Painted square on windshield

Hi guys,

I have a really annoying problem with my beloved 10207.
Somehow the painted square on the windshield has gotten scratched, thinking I could remove it I've scratched it even worse, and now it looks... ....bad.

Even when I try to repaint it (from the inside!) I still can't make the scratches go away when looked at from the outside. So I'm kinda stuck here: I don't want to make this look even worse, I don't want it to look this way and haven't tried installing the rearview mirror for that same reason. Also, I don't really feel much like driving down to Netherlands or Germany to have the windshield replaced, just for the sake of a small square patch of paint.

Any suggestions on how to fix this without getting a new windshield?

Attachment 64302Attachment 64301

Cheers. :)

I wonder if it's possible to fill those little scratches with that transparent UV-cured resin for repairing small impact marks. If not, I'd just paint same sqare on the outside with some hard black enamel. The only other option would be to remove the scratches by sanding/polishing the inner glass layer.

Is the idea for the mirror to attach directly to that little black square? (using one of those sticky pads/ or some 3M tape). Reason I ask is I have my mirror off at the moment and that square is very smooth on my car. So smooth I started to wonder if the adhesive would stick to it or not, like maybe I was missing some additional layer of something?

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Originally Posted by Jonathan

Is the idea for the mirror to attach directly to that little black square? (using one of those sticky pads/ or some 3M tape). Reason I ask is I have my mirror off at the moment and that square is very smooth on my car. So smooth I started to wonder if the adhesive would stick to it or not, like maybe I was missing some additional layer of something?

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You did not miss anything. You're on the right track. It is attached using a thin, high strength double-sided adhesive foam pad.

Buy one of these, then carefully apply one side of the adhesive pad to the black patch after cleaning the black patch with alcohol. Clean the mirror mount base with alcohol and press it onto the adhesive pad.

The photos help a lot. You need a new windshield to make the car look normal.

A previous owner left a mess, probably from trying to remove the black "paint" from the glass. The problem with that approach is that the black "paint" is really black glass which is permanently fused onto the clear glass during windshield fabrication.

Any chance to abrade the black glass off and then polish the abraded area to look clear is gone now because the new scratches are deep into the clear glass. If you abrade the glass deeply to remove the new scratches then after polishing this area you will have a funny-looking wavy lens in this area. And there is the chance the glass will be weakened and crack.

As Rhye suggests an exterior paint may be an answer. The scratches will not be seen from outside. What you will see from the outside will probably not look normal. Test the look by temporarily applying a patch of flat black tape over the scratched area - look at it under various lighting and viewing conditions. You may or may not like what you see.

No advice about painting exterior glass. Ask a glass repair shop for advice, especially about glass primer which is not the same as metal primer. I also set aside the issues of the passenger wiper over the paint, cleaning the paint with glass cleaner and safety inspections in your area.

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Originally Posted by DrWin

Hi guys,

I have a really annoying problem with my beloved 10207.
Somehow the painted square on the windshield has gotten scratched, thinking I could remove it I've scratched it even worse, and now it looks... ....bad.

Any suggestions on how to fix this without getting a new windshield?

Attachment 64302Attachment 64301

Cheers. :)

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Originally Posted by Rich

You did not miss anything. You're on the right track. It is attached using a thin, high strength double-sided adhesive foam pad.

Buy one of these, then carefully apply one side of the adhesive pad to the black patch after cleaning the black patch with alcohol. Clean the mirror mount base with alcohol and press it onto the adhesive pad.

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Ford used the same method to install the rear view mirror in a small car named Ford Fiesta (in Germany). And maybe on some other cars. I went to a Ford dealer and asked for a replacement pad. But I don't remember how much it cost.

Peter

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DrWin

Hi guys,

I have a really annoying problem with my beloved 10207.
Somehow the painted square on the windshield has gotten scratched, thinking I could remove it I've scratched it even worse, and now it looks... ....bad.

Even when I try to repaint it (from the inside!) I still can't make the scratches go away when looked at from the outside. So I'm kinda stuck here: I don't want to make this look even worse, I don't want it to look this way and haven't tried installing the rearview mirror for that same reason. Also, I don't really feel much like driving down to Netherlands or Germany to have the windshield replaced, just for the sake of a small square patch of paint.

Any suggestions on how to fix this without getting a new windshield?

Attachment 64302Attachment 64301

Cheers. :)

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Maybe you don't need to fix it. Try to work around. Apply a DMC-related sticker or some funny sticker on the outside onto the wind shield. A more expensive sticker would be that one.

When re-installing the rear view mirror, make sure you are using one of those double sided adhesive pads. Don't use a glue. Or your windshield will crack soon.

Peter

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Originally Posted by pk2678

Maybe you don't need to fix it. Try to work around. Apply a DMC-related sticker or some funny sticker on the outside onto the wind shield. A more expensive sticker would be that one.

When re-installing the rear view mirror, make sure you are using one of those double sided adhesive pads. Don't use a glue. Or your windshield will crack soon.

Peter

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Nice idea!

+1

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Originally Posted by Michael

Nice idea!

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Originally Posted by pk2678

Maybe you don't need to fix it. Try to work around. Apply a DMC-related sticker or some funny sticker on the outside onto the wind shield. A more expensive sticker would be that one.
[Snip]
Peter

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Originally Posted by Michael

Nice idea!

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Originally Posted by Rich

+1

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+2

I have never seen that before... That is one cool sticker! A bit obtrusive, but cool!

Thomas
...

Another option could be the DMC sticker for the air cleaner:

https://store.delorean.com/p-10686-a...yle-small.aspx

Thanks for all the input. I guess, I'm gonna have to try to fix the glass, if possible and replace the windshield if that isn't feasible. And/or put a sticker on it. Sticker is illegal in Denmark, so that's kind of not the best solution. :umm:

Would anyone care to offer an opinion on wether it is possible/feasible to replace the windshield at a non-delorean workshop? (For easier logistics.) :thankyou:

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Originally Posted by DrWin

Thanks for all the input. I guess, I'm gonna have to try to fix the glass, if possible and replace the windshield if that isn't feasible. And/or put a sticker on it. Sticker is illegal in Denmark, so that's kind of not the best solution. :umm:

Would anyone care to offer an opinion on wether it is possible/feasible to replace the windshield at a non-delorean workshop? (For easier logistics.) :thankyou:

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I can't imagine it takes a certified D shop to replace a windscreen. It might be a good idea to fix or recover the A piller trim if it is in need of fixing.
If your windscreen has the embedded antenna then you will not get a replacement for that and have to go to an external antenna.

The windscreen doesn't have to be done in a Delorean vendor's shop. The only thing that is unusual is the roof should be supported from inside during installation. For further information you can contact the Delorean vendor supplying the glass, they would be happy to provide all the information you need. What I WOULD worry about is getting the glass delivered without damage! What a shame to have to replace the glass because of that spot. Maybe you can find a glass shop locally that can maybe etch it or sandblast it for you without having to replace it.

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Originally Posted by Rich

You did not miss anything. You're on the right track. It is attached using a thin, high strength double-sided adhesive foam pad.

Buy one of these, then carefully apply one side of the adhesive pad to the black patch after cleaning the black patch with alcohol. Clean the mirror mount base with alcohol and press it onto the adhesive pad.

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Beauty, Rich, thanks. I think I probably didn't clean the surfaces with alcohol like you mentioned. I'll do that this time around. Havin' a heckuva time getting the 3M tape off the end of the mirror though! Sticky!!!

Also keep in mind that all the old windscreens have some delamination at 2 points on the bottom from being stored improperly and resting on those two areas. This section is/was black so you may be trading one problem for another.

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Originally Posted by Michael

Also keep in mind that all the old windscreens have some delamination at 2 points on the bottom from being stored improperly and resting on those two areas. This section is/was black so you may be trading one problem for another.

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Unless I get the windshield with IR protection, which is a newly made one, right?

You have three options when it comes to new windshield replacement. With antenna, without antenna or IR without antenna (doesn't have the tint on top either). All are available from DMCH and all claim to be new/reproduction including the one with antenna. Originally my vin did not have the antenna embedded so when I replaced it, I went again without antenna. It is amazing how yellow and scratched the original windshield was, it was a night and day difference when I replaced it. Luckily I am close enough to DMCHFL that I picked mine up, shipping is a killer. As Michael mentioned, I also did the pillar trim while I was at it.

I don't know where the scratches are in the glass but you might be able to try to scrape off as much paint as possible or use acetone to remove it, tape off the rectangular area and use multiple coats of 3m single step glass urethane primer, it is liquid so it may fill spots paint wouldn't and after a few coats it will be black. If you try this, a small bottle of primer can range anywhere from $15-$35 depending where you get it and be absolutely sure you're getting a bottle that isn't out of date otherwise you'll open a $30 bottle of solid useless crap.

Some reiteration here about what that black material on the windshield is and what can be done about it. In reference to posts 10 and 14 here this material can indeed be removed by abrasion or sandblasting. It cannot be removed by any solvent or chemicals.

Both the black mirror patch and the bottom edge of the windshield are treated with black-pigmented glass frit which is fired onto/into the inner glass surface when it is fabricated.

Due to the deep scratches (seen in original post) someone created in your mirror patch an abrasion or sandblasting process would now have to go deeper into the glass than just the black frit. Otherwise you will still see the scratches. The extra-deep abrasion may weaken the inner ply of glass. In fact, the scratches themselves may have weakened the glass such that it may spontaneously crack there at some point. Best case with this removal method is you will have a translucent or "frosty" look where the patch was. And you will hope for the windshield not to crack.

Short story is you cannot make that part of that windshield look like the rest of the windshield.

All 3 of the windshield configurations from DMCH appear to be the replacements made in the EU according to their parts listing. They may also have some NOS units.

So anyways... Picking this long-lost topic up, I finally got around to ordering a new windshield, that is sitting at my carglass workshop of choice. Before I make the appointment to replace the windshield I'd like to know if theres anything I need to replace or repair while the windshield is off. I'm hoping this will be a once-in-the-cars-lifetime event, so I suppose now is the time to do the while-you're-there things... Any suggestions?

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Originally Posted by DrWin

So anyways... Picking this long-lost topic up, I finally got around to ordering a new windshield, that is sitting at my carglass workshop of choice. Before I make the appointment to replace the windshield I'd like to know if theres anything I need to replace or repair while the windshield is off. I'm hoping this will be a once-in-the-cars-lifetime event, so I suppose now is the time to do the while-you're-there things... Any suggestions?

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If you want to do anything to the trim on the "A" pillars, the upper dash or vin tag you do it with the windscreen removed.

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Originally Posted by DrWin

So anyways... Picking this long-lost topic up, I finally got around to ordering a new windshield, that is sitting at my carglass workshop of choice. Before I make the appointment to replace the windshield I'd like to know if theres anything I need to replace or repair while the windshield is off. I'm hoping this will be a once-in-the-cars-lifetime event, so I suppose now is the time to do the while-you're-there things... Any suggestions?

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https://deloreanindustries.com/onlin...ly-base-gen-3/

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Originally Posted by David T

If you want to do anything to the trim on the "A" pillars, the upper dash or vin tag you do it with the windscreen removed.

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Originally Posted by r00b

https://deloreanindustries.com/onlin...ly-base-gen-3/

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A-pillar trim and roofbox, excellent. Thanks gentlemen.
A developement: My local class shop backed out of the deal.
I want to DIY replace the windshield. Any thoughts on proper selection of adhesive, removal hardware etc.?

Cheers.

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Originally Posted by DrWin

A development: My local class shop backed out of the deal.
I want to DIY replace the windshield. Any thoughts on proper selection of adhesive, removal hardware etc.?

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Please read this article from DMC about how this is done: specific guidance about the DMC-12.

Also note your DeLorean has two black bent-wire glass location brackets visible along the front of the bottom edge of your windshield. These hold the glass in place until the new sealant cures.

The guidance below applies generally to windshields, including DeLorean windshields:

Use black urethane adhesive designed for windshield application like 3M Windo-Weld 08609 urethane or 3M 08693 urethane or equivalent must be used. From amazon or a local 3M distributor. No silicone allowed.
You must clean and then prime the inside black-painted edge areas of the new windshield with 3M single step primer or equivalent so the urethane will adhere properly to the glass.
This 3M guide tells how to use primer and sealant when replacing a windshield - pages 28-29.

Find some general videos about how to DIY a replacement windshield to be sure you know what to expect.
Plan B: find another glass shop
Plan C: find an experienced auto glass installer who will do the job remotely with you if this is legal where you live