Wing Window Interior pane removal 72 Overlander

[mccrosti]

First and foremost I am neither recommending nor advocating this method for anyone. I've been struggling with the "Airstream Aquarium" since I bought my Overlander. Hate em. Hate the moisture. I mean really cant stand it. But the idea of scoring with a glass cutter then hitting the window with a tool to get the crack started did not appeal to me in any way shape or form.

I've done a ton of renovation work and it would bug me to death to see these moisture ridden windows each day. SO...I bought a glass bit for my dremel and had at it. My intention was to either drill a small air passage in the glass or remove the interior pane entirely. I was making good progress with the bit, but just when I thought it would drill through. I backed off a sec and heard a POP - think what happens in cartoons.... And the whole window shattered into a thousand pieces, but it remained intact. I grabbed my phillips head driver and carefully worked the driver into the hole and carefully pried the glass out of the frame. The outer pane is held in its own groove but I will re caulk the inside anyway. Did the other window the same way. Still have a little cleanup to do but I am very pleased with the results.

This is a messy job and you will get glass all over and on you. Please wear appropriate safety gear if you decide to do this. Also, if you have questions please ask away.

[aquinob]

So do you still have the other side to do? Just went through pulling the windows out and removing the inner pane. What a pain.

[mccrosti]

Hey Bob, your adventure inspired me. Knowing that each pane had a separate track was a relief. Still got some glass to clean outta that tracks, but yes I did them both.

[mccrosti]

Windows completely done and re-bulk embed,
.

[DavidsonOverlander]

I removed the interior panes on our '74 Sovereign for the same reason. Instead of a drill bit I used a little cutting wheel in the Dremel. The plan was to cut a slot, put a slotted screwdriver into it and pry to break the interior pane. (These instructions were somewhere on the forums.) I cut the slot, started to walk back into the workshop to get a slotted screwdriver and heard a loud crack as the pane shattered like yours did. I then cut the slot in the other window and looked at it for a moment to see if it would shatter on its own like the first one. When it didn't break I started back into the workshop for a screwdriver but by the time I returned it too had broken.

[bimpy]

I may be corrected on this but when I took my windows out and separated the panes they appeared to be the same size. I'm sure I can use the inner panes if one of the wing windows is ever broken. (I'm told this is quite common) Bottom line here is two very expensive window panes are being wasted

[mccrosti]

It is a calculated risk. A rock guard, which I have is less expensive than a wing window.


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[aquinob]

I took my windows apart, but it is a hell of a job and honestly, I'd give strong consideration to just breaking the inner one out and be done with it. You also end up doing some damage to the frame itself in the removal process, nothing 40 years old comes apart willingly, unless you don't want it to then Murphy's law applies.

[mccrosti]

Bob, as you well know, another " helluva job" added to a restoration is the last thing you want to add to the project !


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[GuitarmanFL]

Hmmm. That is a very interesting approach.

My driver inner wing is already shattered, but still together. My passenger is not broken. After only removing the inner Butyrate alone which took a couple hours on one side, I just might completely break the driver inner wing and remove it and see how it cleans up.

Any suggestion on how to "finish" the interior so it does not look kinda mangled, or do you think it's looks presentable?

Great post. I hate f'ing with all this adhesive.



Thanks,

[mccrosti]

I used a tiny drill bit on the inside glass. Didn't want to hit it with anything for fear of cracking the outside glass. The drill worked very well. I cleaned the glass out of the frame completely, which was the hardest part of the job. Wear leather gloves. Then filled the frame with Vulkem.


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[Aerowood]

My 71 GT had single pane glass frames with the street side having already been replaced with plastic. I was able to get my hands on a complete set, left and right, of dual pane wing Windows. I was able to remove the Windows from the frame, separate them and install a single pane in my single pane frame. This saved me a bunch of money. I now have another set of dual panes so I now have a lifetime supply in the event I ever brake another.