No matter how well-made and durable a classic vehicle is, the passage of time always takes its toll. Case in point, take a look at this 1969 Ford F-100 that belongs to our friends at Ford Muscle magazine. The amount of rusty patina on its body panels is a sign that this truck needed a little TLC. Specifically, the glass and weatherstrip on its cab were cracked and severely deteriorated. So, they picked up some original-style replacement parts from Classic Industries and got to work restoring it. Read on to see how our 1969 Ford F-100 parts improved this project truck.
Removing the Ford F-100's Old Glass
The original windshield on this 1969 F-100 showed several large spiderweb cracks and rock chips, but that wasn't all. The glass was also delaminating at the edges, as seen in the close-up above. Ford Muscle wrote: "The front and rear glass had seen better days, and the weatherstripping hadn’t aged gracefully... Many F-100 windshields exhibit this separation near the edges. It's unsightly, and needs to go!"
The trim was removed, the weatherstrip was cut and peeled away, and the glass was carefully lifted off. "It can be fragile... taking your time is the most important tool when working with glass."
The last step of removal was to carefully clean any leftover residue and check for rust spots that might need to be addressed. "We were swapping weatherstrip on both the front and rear, so we removed both panes of glass and cleaned both sides of the cab up at the same time."
Installing New Glass on the Ford F-100
The Ford Muscle team inspected the new Classic Industries glass, and pressed the weatherstrip into place around it. Then they began by installing the back glass on the F-100's cab.
A glass seal rope-in tool was used to make installation easier. "This tool from Classic Industries helps wrap the string around the outside of the weatherstrip once it's installed. This is where it pays to have friends help hold the glass on the outside while you work the inner part of the weatherstrip into position."
Finally, the the weatherstrip was wrapped around the windshield glass, and the trim was installed using pressure and a little WD-40. The windshield was carefully lowered into place, and the rope-in tool was used to seat it onto the cab. Click here to read the full Ford Muscle article with more photos and details.
The end result is a much safer and clearer view of the road, without any unsightly peeling, cracks, or leaks. The Ford Muscle team did a great job with this project, and we can't wait to see how their 1969 Ford F-100 restoration project continues in the future.
Need Ford F-100 Parts for Your Project Truck?
Whether it's simple glass and trim or a complete rotisserie restoration, Classic Industries can help you find the parts you need to keep your classic Ford truck on the road and looking good. Click the button below to browse our selection of Ford F-Series parts.
