Testarossa Window Delamination

One of mine exhibits the same symptoms. Actually starts to condensate between the layers.

Windscreen is stuffed. Time for a new one. No options there.

 

But I sure wish it were possible. The ZR1 Corvette community has been suffering from this "achilles heel" for years now.

ZR1s came with a fancy gold coating laminated into the windshield - ordinary Corvettes did not have this. It was intended to fight against interior heat because the aluminum engine made a lot more radiated heat under the hood.

Practically every ZR1 that I know of, from 1990 up to the last 1995 models have this to one degree or another. My late 1995 (#401) shows about 1/8 to 1/4" all around the outside. The "last ZR1" (1995 #448) sitting in the Corvette Museum at Bowling Green has it too, and it has never been anywhere but the museum showroom.

And wouldn't you know it? The coated windshield is no longer available - (unless you happen upon one in storage, which is probably delaminated too), and the ordinary Corvette windshields did not have this problem.

The ZR1 club complained to Chevrolet about it, but you know where that got us...

James

 

my boxer has the very same thing in the same spot. i was told that there is nothing to repair it short of replacing. they then went on to say that they would not replace as it is very expensive and there is more risk that it will not be installed properly.

 

My testarossa has a tiny amount of this too. Found it during the PPI. Mine is right over the lower edge. It was about cm by 1/2 cm 2 years ago when I bought the car. Now, its 2cm by 3/4 cm...

It spreads at a glacial speed. I would imagine it would be 10-15 years before this became an issue. Its silly to replace the windshield when the area is tiny, whats the point? You could get a rock chip in the new shield next week!

When I found this during the PPI several folks told me to knock down the selling price by the car by 3000-4000$. Realistically, I knew the seller wouldn't go for that. And, if I ever went to sell the car and someone tried that on me, I wouldn't go for it either.

Will the window need to be replaced at some point? Yes. Could it be 5-15 years from now? Yep.

I look at it as wear and tear. At some point EVERYTHING needs to be replaced: The leather, tires, shocks, paint, etc, etc,etc...

Enjoy the car...

PS. I did notice that if I don't use the heat/aircon, then the delaminiation completely stops. Using the heat used to cause condensation in that area. I have the delamination outlined with a black marker...hasn't changed in 1 year/3000 miles .

 

My testarossa as well....and in the same spot.... delaminated area grew in the shape of a triangle 3-4" wide before i replaced the windshield.

a

 

I agree with you. This should be repairable, one would think. When the windshield is 300$, no point in trying. When it is 3000$, one would think there is money in trying.

I called a window shop which offered to drill into the tiny area of delamination, apply suction, and inject it with epoxy. They advised that there was a risk that the windshield might crack - requiring immediate replacement... I decided against it.

 

I don't know if this would be called a "bona-fide" repair. The window guy said it was more of a "we can try it and see what happens" kind of thing. If anyone here has an experienced window guy that could do this, I am all ears.

 

I too would have declined. First, how deep were they going to drill the hole? All the way through?, or just try to get into the laminate plane? How?

Second, it would scare me that injecting something more into the very place where it was spreading apart might just force it further apart...

And, of course the already mentioned danger of making a crack.

I just did a web search on this and the only thing I could find that looked like a valid procedure was for business jets. Might be interesting to find out how they do it...Ill bet they get the glass out of the frame and use some kind of vacuum bagging technique...

But I am still interested as I will have to face this eventually.

James

 

Hi all,
well, I guess we'll just have to make these TR windshields a little "more affordable" then for all of you! ;-)

We will actually have the Testarossa, as well as the 348/355, in our program in the coming winter-time!
As of today, we have no exclusive distribution-agreements over these yet.

Of the other "ways" of fixing the delamination-problem;
-it is indeed a real problem for the industry, but seems that it just can not be avoided even with the modern chemicals used in the adhesive laminate; temperamental changes and humidity just seem to be doing their job eventually in some cases...

-drilling a laminated glass and "spraying" the spot? Well, good luck there...

-basically, a delamination can not be cured unless there is still adhesive qualities left in the laminate material (which there is not if it has delaminated in the first place!) and it is absolutely clean. And thenafter the glass has to be pressurized in a "conclave" (a compression chamber with heat to dissolve the rubbery laminate into almost liquid "glue" to bond the panels together under high pressure). So, pretty simple, eh??

I'll let you know when we have the TR glasses ready to roll!

-let me know if you're interested, so I can start estimating the demand (and costing)!

yours,
Antti Wihanto
Wihanto Trading / parabrezze SICURVETRO
www.sicurvetro.com
e-mail is; info "at" and the address above
+358-40-551 9841 (+2 hrs to GMT, +10 to PCT)

 

You should consider doing some back glass for them as well. They are known for breaking.

 

^^ I sold a TR rear glass last Friday to an Fchatter out west, and another customer on the east coast emailed me today looking for one too. Things happen in 3's..... so I'm expecting another call any moment now!



Weird.