Hi I am in need of advice on just how a windshield repair panel is attached to the car? I am the 2nd owner of the car since the repair was started. I have inherited a patch panel that has been lapped under the dash and partially spot welded. But the actual piece seems to be floating with nothing anchoring it to the sub-structure (aka the top of the firewall). Do you drill holes in the repair panel and then spot weld it to the sub-structure? I hope this makes sense I could try to get pictures up at a later time if needed. Any help would be GREATLY appreciated as this is my first project car with many body issues, this being one of my greater challenges!
thanks
jeff

I would tear out the existing patch and fab a new one out of lightweight steel. Build the piece with a lip that extends an inch or so down the firewall and weld it to the firewall. Once it's all secured then grind everything down flat and neat.

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w105/maniac1972/IMG_3879.jpg

Here should be a direct link to my dash image. Hope this helps

if you take the outside of the pillars off (held in by screws) you'll be able to get the channel tight against the firewall .
you'll notice once you get the pillars off the lower channel drops into place ,you'll want to make sure the drain holes are clear too.
make sure your window trim fits before welding

So would this whole patch panel be glued in except for the ends? I need to cut the entire piece out and start over. It seems to be kinda torquing my dash out of alignment, the dash and the repair piece are fighting for territorial rights, this way i can get a look for any hidden rust to stop in its tracks.

If the piece is not glued can someone tell me how many and where welds would be located on a piece like this.....thank you so much!

from factory the channel your replacing was part of the dash
i cant remember where exactly the piece was welded from factory but when i replaced mine i welded across the dash sorta like your pic shows and the ends
and for the firewall i spot welded my channel to the firewall in the same spot your window clips go
i found when i took the pillars apart and the fenders off it would almost sit in place
i used my cowl cover as a guide to keep the channel centered and to adjust the hight
i think if you cut out the old piece you'll get a good idea where to weld
also if you look up under your dash you'll see where the window trim clips were attached there should be some indents ,you know it when you see them
make sure your window trim fits before welding,,save ya some grief later

I have a mess on my hands, and since i am inexperienced it makes it worse. But the previous owner had slipped the repair piece under the dash and did a lap weld, I think this was the wrong approach. Seems like you would start with the positioning of the channel then butt weld it to the dash? Anyway it is a mess, I found on the drivers corner now where they had packed a hole with fiberglass and epoxied it shut. I dug that out and now will have another hole to patch, once i get more practice welding. I am still in the teardown and discover phase of my preservation. Also in the mean time trying to get all the info my brain can manage to handle before I start anything. So thanks for the help anymore info would be great.

Automan, i am jealous, you must be like...hmmm which do i drive the 64 or the 64 or oh maybe it will be the 65! You sir are living the high life!
jeff:beers:

ok i give up,,,,,how did you know i had 3 cars?
i'm down to 2 now just the 64 and the 65

lol it is on your public profile.....you had 3 listed....

You are still living the high life!!!

duh i shoulda guessed ,,,i better update it
as for the dash being but welded i actually lap welded it,,i figured the dash pad and the windshield sealer would hide it enough,but i put the dash piece under the channel,that way if the window did'nt seal i would spot it sooner and water would'nt make its way into a joint