Need a little help about lower windshield glass & molding on a 68 Dart GT

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68dartgtman

68dartgtman

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Hi Guys,

I am wondering if anyone else has noticed this with their Darts - my Dart doesn't have the windshield in yet and I am trying to figure out how the lower windshield chrome molding attaches ............ there are no "nibs" on the inside edge of the cowl panel to put "clips" on and the pinch weld that surrounds the other three sides within the windshield area is not on the lower part of the cowl panel ......it only has four little ( about an inch in length) stamped out little "notches" in that cowl area - how does the windshield weatherstrip attach and how is a person suppose to snap on the chrome molding at the bottom edge of the windshield once the weatherstrip & glass go in?
I'm due to take the car to the interior shop for the vinyl roof & headliner & windshield & rear glass installation and I need to know if I have to drill holes for the clips to hold the chrome molding.
just a note - when I took out the old windshield, the entire bottom edge was glued in along with the bottom chrome molding & not done well at all !

Thank you for any help you can give
 
Their should be 9 clips across the bottom attached
with Phillips head screws. They start a bit over 3" outboard from the notch you mentioned.
Pretty much lined up where the flange to bolt the dash frame begins.
 
ssba said:
Their should be 9 clips across the bottom attached
with Phillips head screws. They start a bit over 3" outboard from the notch you mentioned.
Pretty much lined up where the flange to bolt the dash frame begins.
Click to expand...

Hey ssba,

thank you - it's really strange - this inside edge of the cowl panel has no evidence of any holes for any type of clip in it at all - the top cowl panel has not been replace and no work has been done to it - I wonder if the factory forgot to attach any clips and that's why windshield weatherstrip & chrome molding was all glued in ????
I really don't see how the weatherstrip & glass can even seal because the "notches" are so little and there would be "open" areas where the weatherstrip would have nothing to attach to ...............
Thank you for your input ............... I thought of drilling the holes and attaching the clips yesterday but thought it would be better to ask as I don't want to hinder the glass installation.

thanks again!

Mike
 
Here you can see what's left of the clips and phillips screws on this 68.

IMG_20160613_145503_489.jpg
 
Here's a drawing I found on the web that may help. I converted my 67 Dart to 68 front trim using this as a guide.

windshield clips.jpg
 
the turned up sheet metal fingers are locaters for the rubber gasket. Like short sections of fence.
 
ssba said:
Here you can see what's left of the clips and phillips screws on this 68.

View attachment 1714943680
Click to expand...
Thanks ssba !
I'll take a pic of mine and post it tomorrow - mine has no evidence what so ever of any holes where clips should have been .......... I wondered why the chrome molding had so much glue caked on it - at least a 1/4 inch of that stuff on it ! Thank you so much for the help and the pick !
take care

Mike
 
RedFish said:
the turned up sheet metal fingers are locaters for the rubber gasket. Like short sections of fence.
Click to expand...
Thanks Redfish !

As long as I own this car - it will never get wet so I shouldn't have to worry about water leaks around the windshield - it had so much glue and rubber caulking around the base of the weatherstrip and molding - the floor pans - drivers & passengers foot wells were rotted out - not horrible - but holes from a leaky windshield !

thanks again !

Mike
 
"it will never get wet", as in never wash it ? Water leaks are not at windshield alone. Wiper pivots, seals where vent boxes meet cowl, and more, can leak.
 
RedFish said:
"it will never get wet", as in never wash it ? Water leaks are not at windshield alone. Wiper pivots, seals where vent boxes meet cowl, and more, can leak.
Click to expand...

LOL - hopefully it will never get wet ! Once done, it will stay in garage with a cover over it - then all I will have to do is "dust it off"

I know there are other places that leak - that's why I don't want it to get wet !

thanks
 
My 68 was loaded down with the sealant also.
I had cleaned most of it off when that photo was taken. The moulding clips were mostly rusted away
or in bad shape. Generally a sticky mess.
 
I have to suspect before the black paint was put down on the top of the dash frame and windshield
opening the holes for the screws got filled.
I would drill the holes in the locations shown in the chart posted above for some new philips screws. As far as the height of the holes it is more important than the spacing. It determines how flush the moulding will sit to the body and glass when popped onto the clip.
My photo shows the height of the original screws still
in place at factory height. The clips are damaged but
the screws/ holes are what is needed for your reference. As long as you have the factory clip.
There are also many different clips out their for many applications. They have different working heights.
I will post a picture of the correct clip for the factory
screw height.
If you have to use a non factory height clip then the
holes will need to moved to put the catch on the clip
at the correct factory height.
 
ssba said:
I have to suspect before the black paint was put down on the top of the dash frame and windshield
opening the holes for the screws got filled.
I would drill the holes in the locations shown in the chart posted above for some new philips screws. As far as the height of the holes it is more important than the spacing. It determines how flush the moulding will sit to the body and glass when popped onto the clip.
My photo shows the height of the original screws still
in place at factory height. The clips are damaged but
the screws/ holes are what is needed for your reference. As long as you have the factory clip.
There are also many different clips out their for many applications. They have different working heights.
I will post a picture of the correct clip for the factory
screw height.
If you have to use a non factory height clip then the
holes will need to moved to put the catch on the clip
at the correct factory height.
Click to expand...


Hey ssba,

The black paint was me - I had striped the entire car - I painted the top part of the dash and windshield frame so there would be a good coat of paint under the windshield weatherstrip................ I did no bodywork to the cowl panel.............I am the only one doing all the work on this car so I know there were no screw hole at the bottom of this windshield - that's why I posted the question - it seemed odd that there were no holes to begin with. This is not my first restoration - been doing this for over 35 years

thanks for the reply - I will use your suggestion and make sure the clip height is correct.

thanks !

Mike
 
The first photo is a clip on my lower cowl. The screw is mostly rusted away on this one but the clip is intact
and still in position. I believe these to be original since the paint and sealant seemed untouched.
The second photo is a clip that was used on the side post and across the top. They are different.

IMG_20160615_115019_632.jpg


IMG_20160615_115114_313.jpg
 
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