousand windshields installed, many of them with rubber seals.
Some guys were really adept, and a few - who I didn't invite back - weren't all that capable.
I know of one '65 Plymouth - I had nothing to do with it - where the guy installed the seal inside out.
Sealant on the paint, scratches, and/or leaks still p*ss me off 10 years later.
Pilkington's glass sometimes fit better than higher-priced glass, sometimes not.
Safelite was pretty good at installing leaks; the older independent guys (as in so many other fields) were generally the best.

I just had the windows installed in my '69 Barracuda fastback. The guy I had do it was very experienced with doing older cars. It took all afternoon including installing the stainless trim. It was hard work!!!! I helped a bit - especially in installing the large back window.

This sounds like a challenge

I had NEW glass from LMC installed on my '79 Power Wagon. The two guys seem to take their time and the one older guy seem to know what he was doing. They used sealant along with the factory style gasket, also from LMC. Truck leaked bad.

Some said that newer glass tends to be thinner and that may have been problem

I removed the old delaminating glass myself, and made sure the channel was super clean and rust free.

how did you get the leak[s] stopped ?

Screw LMC