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Posted by Joe Cimoch [68.116.181.98] on Thursday, April 22, 2010 at 08:59:37 :
In Reply to: windshield for townwagon posted by laut in NY [69.206.68.42] on Wednesday, April 21, 2010 at 20:34:07 :
From the Town Wagon list, hope this helps:
Here is all the poop on TW/PG windshields from our resident glass expert, Larry Bissaillon. He has a Glass shop in Dallas Ft. Worth area.
Also I attached Vintage PW rubber Weather Strip list
and Don Evans tips for installing rear side window Weather Strip. This Weather Strip is hard to come by. A custom extrusion had to be made. Don had some sets made up which is where I got mine. I think someone else like Michael Yerxa perhaps had some sets made.
The windshields are still available, in both "tinted",
and "shaded" (same as tinted, plus a 5 inch dark green
band across the top).
Our trucks were originally equipped with "clear"(no
tinting or shade whatsoever), however, that version
has been discontinued.
PPG part: # DW425GTN (tinted) - Retail list:
$525.45
PPG part: # DW425GBN (tinted & shaded) - Retail
$525.45
Can be purchased for about $225.00 by any auto glass
company or body shop.
The correct windshield gasket(rubber), is also
available still.
Made by "Precision Rubber Products Inc.", and it is
top quality!
GASKET: Pt# WCR D425 - Retail list: $63.29 Jobber=
less 25%
It fits perfectly, has the correct molded lower
corners, and
the correct groove for the lock-strip insert.
The lock-strip comes in black rubber, 5/16" round (as
original).
Or Mylar chrome, approx. 5/8" wide (flat).
BLACK LOCK-STRIP: pt. # WLS900 - $11.75 ea.
CHROME Lock-strip: # WLS913/914 - $28.85ea.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE MY PROFESSIONAL OPINION, (26+YRS)
I WOULD OFFER THE FOLLOWING RECOMMENDATIONS:
FIRST - DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY ON ANY OTHER GASKET,
FROM ANY OTHER MANUFACTURER! YOU'LL PAY ABOUT THE
SAME OR MORE $$ , AND WHAT YOU'LL GET IS UNIVERSAL,
INCORRECT, ILL-FITTING, POROUS, LEAKING, NON-UV
PROTECTED, DRY-ROT IN A YEAR, WORTHLESS GARBAGE!!
PERIOD!
SECOND - IF YOU CHOOSE TO USE THE CHROME MYLAR
LOCK-STRIP, BE AWARE THAT IT WILL BEGIN TO DULL AND
DETERIORATE AFTER TWO OR THREE YEARS OF EXPOSURE TO
THE ELEMENTS. JUST LOOK AT ANY '73-'87 GM TRUCK, OR
PRE '90'S BMW 3 SERIES CAR, THAT HASN'T BEEN COVERED
OR GARAGED FOR ALL OR MOST OF ITS LIFE, AND YOU WILL
SEE IT'S BROWN AND CRISPY.
THIRD - AGAIN, WITH REGARD TO THE LOCK-STRIP, BOTH
THE BLACK AND THE CHROME WILL SHRINK SOME OVER TIME,
CREATING AN EVER-WIDENING GAP. TO COMBAT THIS
SHRINKAGE, BE SURE TO CUT THE LOCK-STRIP ABOUT AN INCH
OR SO LONGER, OVERLAPPING THE POINT WHERE THE TWO ENDS
WILL MEET,OR "SEAM" TOGETHER, IN THE MIDDLE AT THE
BOTTOM OF THE WINDSHIELD. THEN, USING A SHARP BLADE,
CUT EACH END CLEANLY & SQUARELY TO MAKE THE MOST
INVISIBLE SEAM
POSSIBLE. ONLY TRIM A TINY SLIVER AT A TIME OFF EACH
END UNTIL YOU ARE SATISFIED WITH THE APPEARANCE OF
YOUR SEAM. THEN YOU CAN FORCE THE OVERLAPPING EXTRA
INCH OR SO DOWN INTO THE GROOVE CAUSING THE TWO ENDS
TO PUSH TIGHTLY TOGETHER. AS TIME GOES BY ANY
SHRINKAGE OF THE LOCK-STRIP WILL BE OFFSET BY THE
EXTRA INCH OF LENGTH THAT WAS SQUEEZED INTO THE
GROOVE, AND THE SEAM WILL STAY TIGHT INSTEAD OF
WANTING TO PULL APART MAKING AN UGLY GAP.
OR, YOU CAN OBTAIN A CHROME COUPLING CLIP FROM ANY
'70-'91 DODGE FULL SIZE VAN, TO HIDE THE SEAM
COMPLETELY.
WHICH IS HOW THE FACTORY SOLVED THE PROBLEM OF THE
UNSIGHTLY GAP. THE CONNECTOR IS ABOUT AN INCH LONG,
AND SIMPLY HID THE EVER-WIDENING END GAPS UNTIL THEY
HAD SHRUNK UP ENOUGH THAT THE CONNECTOR CLIP FELL, OR
BLEW OFF SOMEWHERE ON THE HIGHWAY OR THE JET-WASH.
All civilian style (conventional cab) Dodge trucks
used the DW425 windshield, beginning with the 1955
"C-3"(second series) that debuted on April 11, 1955,
As did the "D" 100-800's , and the "W" 100-500's up
through '60 for the pick-ups and larger trucks with
regular cabs ( the rear wall & rear window directly
behind the bench seat).
A new body style began for 1961, and uses a DW605 from
'61-'71. The Town Wagons & Town Panels retained the
DW425 until the end of
their production run in the fall of '66 . The DW425
windshield continued in use in the largest Dodge
trucks, such as the diesel and gas powered
semi-tractors, such as "C"SERIES 500-1000's ,
"CT"800-1000's , "CN"800-1000's , "CNT"900-1000
tandems, and finally the last of the Dodge heavy duty
haulers, the infamous "BIGHORN", which finally became
extinct in 1975! WHEW!! Well, there you have it!
Had enough history yet? I sure have... at least for
today anyway!
Y'all take care! Feel free to ask me if you need help
with glass.
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