Move glass from one rear hatch to another? (95 Impr Wagon)

[brycarp]

Hi All, just wondering whether this is a realistic task for an advanced do-it-yourselfer. I bought a 95 Impreza L wagon with a large area (about 1 sq. foot) push-in dent in the rear hatch. I found a straight hatch already the right color at a salvage yard and put that on. Everything's great except for the defroster lines in the window of the hatch I swapped in.

 

Normally in the past, I've been able to repair defroster lines pretty simply with the Permatex #09117 kit. But on this window, the lines seem to be broken down or corroded in some way, not just scratched at one point. So repairing them isn't working out.

 

The window in the bent hatch I took off had a perfectly functioning rear defroster/defogger, without any repair needed. So of course I wish I could get that window onto the straight hatch on the car. That means I need two glass removals (one non-destructive) and one install.

 

I took a look at the trim surrounding the glass, and it seems pretty well attached. I'm thinking it might just come with the glass and should be left attached.

 

Can anyone point me in the right direction on technique or at least tell me "You don't want to try that - better to have a glass shop do it."? Fortunately, I do have a connection to a good glass shop where they're usually willing to charge me their "fleet rate." I haven't gotten a quote from them yet for this, though.

 

Thanks!

Bry

[idosubaru]

that urethane stuff is a bear to cut through, i'll never do that again unless i absolutely have to.

 

i'd personally leave this one to the professionals. i broke door glass (in an impreza OBS even!) and it was really cheap to have a glass shop install it. granted, that's not the same but i'd still call and get a price.

 

sounds like you've exhausted all options on repair of the existing one? does the grid get power? those impreza hatches are notorious for lines cutting in the top where they go through the rubber boot from the hatch to the body.

[brycarp]

Does the grid get power? those impreza hatches are notorious for lines cutting in the top where they go through the rubber boot from the hatch to the body.

 

Yes, I've been measuring everything with my voltmeter. and some of the lines are working fine. So the supply of power to the grid isn't a problem. (And I already did a complete re-do of the section of the hatch wiring harness that passes through the "flex boot" between the body and the hatch. I spliced in new sections of wire with soldered and heat-shrinked splices in both directions from the flex area, so there aren't any splices in the problem area.)

 

I guess to me, a partially-functioning rear defroster is kind of like a cracked windshield though. Yes, I could live with it, but that's one of the functional areas I just want to be "right", and will probably do what it takes to get there.

 

Thanks for your comments!