How to remove glass from 67 front wing vent?

[1QuickS]

Are there threads I can refer to or is there and "easy" answer? It looks like the glass is bonded to the chrome trim without use of a rubber gasket. Is there a solvent to use or do I use heat to soften the bond?

[John Z Goriup]

No, Paul, sadly there's no easy, nor a short answer.

You're correct, the glass is glued into the chrome-plated brass vent window frame, however after 44 years the glue will have virtually fossilized and is hard. I wouldn't take a chance with heat for fear of fracturing / shattering the safety glass. Take my word for it, both EASY and Partsheaven are starting to run out of suitable replacement glass ( especially tinted ) so you will want to try as best you can not to break a glass.

I think the best way to do this is to take the vent window out of the window frame altogether and completely disassemble the window, so all you hold in your hand is the bare frame with the glass in it. Then, and this is really a two-man job, have the other person firmly hold the thing vertically, resting on a towel or on a rubber mat on the long pivot pin at the bottom of the frame with the front edge resting against a solid, straight surface and the rear edge facing you.....think workbench against a wall.

You will need a thin ( no wider than about 3/16th or 1/4" max ), long-bladed screw driver that you've ground sharp like a chisel, ( make sure it's no wider than the frame channel, ( you will also need it to scrape all the hardened glue out of the frame channel when you're done ) and insert the sharp tip into the joint between glass and frame channel at the top of the vent window. Start tapping the screwdriver handle gently with a small hammer ( you're working against the wall or other stop ) until the frame starts lifting away from the glass, and continue down the front edge roughly to the middle of the vent window frame. Pull the screwdriver out, turn the window so the thing is now still vertical but the bottom of the vent is up, insert the screwdriver in between glass and chrome frame channel where the pin goes through the glass and repeat the tapping until you get to the middle. You should be able to pull the glass out by now with a bit of rocking and further levering with your magic screwdriver.

That process will bend the frame, but it's very soft annealed brass that gets all its strength from being bonded to the glass, so don't worry, it's easy to form the frame back to its original form when you've removed the glass, using the glass as a guide. Whatever you do, don't kink the frame, as that won't be easy to fix.

It's best to resign yourself to the fact that you will have to re-chome the frames....I know, it's beastly expensive, but all the distortion caused by removing the glass will craze the chrome.

Good luck, if you need pics I'll be happy to post some.

[1QuickS]

Thank you John,

I just bought my 68 door frames from Jim on Wednesday, one vent glass was broken so I used a propane torch to heat the chrome frame until glue let go; that worked pretty well. Since I'll be installing Lexan I'm not to worried about the other glass. I may wait until the boss is away from home and heat the second frame in the oven at 250F and see if that helps.

[drwhosc]

I recently did this, and did exactly what John suggested. Worked well, glad the heat worked for you.

[endo911rs]

Heat and a razor blade. Don't use a screw driver or you'll crack the glass

[Cliff]

Heat guns (hardware stores) with a temp range setting would work well in this application..They`re about 30-40 $.Great alternative to a real flame on your working surface..Cliff

[MTemp]

I just did this for both the windows on my 66 SWB restoration. I put the entire frame in the oven to 150 deg C for about an hour. Then I cut a piece of wire coat hanger about 8" long and sharpened the end to a flat chisel like surface - wire coat hanger is perfect I found because its soft enough to follow the shape of the window frame, but strong enough to tap with a hammer. I gripped the glass in a vice with soft jaws on the flat portion and gently tapped,wiggled, cajoled the wire into the recess - as it moves along it does distort the frame, but only very slightly and has been said above it's easy to bend the frame back into shape once the glass is out. I started at the top of the frame, and then moved to the base, then back to the top, etc until the glass finally let go. I can photo the 'special tool' if it would help anyone - if I can get a Porsche part number I'm sure it would retail for 100$+

Mick

[911scfanatic]

old thread bump.

I'm having a heck of a time with my '68 aluminum vent windows. A set of '67 vent windows was simple. Got the glass out of those no problem with some heat and patience. Those appeared to have a yellow glue that released relatively easy. The '68 vent windows has a black RTV-like glue. It's just not giving it up.

Using a heat gun. Heating for 5 minutes, and then getting a razor blade in. Working from the top end. Been at it for 40 minutes on one and still no joy.

Any further recommendations? Maybe try the propane torch?

[ptrsbtrs]

I did this several years ago. I used M.E.K. (Methyl Ethyl Ketone)
I poured enough m.e.k. to cover the piece in a container, let it sit overnight, then carefully slid a razor blade between the
glass and frame and started cutting the glue which was already soft from soaking while pulling the pieces apart.
I wouldn't suggest a screwdriver. I learned after breaking the first one.

[911kiwi]

Reviving/updating this thread as I’ve just done this a little differently. This might be a more effective method.

Place the vent window in a vice with jaw protectors on it, so as not to mark the chrome frame or glass.
I used a flat blade screwdriver to prise up the top end of the frame. Be careful not to chip the glass.
Lift the edge just high enough to slip a piece of line trimmer nylon between the frame and the glass. Drag it down the glass like dental floss. Voila!


If someone has been there before and used black weatherstrip sealant, slide a razor blade between the glass and the frame along the vertical length of the frame to release the sealant’s grip.