Repairing silicone seal in two piece glass rear window on convertible

Hello,

I've got a 1970 convertible with a top that has been on for around 20 years.  The top itself is in really good condition except for the two piece glass rear window.  We've had a couple of tops on it over the years and the silicone seal between the two glass panels always goes first.  Same with this top.  I hate to replace the entie top just for the silicone.  Has anyone come up with a way to remove and replace the silicone?

Thanks,

Kyle  

how to replace the silicone seal.... HMM...  do you notice the patent.. you might want to peak at the patent online see if it shows how they set up the glass to apply the silicone..  

many years ago... there was a chart of which silicone brands stuck better to which material... the GE silicone as i recall stuck best to glass..  but that was about 30 years ago...

i would think that the window panels would have been held at the halfway folded point to allow it to lay flay or folded without over stressing the silicone joint..   how are you going to do that with it flat.. that i don't have a clue..

i looked over at robbins top

GL304 1964½-70 Ford Mustang Non-Heated, Folding Glass Window with zipper. For use with 6203, 6204, 6205 Tops. Made with Robbins Flex-Hinge®, U.S. Patent 4,799,727. (Folding Glass was original/optional for Mustang beginning 1967.)
Warning: Must unzip before lowring glass, and Deep Well Liner is required in order to use GL304 on models originally equipped with plastic window. 9.0# (D.W.)*14

WELL BLACK 6205 1969-70 Deep Well Liner for 1969-70 Mustang using GL304 Folding Glass. Also works with plastic window. 1.0 4

CABLES 6205 1969-70 Side Tension Cables for 1969-70 Mustang, (pair). 1


from the PATENT>.

An improved hinge is provided for interconnecting window panes or the like, wherein the hinge is particularly adapted for use in a folding rear window of an automotive vehicle having a fold-down convertible top. The hinge comprises an elongated one-piece extrusion of flexible elastomer material shaped to define a back-to-back pair of generally U-shaped channel strips joined together by a short hinge segment along one side thereof. The channel strips are respectively secured with substantial bond area to adjacent edges of a pair of window panes, with the hinge segment acccommodating relatively free swinging movement of the panes betweeen a normal position lying generally in a common plane and a folded or stacked position for compact storage.




i personally seem to recall a clear silicone tape from 3M..  that you might be able to apply to one side of the glass joint..    fill the gap with silicone.. let the top part way down to let the silicone cure..  part way folded...  scrape with a plastic bondo scraper the excess off the folded joint..  once cured.. you should be able to operate the roof..  and carefully cut away the tape more than 1/4 of an inch from the joint..   this would give you a half way decent joint... so i don't have a clue if this will work.. but a lot of my ideas have worked...  

Wayne,

I looked at the seal between the glass and it does appear to be the latter type that resembles a living hinge bonded into place.  Since the split is almost all the way across, I may have to replace the glass.  I seem to recall on one of the earlier tops that the seal between the glass seemed to only contact the edges so they have gotten better over the years.  I guess 25 years is pretty good for a seal.  I may check into the possiblities of replacing the glass only since the top is in really good shape for its age.

Kyle  

feel like doing some searching???

this looks like clear silicone tape...

Scotch® 70 Self-Fusing Silicone Rubber Electrical Tape, 1 in x 30 ft (25 mm x 9,1 m), 24 per carton
UPC# 00051128572610    3M Product Number 70    3M ID 80611438617    

you might be able to glue a new strip of this across the inside of the hinge with some quality silicone sealer...    either dow clear silicone or GE clear silicone..

this is self vulcanizing tape.. i use to as it sticks to its self.. i have some in black and orange..

this number looks like clear..   you might be able to get a single roll at grainger..

just so you can seal your gap again..

it won't stick without adhesive you apply...  more silicone.. spread out really thin...

i would probably measure out the length of the hinge you can get to...    lay a strip of BLUE 2 inch masking tape out sticky side up just slightly longer than the hinge......   unroll the proper length plus a little of the clear silicone tape  with the backing plastic removed..  

usually you remove the backing plastic and stretch the tape to 150% then wrap the electrical connection you are working on with a 50% overlap...

but i would want to see if i could figure a way to perhaps with a notch trimmed in a bondo spreader.. spread the clear silicone sealer down the middle of the clear tape...  

then with a friend.. affix the tape on center...  you might want to measure back from the hinge half the width of the blue masking tape.. and run a perfect row of it off set.. so you have a guide ..
lay the multi layered mess you are working with .. along the centerline of the hinged area...

if all works out..  and you have gotten the minimum amount needed to stick the clear to the existing silicone hinge channel..  when it cures.. you should be able to remove the blue tape... then trim the clear silicone electrical tape back to a proper width...

replacing the window is the best way...  

Wayne,

I haven't checked with any shops yet, but is it possible to just replace the glass?  If so, that is probably my best bet.

Kyle