I was going to have my windshield removed by a glass company rather than risking breaking the glass myself. However they would charge $75.00 to remove it and there's no guarantee they won't break it. I'm thinking about just taking my chances and trying it myself. I've watched guys do it before in a garage, when they needed to fix a waterleak, with a thin cable and a couple of dowels on the ends to pull with. Has anyone done this succesfully without breaking the glass? Anything I can do to reduce the chance of breaking the glass?

Just so you know, I tried the wire and dowel technique, and all I have to say is go slow! i think i got impatient and in the end I would up using a hammer after the first ---CRaaaaCk____. Gonna need a new one when the paint and stuff is done!

I think I remember one of the guys used some kind of tool that was electric. It had a metal strip on the end that would heat up and soften the sealer. Anybody know of anything like that?

That is called a "hot knife", and only works with a type of sealer called butyl, which your car would only have it the windshield has been replaced before. I did auto glass work for years, and wrote a post on this a while back, let me see if I can find the thread.

Here it is:Windshield removal info

PM me if you have specific Q's

Just pulled a windshield from my blue 914. What a effing mess! Tried the wire, too much goo to get through, too hard too. Ended up using a long razor knife to cut through the seal....a little at a time. Busted windshield in the process with the wire...began by chipping outer glass laminate. You will need the 19 clips to replace the chrome trim. I ended up scraping out the channel, and am going to repaint it prior new install. BTW, i had help from Jim (Porsche Rescue), he has done these before......he said mine was tough. Good luck

My ex ate some xanax, and drank a bunch of white russians, then kicked one out.. from the inside.

So, get wasted, and kick?


M

Thanks Chris. I'm not sure what the factory used to install windshields with.
Hows the weather up there? Had to scrape frost off the windshield of the truck this morning for the first time this season. I could see my breath when I was filling up this morning also. Hate winter.

heres a trick : take a sawzall blade and gring the teeth off. then polish it up with some 220 grit sandpaper. rounding the sharp edges. then just "cut" the seal from the inside. it will get most of the sealer cut then just work you way around working it loose

On the interior side of the windshield there is what looks like a weatherstrip. Do I try to pull that out before trying to run the wire or not? All the trim is off and the entire interior has been removed so there is nothing in the way.

Mine "fell" out. Only the trim was holding it in, so I was lucky, it was easy.

The tape was also so old I pulled it off in one nice clean strip exposing nice shinny L20E paint.

Weather up here is pretty typical for late november, but it hasn't snowed yet, so not much to complain about.

I don't know what you see that would appear like a weather strip There is a "seal" at the bottom only, but that is actually just cosmetic and not a true seal. The one at the bottom cannot be removed before taking the windshield out w/o damaging it, to the best of my knowledge, but I haven't pulled a 914 windshield in quite a while. If you use my sheet metal idea from the link I posted, you can usually wire the glass out w/o destroying the bottom seal.

Gary's windshield was a bitch because it had been replaced before and the seal used was very hard. The wire method did not work. I think it works well with factory original seal or butyl tape.

Chris-
I didn't know what to call it. (weatherstrip) So if I understand what you're saying you need to put the wire between the seal and the the windshield. Not the metal frame of the windshield and the seal. Damn wish my camera would get here.

You ARE correct sir.
If you can get a thin piece of sheet metal between the windshield and the strip, even better. Then you can protect the strip from the wire. You just slide the metal along as you cut. If you don't stick something in there, the chances that you will get the bottom of the glass cut free without mangling the strip are pretty slim (and I think they get some obscene amount of cash for that seal).

Thanks Chris. I do have some scrap sheet metal I can use between the windshield and strip. I'll try to find some of that wire you wrote about in your other post from a glass company. I'm assuming you are talking about a glass company that replaces windshields. Is there any other place I can get the kind of wire your talking about or is there that much difference if I use piano wire?
Also, just out of curiosity the company I called about removing my windshield said they would'nt reinstall the used windshield. Why? Liability reasons?

I replaced my windshield earlier in the year using tips found on this site. Went to a glass dealer and picked up some of that special wire. Looked identical to what you use to hang pictures with.

The hardest part was getting a starter hole for the wire to pass through. Using the wire itself, I finally made a hole with the wire and pair of needlenose pliers. From that point, it was much easier than anticipated.

The actual removal/install was easy but what it took to get there (interior removal, channel cleanup, clip replacement, windshield trim replacement) took much longer than I had invisioned.

John

Mostly they won't re-install because they would rather sell you a new one. Besides that, removing a windshield often leave tiny chips in the edge which can turn into cracks later. They don't want to get into a pissin match about who's fault it is if that happens. Installing a 914 windshield is trained chimp work though. You get it out, we'll help you get it back in, better than new .

Well I removed the windshield from the car Friday without cracking it.
Now I just need to clean it up and put it in the attic above the garage for safe keeping.
Thanks Chris and everyone else for your advice.

I use a plastic Drafting triangle.
In So Cal Just leave the car out in the sun to soften the sealant. If they used silcone you will be buying a windsheild.

If its cold put a electric blanket on the WS to heat it up and this will help loosen the grip of the sealant.

Thanks!

Your a really funny guy. Don't quit your day job. Oh wait... never mind.

Nice work Pat.

Like I said, trained chimp work to put her back in when you are ready.

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Well I removed the windshield from the car Friday without cracking it.   Now I just need to clean it up and put it in the attic above the garage for safe keeping.

Great!! Now look it over REAL closely, is it pitted, are the edges starting to turn white, if so I hate to say you may have wasted your time. I have remove what I thought were Excellent windows from some parts cars I had but after looking at them more I could see that there were very pitted and the outer flim was peeling on the bottom edge and turning white. You might want to check in to a new windshiled when the time comes to re-install one. But if the one you removed is in great shape then forget everything I just said

I will look it over when I get a chance. I don't look at it as a waste of time though. I look at it as I learned how to remove a windshield without breaking it. Same thing about buying the car. Even though the car isn't worth restoring I learned alot about how the car is put together. Experience is worth more to me than reading from a book.

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I don't look at it as a waste of time though

Sorry, I didn't mean you wasted your time. I should have just said to look for pitting & white edges, that is what I really wanted to tell you.

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Experience is worth more to me than reading from a book

that's what makes these cars so much fun, there always seems a chance to learn something new with them... even when you dont want to