Firstfives.org

Anyone know if an E28 windshield will fit an E12?

RealOEM is your friend: Answer, yes

https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/partxref?q=51311466362

Yes it will. It's not close, it's the same. Same rubber and lockstrip too.

Many of my E28 friends have found replacement windshields to fit poorly and leak. IMO even if they do fit poorly they leak because of poor installation.

I know someone in British Columbia ,Canada that is looking for a windshield. Are they even still available and what price would they sell for? Is removal and replacement a DIY thing or is it better to get a professional installation. I've heard of people who are good at this type of thing still ending up with a cracked window!

Windshields are available, but not thru BMW. It's gotten to the point where the pros often are so used to the current type of glue in windshields they don't know how to do a floating type, at least and not have it leak. Plus they usually just cut it out, in doing so scratch the paint down to the steel which rusts eventually. While the first time is always a challenge, it's definitely a DIY category job.

I think Safelite and one other company whose name I can't recall still make them. Safelite is the common one but the one with the poor fit.

we have just replaced the windshield on our E28

cost $165 from Autoglass warehouse
https://www.autoglasswarehouse.com.au/b ... wagon-fron

instructions for DYI for e28 is different to E12 - we tried the e12 way but closeness of the dash to the glass just mean the rope pushed the glass out instead of enabling the rubber to peel over the metal lip. so we did it the E28 way (haynes manual) and it worked find - takes a while but worked out nicely.

I did some (very ordinary) glass removal videos here.

removal part 1
[YouTube][/YouTube]

removal part 2
[YouTube][/YouTube]

As we had rust in the window sill, we cut it out and welded in replacement metal, primed and painted , prior to installing the new glass.

oh dear lots of rust


make a pattern


cut our metal and start shaping - do test fit


cut to shape, gas welded in and cleanedup


a littel bit of filler, sanded primed and painted



ready for glass



used bits of plastic to peel rubber over glass




all in ready for bottom trim and locking strips

we found fitting the bottom locking strip the hardest part of the whole job

Thanks for the info and pics. Nice bodywork fabrication repair.

My E12 came with a replacement windshield from Walloth & Nesch. I'm waiting to install it until I get around to the rust repair. Not sure why the PO sourced it from across the pond instead of in the USA.

Cory

cory58 wrote: ↑Wed May 12, 2021 9:00 am My E12 came with a replacement windshield from Walloth & Nesch. I'm waiting to install it until I get around to the rust repair. Not sure why the PO sourced it from across the pond instead of in the USA.

Cory

It may have been to get a BMW windshield. For some time BMW windshields were euro only and they wouldn't sell them in the US. Eventually some of the guys on Mye28 got a waver for the euro only rule so they could be sold here. And promptly bought out the entire stock. They might get more, but I wouldn't hold my breath.

Sticker on my replacement windscreen



does the fit look okay ?

note: we used some tyre shire on the rubber gasket to make it bit more plyable, slippery and shinny.

our plastic strip is pretty rubbish - we got to replace it with some new stuff - when we can get it!

garyinwestoz wrote: ↑Wed May 12, 2021 9:26 pm does the fit look okay ?

Looks good! It's at the top corners that there can be a gap between the rubber and the body, but you're looks tight.