Rear Window Shattered

Discussion in 'The ragtop shop' started by Drachen, Dec 23, 2016.

  1. Drachen

    Drachen Well-Known Member

    Today was a nice day in ATL (65 and sunny), so I decided to take my Wildcat out for a little exercise.

    When I lowered the top, I managed to shatter the rear window. Unfortunately, this happened at a
    gas station with about a dozen people within earshot of my shouted profanities.

    There was nothing in the well, and nothing in the trunk that would have caused the glass to break;
    Is it possible the top frame is bent/twisted or one of the cylinders is staring to go?

    I would like to come up with a solution before I replace the window.

    Wildcat_rear_Window.jpg
     
  2. 69 GS 400

    69 GS 400 Well-Known Member

    I feel for you. I can understand your response. Looking at the fabric,did it detach and cause the window to drop out of position ?
     
  3. TrunkMonkey

    TrunkMonkey Well-Known Member

    Safety glass is produced with pre-load tension and that is a property that causes it to shatter into tiny pieces rather than shards.

    Because of the "pre-load" and continual stresses in the glass, it can suffer a "spontaneous" shatter.

    So, it is possible that it did that. But any torsion, bending or point of stress from something in contact when pressure of movement of the top could also cause that.

    In case you cannot find anything that seemed to be the cause, do not excuse the age and spontaneous possibility.
     
  4. pbr400

    pbr400 68GS400

    That spontaneous shatter thing is real and very odd. Don't discount our weather (and temp cycles) as a factor. About fifteen years ago I had the rear glass in a '79 Trans Am shatter without any cause. It was parked thirty feet from me, outside the propped open door of my workplace on a late winter day, and poff!! it popped two large holes, roughly over the speaker grilles, and was still cracking and falling as I walked out. I looked everywhere for some cause but found nothing. It was one of those days where morning lows in the 30s warmed quickly to 60s by mid day, so I guessed some form of expansion against the restraint caused it. I took it to a car wash and vacuumed it out; the drive home with T tops out and no rear glass was quite pleasant on the interstate!
    Patrick
     
  5. Bigpig455

    Bigpig455 Fastest of the slow....

    It's been my experience that windows shatter when you put the top down when they are mis-aligned. This is especially true with 71-76 B body scissor tops. The windows are held in alignment by two spring loaded "stands" that attach to the trunk structure. If one or both of those arms loses spring tension, the window doesnt pull out of the way of the folding top and POW....I dont know if 69-70 cars are set up the same way, but if they are, thats your issue.
     

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