RE: gtv6 windshield

["John Hertzman" <johnhertzman@domain.elided>]

Dave Johnson writes "There are also two small metal stampings which are
riveted to the inside of the windshield frame, on the left and right side
pillars.  I'm not sure what they are for, but somewhere I read that these must
be removed to avoid damage to the glass on removal.  I didn't see how this
could happen, but I removed them anyway on my '82.  Possibly this only applies
if you are trying to save the gasket and the glass.  Anyone know more about
these mysterious items?"

He may have read about them in the October 1998 digest discussion of removing
earlier gasketed 105-115 windshields which slid into a discussion of 116
windshields, including the GTV6. Anyone who wants my full take (mostly
guesswork) can find it in ad7-152, but the short story is that the gaskets on
earlier gasketed windshields were of a relatively soft rubber and their inner
lip thinned to a knife-edge; these windshields and gaskets could be removed
fairly easily with popsicle sticks (used like tire-irons) or roofing nails
and/or distributed pressure (e.g. several sets of stockinged feet from the
inside) or even by accident in collisions. First series Alfettas, like late US
115 coupes and Berlinas, had glued-in screens, one stated reason being for
improved torsional stiffness of the body,the windshield becoming a stressed
member, but also presumably for safety-related reasons which presumably had
led to the initial adoption of glue-ins on the late US 115s. Then
second-series Alfettas returned to a gasketed windshield, which might seem to
contradict any logic of the earlier glue-in choice. There are however two
apparent differences between the earlier and later gaskets; one, the later
gaskets seem to be an appreciably harder synthetic rubber, and two, instead of
the knife-edge the new gaskets have a pronounced projecting rounded lip on the
outer edge of the inside face at the sides, and two long retaining clips on
each side (each held by several pop-rivets) which embrace that lip, making it
unlikely that one could remove the gasket without first removing the retaining
clip; one would have to slip the thick lip through the thin slot.

In the earlier discussion Brian Shorey reported that he was often able to save
a gasket, but occasionally broke a windshield trying. I also tried on a Sport
Sedan parts car, and saved the gasket but lost the windshield. Live and learn.
If anyone knows more about the various back-and-forth decisions on gasketed
and bonded windshields, and particularly on the late Alfetta, Sport Sedan, and
GTV6 glasses and gaskets and retainers, I would be interested.

John H.
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