Author Topic: Windshield molding?  (Read 617 times)

Offline cuda_440

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Windshield molding?
« on: February 09, 2019 - 11:26:44 PM »
Does anyone know if someone manufactures a rubber molding to use instead of the stainless trim that is factory around the front and rear glass?  Appreciate any info.
« Last Edit: February 09, 2019 - 11:42:07 PM by cuda_440 »




Offline 70chall440

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Re: Windshield molding?
« Reply #1 on: February 10, 2019 - 12:23:06 PM »
No, I do not believe anyone makes anything like that. If you want to dispense with the SS molding you are going to have to decide how you want the glass to sit. As it is, the glass sits below the metal of the body, the SS trim/molding transitions the body to the glass. If you remove the molding the glass will appear "sunk in". If you don't mind that look, then you could fill the gap with any number of products (a sealant, butyl, body filler, etc.) However if you do not like that look and want the glass flush to the body as on a modern car you have raise the glass up and then fill the gap. Some have built a new window channel/opening that accomplishes this and this method is arguably the best but also the most permanent. The other method is to raise the glass using Butyl ribbon tape (2 rows of 5/16" one on top of the other about does it), but then you have to find a way to fill the gap between the glass and the body. They make a lot of different types of flexible plastic molding designed for this purpose, however none of them are really that great.

I did this on my 73 Cuda and while I do like the look of the flush glass, it is not an easy task unless you know someone in the automotive glass world or know a true customizer who has done this before. I say this because I purchased a number of different moldings and never got one I really liked, I am sure there is one out there but I couldn't find it. I used the Butyl methods and while it works, it is messy to say the least. In retrospect and if I were doing it again, I would have retained the stainless and painted it black. Not as sexy but a hell of a lot easier. If I was doing a full build, I would modify the window channels, results in a much cleaner and pain free end product.
Current Mopar
70 Challenger RT 440-6 EFI, 73 Cuda 416-6 EFI
05 Hemi Durango, 01 Ram 4x4, 14 Ram 2500 4X4, 10 PCP Challenger 6 spd RT, 01 Viper GTS ACR, 52 B3B w/330 Desoto Hemi, 70 Hemi RR (under const)
Past Mopars
9 x Challengers. AAR Cuda, 4 RR, 2 GTX, 4 Chargers, etc... (too many to list)