[VAL] RE: 1967-68 Type 2 & 3 Phillips/Corning window issue

["Forrest McClure" <rollie51@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Forrest,

Steve Hingtgen suggested I write you to see if you could possibly shed
some light on why my glass bar won't come out of my '67 Safari.  I am
at the point where I have removed all screws from the inside of my
glass bar and well as the clip and am able to swing itout at a 90
degree angle.  When I apply pressure from the outside in to get the
bar out nothing seems to happen.  I don't want to force anything, so I
have stopped.  Steve said you did this before and encountered some
issues at the same point.  Do you have any hints on my next step?

Thanks!  Diane

-----Reply------

Hi Diane,

I take it there is no glass attached to the bar, and that the inside
portion of the bar has been removed, leaving only the outer portion of
the bar that hinges to the window frame? If so, you could if you want
install your new piece of glass without removing the hinged portion of
the bar. I talked with someone at International that has a 1968 with
the type three window. His hinged bar can not be removed. In fact I
took some photos of it and it would seem to be that way. He installed
four or five new pieces of glass from Steve by leaving the hinged bar
in place. It wasn't easy, but that's what he did. He is happy with the
results however.

Even if you got the hinged portion of bar off you might regret it.
Putting it back on could be more difficult than getting it off. Then
you'd be up the creek w/o the paddle. On my type 1 bar, which is one
piece, I had so much difficulty getting a large window back onto the
hinge that I actually had to grind some of it away. The body of an old
Airstream tends to squat around the middle where the hinges are
creating a curved surface. This distorts the window frame so that it
isn't straight. When I mounted the new glass in the bar, I
straightened the bar to get the glass to fit in the grove. Then the
bar wouldn't fully engage the hinged portion of the window frame. I
think the largest windows all have this problem to a certain extent,
but it is not nearly as noticeable on the smaller windows.

Forrest

-----Original Message-----
From: dianemierz32@comcast.net [mailto:dianemierz32@comcast.net]
Sent: Monday, July 25, 2005 7:34 PM
To: forrest@mcclurefamily.org
Subject: RE: type 2 window issues


Hey Forrest - Just a quick question - Can you think of a good reason
that I
can't use the Silastic ATV sealant I purchased from Aircraft Spruce on
my type 2/3 windows?  I am still uncertian whether they're 2 or 3's
because they don't seem to match either discription on Airstream
dream's instructions, but since the glass bar does come apart (but on
the interior side instead of the exterior) they seem more like 3's.
The instructions go on to say that you should use bedding tape instead
of the sealant....unfortunately I spent about 30 bucks on sealant and
don't have the appropriate bedding tape.  Can I just carefully seal
the window to the removed interior part of the bar and then once it
has adhered to the glass put sealant on the other side and install it?
I am sorely tempted to just go ahead and do it, just afraid the window
will drop out and shatter.....Sorry for all the questions - just would
like to be somewhat sure before I start the project.....
Thanks!!!!  Diane

------Reply--------

Diane,

I think the main reason bedding tape is recommended on Type 2 and 3
Phillips/Corning windows is to ease the installation process. Both
bedding tape and Silastic will hold the Corning glass replacement in
place with a water-tight seal, but the Silastic will be messier to
use.

With the Silastic you need to apply it to both inner and outer bar and
sandwich the glass between so that as the halves are screwed together
excess Silastic will be squeezed out. If you choose to do this then
let the excess dry and use a razor to remove the excess. If you wipe
away the excess while it is still wet you will leave a film or smear
on the glass that is difficult to remove. If you try to adhere the
glass to just the interior portion of the bar prior to attaching the
outer portion you will likely leave too much Silastic which might then
interfere with installing the outer portion of the bar. It doesn't
take a lot of Silastic to do the job, but you do want to use enough so
that there will be a slight amount that gets squeezed out when the
glass is clamped between both outer and inner portion of the bar.

I think that it would be a good idea to not install the glass by
yourself - have a helper. The helper, I would think, should be on the
outside to insure that the glass does not fall out when the inner
portion of bar is attached. In other words, I think I would put the
Silastic or bedding tape on the outer bar first. Then, with the outer
bar in the open position lay the glass into the window frame using the
bottom clips to hold it temporarily in place. Then crank the outer
portion of the bar closed. The helper holds the glass in place, in the
closed position, from the outside. The glass will rest against the
window frame weather gasket and sit on the bottom clips, which can
probably be retracted (in closed position). This should insure that
the glass is in the proper position in the window frame. Make sure at
this point that the right and left edges of the glass are even in the
window frame.

From the inside you will then crank the outer portion of the bar to a
closed position. Then apply the Silastic or bedding tape to the upper
edge of the glass. Once that is done re-install the inner portion of
the bar. I would think that the screws should be tightened by hand
until they are firm, but not overly tight. The point is to squeeze out
excess Silastic, but not all of it. Once it has dried, hand tighten
the screws again, but be careful to not over tighten them. You'll have
to use your own best judgement on how tight the screws should be.

Of course I haven't had to actually do this kind of installation, so
this is just how I think I'd do it. You might want to subscribe
on-line with Tom Patterson's Vintage Airstream List so that you can
post your questions to others who may have actually done the
installation on a Type 2 or 3 window. My installation experience has
only been with the Type 1 window, and the steps involved are quite
different. Please do let me know how you end up doing it. Hope I have
given you some good ideas. I will post my reply to you as a thread on
the VAList to see what others have to say though.

Forrest