Joined: May 05, 2005 Posts: 109 Location: Del Rio, Texas
Posted: Mon Mar 20, 2017 9:51 pm Post subject: windshield repair advise
Hello all...I need some repair advise/opinions. A few months ago I was towing my jeep (on its trailer) to my ranch. Along the way the windshield hold down strap failed (came unbuckled) and the windshield subsequently flew up at 75mph! Consequently the glass windshield shattered and came out of the frame and the windshield frame itself broke (on both sides) and bent backwards. On the highway I had no choice but to manually bend the windshild back straight again so that it could be laid flat again and could be tied down so I could continue on my way. Here are are some pictures of the damage.
Drivers side: Passengers side:
So my questions:
Can this even be fixed? Or should it not even be attempted? If so, are there any specific details I should let my repair person know about? What would a reasonable repair cost be (rough guess)?
Or would it be better to just find a replacement windshield? How hard are they to find (original not repop)? And what's a reasonable price?
Note: I live in a smallish (~35,000 people) TX border town with limited skilled welders. Don't get me wrong there are plenty of people here who can weld pipe fences, barns and farm tractors. My point is, finding someone who would have the skills and attention to detail to repair body work on antique autos will be difficult. The nearest competent auto body welder may be ~200 miles away.
What would you do if you were in my shoes?
Any advise, comments, suggestions would be greatly appreciated. _________________ Dan
1951 M38
It is repairable. If skilled welders are as hard to find as you describe they are in your area the repair could get costly. The lower skins and the door channels must come off so the two vertical tubes can be repaired correctly using inserts or scarfs. The welder will need the jeep as well to make several test mountings of the windshield during the repair to assure the proper fit.
I would start this project by looking for a useable old original! If you can't find one then deal with repair arrangements. Keep in mind you have have all the parts to modify a used CJ3A windshield on your old windshield. _________________ Wes K
45 MB, 51 M38, 54 M37, 66 M101A1, 60 CJ5, 76 DJ5D, 47Bantam T3-C & 5? M100
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Consequently the glass windshield shattered and came out of the frame and the windshield frame itself broke (on both sides) and bent backwards.
On the highway I had no choice but to manually bend the windshild back straight again so that it could be laid flat again and could be tied down so I could continue on my way. Here are are some pictures of the damage.
