What's the best method for getting the rear glass out and not breaking it? Use a hair dryer or put the car in the sun?

Every one that I have seen that needed the rear glass resealed was rattling like crazy. If this one is, you just pull the seats and backpad and grab and remove.

Is it leaking? If not, why take it out?

Mine had areas that were free except at the top and I used a box cuter and putty knife. The heat would probly help but mine wasn't bad, it was more about the clean up.

Mine doesn't rattle. I'm taking it out because I am doing a full restore of the car here: http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?sho...=257306&hl=

It's definitely in there tight. At some point in my car's life, it has had a PO do full body paint job and I suspect the rear glass was taken out for that project also. No proof, but the butyl tape doesn't look 40+ years old.

I removed mine with a guitar string. (Recommended on this very fine forum!)

Menno

If it's never been out be careful it doesn't fall out. When the Back pad is out and the glue is old and brittle the window can fall to the floor unexpectedly.

used this HF tool ... worked and didn't break the window. $16

cable handle works pretty good for pulling it through the tape/glue, sharpen the blade a little first.

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I've got mine out and I am now trying to figure out the best way to get in back in!. It is such a tight fit that it seems like I will end up touching it to the butyl bead in the process of lining it up.

Indeed, a pair of extra hands is welcome. What you can do is stick a few lengths of duct tape on the outside of the window and around the corner of the sailing panel. It will not guarantee that the window will fall down, at least it gives you an extra second to react when it's about to happen

Whe cutting around the window, I tried to save the rubber strip that's on the outside at the bottom. That didn't work. Fair chance that you'll have to replace that too!

Menno

Get help from someone and do a few dry fits before you apply the butyl tape so you both know what to do. I did mine sliding it up from underneath and holding it as far towards the front of the car as possible while sliding it up into the wide channel in the inner sail panels. Once up its just a matter of pushing it backwards into place.

There is an extra window on hand ...if you need.
I probably won't take it to any parts meets anytime soon.
PM me if you need it cheap .
Marty

I used one of these

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and a scraper blade. A narrower blade would have worked better, but it worked great. Took 5 minutes and the tool above would not cut it for me.

Do you work on the window from the "outside" or the "inside" when using a scraper blade?

I cut the sealant from the outside of the car. Had to cut off a bunch of extra that had squeezed out, too...

--DD

When I removed the back pad and stuff, the back glass just fell out. Kinda surprised it didn't break or even chip.

I'd sacrifice the window before mangling the paint and metal. Windows can be had for cheap. In fact, I think I have a spare and if so, you can have it for free.

From the outside at first, then I got it and went into the inside, and finished up. Since I was all by myself, I then took a roll of velcro and threaded around on one side, and around the targa bar. went to the other end, cut loose the last corner and then, pushed it out.

Got it out of the car and still dropped it.

BTW, Fein makes the official version of this unit, with different blades for different windshields. I'm to cheap to buy it, for one time usage. Here is the liink And I am a tool addict!

Well, I spent some more time on my car today (and will this week as I am on "vacation") but I still didn't get any further on the rear windshield. Having a close look, it doesn't appear to be butyl tape but rather a resin was used.

Fortunately, or unfortunately, I did a bunch of other work on the car (got the heater blower out and all of those compenents, all the trim around the inside and the lower dash), but that rear window remains. Perhaps I should take a hair dryer to it to "loosen it up"?

I used a putty knife and a lot of patience. You can do it...

I found one once at a pick a Part and it was so dry and loose it practically fell out into my hands!

If you break it, I have a spare for you.

Glass companies use a sawsall with a smooth spatula blade and soapy water. You could make this blade by grinding off the cutting edge from a blade, rounding the tip and bending the blade to have an offset.

You need an extra pair of hands inside to keep the window from falling while you try to break loose the sealant from the outside.

The PO told me that when he got the car from the USA he was towing it to his restorer and when he got there the rear screen had almost fallen out.
I would like to see it gone as its' a heated one and has no continuity on the element.

Yes, I had a 1970 Adriatic Blue that the rear window pretty much came out when I pushed on it. Obviously an "original" window install. My 1974 obviously has had the glass replaced.

Well, I'm hoping not to break it. I'll probably take you up on your offer in 2 years when I go to reinstall it....cuz that's how long it is going to take me to get this car done. LOL.

The front windshield glass on the other hand, I won't mind if it breaks because it has quite a pit of pitting. Although I suspect it is original glass...perhaps removed and reinstalled at least once. Has a bunch of VW logos on it. Maybe it is worth something to someone in the concour crowd?

I used one of these. I had it left over from a previous job I had.