[DAK]

Bottom line up front, my hatch glass shattered into a thousand pieces and I need to replace it. For years I've been watching the top edge of the glass separate from the frame. I tried the DIY repair of cleaning out along top edge and regluing with urethane a couple times, it would hold for a while then just get worse. The hatch would barely open due to the uneven glass bond racking the frame, the only thing keep water out was a long strip of clear tape that I schlepped on there out of desperation.

Several glass shops looked at it and said no way are we touching that. Finally found one that would, but when they had the glass almost all the way off, it shattered as they were cutting through the last bit of old urethane on the lower corner. Bummer but not really a surprise. They are having a hard time finding a replacement glass, although a polycarbonate replacement is available.

So has anyone replaced their hatch glass, and if so with what?

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[biosurfer1]

Not going to beat around the bush, finding the glass is going to be a tough task. Your only hopes is to find a used hatch but they are getting rare and expensive. The 944 S2 hatch actually fits our cars but its not the same, different third brake light location and because of the rear defrost lines are off. I suppose if you didnt care about the defrost, you could use the glass and remove the defrost lines. Wouldn't be perfect but should work. I actually have a S2 hatch on my car right now but just a placeholder while I work on my original hatch...here's to hoping mine doesnt shatter! 

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[ds968]

I have a very vague recollection of seeing a few posts here ( many years ago ) from a couple of members who replaced their rear glass with polycarbonate..   One or two have done it because theirs broke, the other for weight savings reasons , as he was tracking toe car .   I think ask three said the polycarbonate looks like crap in very quick time ..it yellows , scratches very easily , starts to look foggy, and so on.    

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[paulzebo]

I have done both the polycarbonate and glass replacement. The poly will vibrate and you really don't save that much weight. Finding a 968 complete with frame is going to be tough. But if your frame is still good, as mine was, I bought an 89 944 hatch, removed the glass by melting the adhesive with a propane torch, cleaned the glass and frame, prime and set it into the old frame. Propane only because it doesn't get hot enough to fracture the donor glass. Same glass, different frame, except the 944's with the high mount stop lamp in the top middle. That's why some 944 owners can put a 968 hatch on.

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[DAK]

Thanks all, very helpful information.

Paulzebo, can you tell me more about the propane heating technique. I have a compatible 944 hatch on the way.

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[paulzebo]

Just heat it up on the metal frame, NOT the glass! It will start to smolder and you can use a wood tongue depressor to separate the glass from the frame as you go along. Do it outdoors. The stuff smells bad. Once separated, be very careful with a razor blade to remove the excess adhesive from the glass. Use a soapy solution as it will help not to scratch the glass. When cleaned off, mask the area around the perimeter where the black primer used to be. I used Dow 5504 pinch weld/glass primer. Let each coat completely dry on the glass before applying a second or third coat.



I cannot stress enough you must take care not to scratch the glass. Safety glass is strange stuff. If scratched, when the temperature and expansion rate is right, it will shatter again.

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[DAK]

Thanks Paulzebo, will update on the outcome soon.

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[Rap]

I had a spare one that I lost in the fire. Literally disappeared. Sorry.

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[paulzebo]

Here's where I first published the removal. https://www.968forums.com/topic/14239-ha...ntry159291 I keep a spare just in case....        

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[DAK]

BLUF I installed the complete 944S2 hatch with glass and attached my OG 968 trim/spoiler. Had to drill a couple holes in the 944 frame to accept trim and fabricate the brake light housing tabs from aluminum sheet stock. Only way one can tell hatch not OG is the 944 upper brake light housing is still adhered to the inside of the glass, might try to remove it later. I did try the heating technique on my OG frame as described above just to try to remove the broken glass bits and urethane, I gave up quick, hats off to Paulzebo for doing the seemingly impossible. Those lower corners are the kicker.

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[Waylander]

I have heard that its not easy

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