Glass Replacement: 50's Ford Pickup

So you've got a broken vent window and you need to save the vent window frame... Now what?  

1954 F100 Broken Vent Window w/Broken Glass

There are no vent window frames available, and the ones on the truck aren't "terrible", so really you could get by with the existing equipment if you could just replace the glass. But how do you get the glass out of the frame?

You could call the glass company. 

They would be more than willing to help you out, and charge you for it.

You could check the forums for repair ideas...but that's probably why you're Googling it right?

Well we found suggestions for the glued-in glass on this  '54 Ford F-100 such as:

"break the window and then dig it out"

"Call the glass company"

Are those your only choices?   No.

We found a much easier solution than breaking  the glass and leaving a mess behind OR paying the glass company.

WHAT TO DO: 

First, order your replacement glass and all related rubber and parts you anticipate needing for your project.

Next, 3m has a great product called General Purpose Adhesive Cleaner. We use it for several things, one of the latest applications is applying it to the glass and letting it sit in the vent window framing for a short period of time (10-15 minutes). A short wiggle of the vent window frame later the (already broken) glass popped out of the frame and the frame was ready for cleaning and re-installation of new glass and rubber seals.

3M Adhesive Cleaner Removes Vent Window Glass from Vent Window Frame

 

THE RESULTS:

1954 F100 New Vent Window Glass in Existing Frames

The new glass gives this truck a much cleaner appearance. Both vent windows glass pieces were replaced, the seals and rubber all the way around the windows are new, and window frames were polished(although they are the original frames)

Other work was also done on this truck, but we estimate that this process saved us at least an hour based on what we were reading on the forums, although we admit that we never did actually try it the other way. We hope this tip can help you out too.

1954 F100 Custom Pickup

Ready to hit the road, this custom truck, although not painted or refinished at our shop, got some finishing touches including door poppers, new vent window glass, window seals, glass channel runs, steering wheel and column, re-wired the cab and fuse panel, and we installed a new B&M shifter. More finishing touches will be on the way for this F100.

MAKE IT DRIVEN