Fixing rust
Author
Discussion

petjam

Original Poster:

502 posts

175 months

Wednesday 3rd January 2018
quotequote all
Morning gents, wonder if somebody can help?

I have an old Mercedes which has some rust underneath the rear window. I want to get it fixed but to do so the rear window needs to come out first. My two local bodyshops can’t take out the glass first. Does anybody know a place in Essex (as close to Southend as possible) which can do the whole lot?

Thanks.

texaxile

3,752 posts

179 months

Wednesday 3rd January 2018
quotequote all
I don't know of any places myself, but as a suggestion I had the same issue on a Lancer turbo.

I gave a local windscreen company a call (not autoglass) and explained the situation telling the guy it was bonded in etc, he arranged to go to the bodyshop on the day the car was delivered, remove the glass and then replace once the paint had set. It is a bit of a ballache, which is why I used a local guy rather than a national company. It did cost me a bit more, but getting the job done right was more important. More importantly he stored the glass for me which was better than leaving it around a bodywhop where it might get broken.

iirc there is a guy on PH who does vehicle glass and is very good.

mgv8

1,657 posts

300 months

Wednesday 3rd January 2018
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Remeber there is risk with taking the glass out. I would check, one its available and even better second had on ebay would be good.
Its good to have a plan rather than panic on the day.

petjam

Original Poster:

502 posts

175 months

Wednesday 3rd January 2018
quotequote all
Thanks,

I will see if I can find a local guy.

TooMany2cvs

29,008 posts

155 months

Wednesday 3rd January 2018
quotequote all
Can't, or won't, take the glass out?

How's it attached - gasket, bonded, or openable?

Glassman

24,930 posts

244 months

Wednesday 3rd January 2018
quotequote all
petjam said:
Morning gents, wonder if somebody can help?

I have an old Mercedes which has some rust underneath the rear window. I want to get it fixed but to do so the rear window needs to come out first. My two local bodyshops can’t take out the glass first. Does anybody know a place in Essex (as close to Southend as possible) which can do the whole lot?

Thanks.
Prime Paint & Body in Harlow or Fully Loaded in Tottenham

Getting the glass out is no problem if you engage the right people.

aka_kerrly

12,505 posts

239 months

Wednesday 3rd January 2018
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It's also wise to source or at least check the availability of a replacement rubber seal before you find out the body shop have cut the old one.... Something that nearly scuppered a build of mine a few years back.

petjam

Original Poster:

502 posts

175 months

Thursday 4th January 2018
quotequote all
TooMany2cvs said:
Can't, or won't, take the glass out?

How's it attached - gasket, bonded, or openable?
I think it is can't. I will gave that Harlow place quoted above a call.

lowdrag

13,181 posts

242 months

Thursday 4th January 2018
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Slightly off topic, but for years Pilkington had a division that specialized in classic car glass. I bought my screen for the XKSS from them and was agreeably surprised that for a rare car it was only £385. No longer; Pilkington have sold to a Japanese company who have shut the UK operation and moved lock, stock and barrel to Finland. The cost of the screen is now £1,200 plus delivery. I am sure that this applies to all their classic glass, which is why I am posting. Maybe not for a Mercedes, I don't know, but it pays to be careful when taking that screen out!

droopsnoot

14,624 posts

271 months

Thursday 4th January 2018
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That's interesting and worrying. I sourced a screen via Uroglass for mine, but it was a Pilkingtons one ultimately, and they've been quite active in classic car shows over the last few years so it looked as if a problem had gone away. Sounds as if it's returned.

On the OPs problem, I'm surprised that the body shop doesn't have a preferred glass remover and installer that they could call on. Unless the glass (and/or rubber) is particularly difficult to replace, in which case perhaps they are just avoiding a potential argument if something goes wrong. By having the OP find the glass person, it's clearly their issue if they mess up. A sad reflection of the times.

aeropilot

40,526 posts

256 months

Thursday 4th January 2018
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petjam said:
TooMany2cvs said:
Can't, or won't, take the glass out?

How's it attached - gasket, bonded, or openable?
I think it is can't. I will gave that Harlow place quoted above a call.
I suspect it is - won't.

OP has said, 'old' Mercedes, rather than a 19** Merc............assuming, he's not a youngster, and 'old' to him is post 2000 build laugh

If its 'old' as in proper 'old' and therefore a rear screen with pukka rubbers, as mentioned above, I suspect, they don't want to be 'stung' for possible breakage, as it's really not hard to remove a rear screen, hell even I've done it on Mk1 Escorts and a Mk.1 Capri without breaking..!!



petjam

Original Poster:

502 posts

175 months

Thursday 4th January 2018
quotequote all
It's a 1984 W123 limousine!


TooMany2cvs

29,008 posts

155 months

Thursday 4th January 2018
quotequote all
petjam said:
It's a 1984 W123 limousine!
And it's the fixed rear bodyside glass, behind the rear door, that you're talking about?

I'd be very surprised if it's not gasket-mount, that era, but it could be bonded. I suspect they're wary of bending the bling covering the rubber. Close-up pic?

petjam

Original Poster:

502 posts

175 months

Thursday 4th January 2018
quotequote all
Yes the rear glass. Will get you one when I get home.

lowdrag

13,181 posts

242 months

Thursday 4th January 2018
quotequote all
Had to smile at the number plate! Whatever, best of luck with your quest.

petjam

Original Poster:

502 posts

175 months

Thursday 4th January 2018
quotequote all
lowdrag said:
Had to smile at the number plate! Whatever, best of luck with your quest.
Thank you sir!

Glassman

24,930 posts

244 months

Thursday 4th January 2018
quotequote all
TooMany2cvs said:
I'd be very surprised if it's not gasket-mount, that era, but it could be bonded.
No. Indirectly glazed; in rubber.

biggrin

lowdrag

13,181 posts

242 months

Thursday 4th January 2018
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The Crack Fox said:
lowdrag said:
Pilkington have sold to a Japanese company who have shut the UK operation and moved lock, stock and barrel to Finland.
Not so! Their Ormskirk place is huge, and I've seen the plant making low-volume screens very recently. They can also do this in Italy. They are owned by NSG (Nippon Sheet Glass) though.
Shows what it does if you don't check. I had an email from a replica maker telling me this. I apologize for my mistake and I'll ring Ormskirk tomorrow to see what's what, then post back.

SamPet

485 posts

225 months

Friday 5th January 2018
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Similar to what I had done to my 126 SEC coupe

Glass out job - good bodyshops tend to outsource the glass removal