Replacement windscreen for a 1982

[sharrig]

I have discovered that I have a number of chips, and that the windscreen now needs to be replaced. Personally I don't have the time or experience to replace it myself. I have contacted my insurance company and they have arranged for the car to go to Auto Windscreens a National Company. To be honest, I feel a little nervous in taken it to them, being a classic car. Has anyone had experience of Auto Windscreens?

There is a local company which deals in paint and fabrication of classis cars. I have used them before and found their work very good and was thinking of buying the windscreen myself and having them to fit it, even though it would be more expensive than going through my insurance company.

Should I stick with Auto Windscreens? Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[Chevrolet]

I have discovered that I have a number of chips, and that the windscreen now needs to be replaced.

As you know, chips can be repaired. Halfords, amongst others, do it. Has someone told you the ones you have can't be repaired or repaired to look like new etc? Hence the need for a new screen? Personally, I'd let Auto Windscreens do it. Can they not do it on site at your place, so you can see them doing it?

PS Halfords sell this chip repair kit:

Rolson Windscreen Repair Kit | Halfords UK

Shop the latest Repairs all types of laminated windscreens, such as bulls-eye, half-moon cracks, loopholes and star shaped damage. Kit contains; suction pad, resin chamber, pressure driver, 6pc curing strips, 2ml resin & razor blade at Halfords UK

www.halfords.com

 

[sharrig]

There are four chips and when I told the insurance company that I had four of less than 40mm they advised that I need a new windscreen..as they will only cover up to three chips. There are some smaller ones the size of a pin head. I have to take the car to their depot on the 2nd October. So I am trying to find out as much info as possible for now.

 

[Roscobbc]

As Chevrolet says - let Auto Windscreens or other national company do the job.......presumably its at least partly covered by your insurance? - if they get it all wrong and crack the new screen.......its down to them. Just make sure they replace like for like.
A cautionary tale. I had a rear screen go on a Passat estate - had it replaced by one of the national companies by a mobile fitter. No problems.
Co-incidentally just a couple of weeks later I had a front screen go too. Again the same company came and did the job......it was fine, no issues.........except when I started using the car I would develop a headache whilst in the car.......coupled with aching eyes. The screen's optics were all off - looking though it was like wearing someone elses glasses.......I tried telling myself that it was me having some form of 'episode' - but it certainly wasn't. Windscreen company came and changed it once again.....no quibbles!

 

[johng]

I've had my windscreen replaced by them and it was fine. However you need to research online how it needs to be done and talk them through it as they probably won't be familiar with these cars. I bought my own 10mm x 10mm damming tape and made them use it. They have their own but it's not high enough. You might find there is not enough room for the tape across the top of the screen, I just used it across the bottom and up both sides. I can post some photos later this week when I get back home.

 

[Chevrolet]

I've had my windscreen replaced by them and it was fine. However you need to research online how it needs to be done and talk them through it as they probably won't be familiar with these cars. I bought my own 10mm x 10mm damming tape and made them use it. They have their own but it's not high enough. You might find there is not enough room for the tape across the top of the screen, I just used it across the bottom and up both sides. I can post some photos later this week when I get back home.

That's a great bit of advice/help! I haven't had a C3, but was thinking good to be there when they are doing it, if only to see how much corrosion there is (if any) in there on the A Pillar/Header rail? Have I got that right?/Did I read they are prone to that?

Had to do a bit of "windscreen investigation" myself last week. Was helping a lady neighbour of mine with her loveley Jag XK convertible. She hadn't noticed a circa 5" crack in in the windscreen from the bottom of the screen towards the centre on the passenger side. Think the story is Halfords etc will repair chips, but not cracks? Structural rigidity? Having said that, the above repair kit they sell, says it can be used on cracks.

 

[Nassau65]

I had a replacement screen done by them in March. I had to take it to their place as it had to be calibrated. They did a good job.
If an accident happened with the new screen while fitting, it’s down to them.
If you took a screen to be fitted it would be down to you if it got damaged while fitting.
This happened to a friend of mine years ago on a Datsun 240Z . He supplied the screen and they ( the garage ) fitted it, at his request.

 

[Chuffer]

I have discovered that I have a number of chips, and that the windscreen now needs to be replaced. Personally I don't have the time or experience to replace it myself. I have contacted my insurance company and they have arranged for the car to go to Auto Windscreens a National Company. To be honest, I feel a little nervous in taken it to them, being a classic car. Has anyone had experience of Auto Windscreens?

There is a local company which deals in paint and fabrication of classis cars. I have used them before and found their work very good and was thinking of buying the windscreen myself and having them to fit it, even though it would be more expensive than going through my insurance company.

Should I stick with Auto Windscreens? Any advice would be appreciated.

I had my 1980 C3 screen replaced under my insurance cover at Auto Windscreens in Northampton about 4 years ago . I was sceptical like you until I mentioned my concerns to a friend who had his 1967 Jaguar E Type screen replaced there and was very impressed . It turned out they had a lot of classic car experience and they did a superb job on my car and allowed me stay and watch the job carried out .

 

[johng]

Just got back from sunny Kos. Chevrolet has a good point, C3s are prone to corrosion on the A pillars and header rail. The first time my windscreen broke I removed it myself because I could see the was corrosion there. This photo shows a hole in the header rail, which required a small patch

However, on the drivers side at the bottom of the A pillar there was a 2" x 3" section of the outer panel that had completely rotted away. You couldn't see this without removing the screen or the instrument panel. When Auto windscreens came to replace my screen they checked that the windscreen frame was solid, they said they wouldn't fit the screen to a rusty frame. I'm not sure if they would remove the screen for you then let you go and get any corrosion fixed, then fit the new screen. I found that taking the screen out yourself is not an easy job, although with their tools (and experience) they didn't have any trouble, when my screen cracked again some time later.
These photos show the frame with the damming tape tape applied before they applied the glue (they have powered applicators for this that do a great job). You can probably see there wasn't space for the tape, plus the glue and the clips that hold the windscreen trim across the top of the screen.



By the way, the reasons for using the damming tape is 1) to stop the glue spreading into the interior of the car and 2) to hold the screen off the metal so that the trims around the sides and top of the screen fit closely to the glass. I've seen cars that haven't used the tape and there were big gaps between the trim and the glass.
This is what I used for the tape 10mm Thick x 5m Long – Self-Adhesive Sponge Strip - Rubber Stuff Ltd