Hot Rods windshield help PLEASE

on 47-54 AD pickups their is a center divider, I have seen several online pics of the v butt look and liked it but have been told they never look good in person and usually have a wide strip of silicone holding the center together. thought about the one piece v bent windshield but have read and read horror stories about how easily they crack and how they have lots of distortion wear they are bent. SO Can some one post a close up pic of a nicely done vbutt windshield on their ad truck or point me to a thread maybe that discusses this issue and allows me to gain better insight as to the look I choose, and if you do use the vbutt approach do you still use stock outer molding or go with a xmass tree glue in style????

 

A close friend has an AD, and a '37 Chevy coupe, with V-butted w/s and they have nice tight center seams. They are mounted in the stock rubber molding. The key to a good fit is accurate patterns. They can be made from a variety of materials, but tempered hardboard would be a good one to consider. The patterns need to be fitted into the molding and vehicle's w/s opening. When correct, have them duplicated accurately at the glass shop.

Ray

 

Thanks for the info. Hope some one post a pic of one professionally done to one of these ad pickups

 

anyone with close up pics? clear silicone sealer looks better than black for center - can just use stock rubber sealer

 

Glued in, s-10 trim, v-butt..Very light wipe of clear silicon from the outside; if you put all the way through it will attack the plastic laminate..

 

Factory had a strip of chrome down the center that covered the joint.

 

I've got v-butted glass on my avatar and wouldn't have it any other way. Eliminating the distraction of the center divider really helps with visibility, as well as looking 'cleaner' IMO. I was told by a glass guy that fits these that you don't want the glass fitted tightly together, but need to keep a 1/32-1/16" gap, both to allow for 'movement'/expansion (and prevent cracking/chipping) and to allow enough room for sealer. When installing, use some thin plastic sheeting between the butted edges. I've had to reseal mine a few times (getting over-enthusiastic while cleaning can loosen the sealer), but it's not a big deal to do. The joint is all-but-invisible to me.

The one-piece w/s's are optically distorted, I don't get how some can see through them....

 

Just My opinion.I love my split windshield.I think they add to the old time hot rod look.The v-butted glass looks too modern "street Rod" to Me.

 

I always run the center post on my own cars,I always thought it was an 80s thing until one day I noticed that the Hirohata merc was v butted.I still prefer a center post.

 

My 47 Chevy sedan with v-butt windshield. When the glass guy did it he left a 1/8" gap, then filled with clear sealer, been this way since 2000, no problems.

 

...that stainless center strip is one of the coolest things I like about old cars.

 

Yep if you have a good glass man you can leave the vehicle with him or you can make your own patterns and have the glass cut. Wide gaps are a sign of poor design. A V butt windshield can look nearly seamless.

I don't recall the year but I think that one year AD truck had a one piece windshield. Maybe '54? They all had the same cab.

 

1954, and First Design '55, Chev/GMC had one piece glass, but the windshield opening is gently curved, not vee'd.

Ray

 

Thanks Ray.

 

My 37 Chevy has a v butted windshield. Seam doesn't look big to me. I'll post a pic later when I get home.

 

My truck is in winter storage or I would take a close up pic for ya. This is the best I can do for now. Bill

 

I forgot about this pic.

 

I wouldn't trust any "V" butted windshield on a car or truck that will be driven. By the way, 54-55 ADs have a one piece curved windshield (not "V" butted) and I am more of a Tits man than a Butt man.

 

Jr Conways Shoe box also sported a V butt windshield, Bill

 

Why? Mines got 20 years and 60k miles on it from the guy that built it. Seems to be holding up ok.

 

What I meant was in case of accident. Don't have a heart attack.

 

No heart attack here, just curious. I'm not understanding how that little bit of steel being there or not is going to make much of a difference.

 

^^^^^Me too, please explain.

 

From an experience few years ago on my truck that wasn't good you have to have a glass man who is experienced in doing that work or one of a hell of a skilled glass man. The guy who did mine wasn't all that skilled and it didn't work out well.
This is a local to me OT build AD truck . It has a one piece windshield that is bent in the middle and the distortion is horrific and detracts from the top notch build.
Hope the mods remember that this photo is for the discussion on the one piece windshield and not the truck it's in. That windshield was spotlessly clean as was the rest of the truck but you can see the amount of distortion in it.

 

Let's just say that I would rather trust that little piece of metal rather than 2 pieces of glass glued together.

 

Trust it to do what? Keep you in the vehicle in case of an accident? Prevent debris from coming in? In either case, if the divider is or isn't there I don't see it making any difference.

 

I don't even notice the dividers in my old windshields, guess they are just invisible to me. Cant remember ever having my view blocked enough to want to remove them either, so if the car came with one I will keep it.

 

I don't know what is eating at your ass, but Hey, I just stated my honest opinion. I am not out to changed anyone's mind. In my eyes, a windshield that's that's been cut and super glued together is not my idea of safety. And that's it. No need to whine and throw a tantrum.

 

a good glassman will belvel the glass at the butt so the seam is smaller and the same all the way through.

 

Nothing is 'eating my ass' and no tantrum here, just curious about your reasoning behind your statement...