Need rear hatch glass. Will consider hatch and glass if good conditon and within my budget?

Bob Cummins

email rcummins@hargray.com

go find and rip out one from a junk yard

I have a complete rust free hatch with good glass from a '72. If you can figure out how to ship it from St. Louis, you can have it for nothing.

Anyone know when the defrost lines switched from vertical to horizontal? The '72 I've bought has the vertical strips.

Also on the subject of glass, when I was removing my front windshield the other day I chipped it a little at one of the top corners. It didn't chip all the way through but only about a 1/2" chunk on the top. Should I scrap this? Is it possible it will crack?I guess the worst problems could be that the rubber won't seal and water will get in around it.

You sure you don't have that hatch glass installed sideways?

On the windshield, if you put it back in will the crack be completely covered by the rubber? If so, you could use some good quality black rubber caulk to make sure it doesn't leak. I've seen a lot of hack jobs with too much caulk, but if it is correctly and carefully installed, it will look and work just fine.

As far as cracking, as long as there isn't a crack line anywhere it shouldn't crack. Just be really careful when installing it.

The defroster grid was installed (Vertical) in 240Z cars manufactured until December 1971. In January the grid was changed to horizontal (would be interesting to know why?) position. My 240Z was manufactured in October of 71 and has the vertical defroster grid.

Also on the subject of glass, when I was removing my front windshield the other day I chipped it a little at one of the top corners. It didn't chip all the way through but only about a 1/2" chunk on the top. Should I scrap this? Is it possible it will crack?I guess the worst problems could be that the rubber won't seal and water will get in around it.

Mike, you may want to consider have the chip repaired at an auto glass shop. I sent in my '91 Accord for a new front window replacement last time and saw an ad on how they can repair minor chips or cracks to good as new. Consider how much money a replacement hatch glass will cost you (unless you grab one from JY cheap), it may be a good idea to repair it before you reinstall it.

-Guycali

Just my conjecture and not based on anything else other than observation.

The defroster lines on the glass CAN warm up the glass enough to melt ice and snow. With the lines running vertically the water run off just slides right down and does not help get the rest of the window. By putting the lines horizontally as each line melts the runoff goes down the slope of the glass and in turn contacts the snow / ice build up above the next line etc etc.

When I lived in the midwest and I would use the defrost on my Mercury Capri it would take a few minutes and suddenly all the snow / ice would literally sheet off the rear window. Kinda cool to watch.