Seam sealer above windshield

[motzingg]

I'm replacing my windshield, which looked like a pretty straightforward task, until I got it out and noticed that a previous owner had made several attempts to seal up various leaks in the crusty old gasket.

I went to town on the gunk in the channel, and that all came out nicely, but someone had put what looks like white household caulk in the gap between the gasket and the drip rail all along the top. I started grinding that out and got all the way down to the metal seam.

Its hard for me to tell at this point where the household caulk (hard as a rock and white) ended and where the seam sealer, if there was any, began. There is some more white caulk/sealer stuff along the bottom, looks like it got piped in a very long time ago from the inside.

So the basic question is: Does the seam where the outer window frame piece connects to the under drip edge piece and they are folded in and welded need to be sealed or not?

I've got a tiny bit of rust forming on that seam so i'd like to do it right, but the last time i bought seam sealer it was the really good 3m urethane (like $50/tube) and you had to use the whole tube at once or it hardened up in the tube... Is there anything else out there that would be better, possibly re-useable. I'm sure i'll have plenty more grinding and sealing to do on this thing when i get around to painting in a few months, but for right now i just need to get a windshield in ASAP.

[72BahamaBlue]

For the seam sealer, you might consider trying 3M 5200 Marine Adhesive Sealant. It's available at Home Depot, about $15 a tube. I've had very good results with it.
Here's a hood seam I did 5 years ago, I used a thinner soaked rag to smooth it out, still looks good after all the exposure.
I also tried it on the drip rail of the '71, ground it out, primed, then 3 coats, then used spray can Rustoleum self-etching primer over it after curing. No problems, other than it's really stringy, smooths out well with a thinner-wetted finger.

[motzingg]

oh yeah i used that when i rebuilt a boat a couple years ago... nasty stuff, sticks like heck and bonds really well. I hadn't thought of it, but i suppose just about any caulk would work. I found a one-part seam sealer from 3m that i think i'll use instead of the 2 part, hopefully it will last in the tube until i get ready to do the full paint job.


i guess the question i have is, does that seam above the windshield have seam sealer in it from the factory? i cant tell, but the more i think about it, it probably wont hurt to put it in.

I just wish i could paint everything while i have the windshield out... grrrr. maybe i will just buy the paint and have them mix up a rattle can to do under the window.

[71fordkid]

the seam above the windshield - im guessing your talking about the rain gutter that wraps around the doors too - has seam sealer in it from the factory.