rear window sealant. In channel too or only between glass and metal?

[my66cruiser]

Hi. I have a 66 town. This model does not use a rear window rubber gasket. It only uses sealant. When I pulled off the moldings I noticed sealant under the moldings (which wasn't doing anything to hold the glass in). I observed sealant in between the glass and the metal around the perimeter. Is this all that holds in the glass? I will be putting my rear moldings back on, do I fill up the channel at the edge of the glass before I install the molding clips? When I removed the moldings there was sealant that a previous owner put there. But it was not holding in the glass in my opinion. Maybe they had a leak. But can someone tell me the right way the rear glass is held in? Thanks! I want to get her all buttoned up before the winter.

[Terry64HT]

I'm not much on 66 Birds, but from the descriptions I've seen, the window is sealed using butyl tape. This is commonly available as glaziers tape at any good window supply store. It's solid butyl rubber, usually about 1/8 by 1/2 and very sticky.
When I reinstalled all the stainless and chrome trim on my 64, I used a couple of rolls for the drip rails and window trim. Easy to work with and does a great job.
Hope this helps
Terry
64HT

[Rusty1]

my66cruiser,
One of my buds is redoing a 65 buick skylark convert. and the windshield is put in the same way. I guess in the early 60's all the manufacturers started doing it that way. Still done that way today.
Rusty1

[my66cruiser]

Hi Terry and Rusty,

Thanks for the tip on the Butyl tape. I was thinking of using that black glass sealant all around, but now I might use the tape. I did not think about that as I have never replaced a piece of glass that used the butyl tape. Thanks.

[Terry64HT]

The tape is very useful. Even though it's 1/8" thick, you can stretch and flatten it. I used a couple of pieces under the stainless roof rail trim before reinstalling and putting on the side window weatherstrip. It also was the only thing I used under the windshield trim. The existing windshield gasket had shrunk at the corners and there were gaps that were nearly 1/4" wide. I took a bit of the tape and pressed it in to fill the space with a small spatula and shaped it. You can't even see the repair.
Worked perfectly with no leaks anywhere.
Terry
64HT

[my66cruiser]

Hi Terry,

Sounds like it work out well for you. Nice job. Terry, when you taped your windshield, was there any concern of the tape getting in the way of all of the trim moldings? Or there was no conflict there?

Last question, I had no problem getting all of my moldings off, but when putting them back on..after installing the new molding clips, do you simply just press them on the clips?

Thanks.

[Terry64HT]

Reinstalling the windshield moldings was no problem. The bottom molding has tabs for the screws that go under the cowl, so I put a strip of tape on the underside of the molding just inside the upper edge to seal to the windshield gasket. I did a similar thing to the top windshield trim, but with tape on the back at both edges to seal to the car just below the clips and to the windshield gasket. There is plenty of room underneath the trim piece since it is L-shaped. You just want to make sure that there is not too much tape so that it interferes with the fitting of the trim. You can soften the tape with a heat gun or hair dryer if needed to make the trim sit right.
I had stretched and widened the butyl tape to go under the drip moldings and cut out around the screws. I brought this down the underside of the windshield pillars. You need to cut around the screw holes because the butyl tape is so sticky that it will pull from the surface if it gets in the screw threads. I put tape on the underside of the side moldings for the windshield at the gasket and also where it curves to the side of the windshield pillar.
A bit of careful fitting, some heat to make things sit right, and everything was done.
It's all straight, looks good and, best of all, no leaks.
Hope this helps
Terry
64HT

[my66cruiser]

Hi Terry,

Thanks for the detailed windshield molding tips. Sounds like you got your T-Bird all buttoned up nicely. I will probably use a similar approach on the rear window trim as well. I have never used the Butyl tape so I am still straddling the fence on whether I should try it or use one of the Permatex products for securing and sealing glass.

I don't have a big rear window job to do since the window is secure and does not leak, but just as an added measure I want to add some more sealant around the perimeter.

Thanks your insight. I can now proceed with a good degree of confidence since I am not flying blind.