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Customs Oh No! Broken Glass in the Buick

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by L. Eckart, Jan 6, 2021.

  1. L. Eckart
    Joined: Jul 8, 2005
    Posts: 568

    L. Eckart
    Member

    I had my 52 Buick in my heated shop doing maintenance. Left the shop for a couple of days for Christmas and when I returned the center rear glass had shattered. Checked the security camera and it shattered on Christmas eve at 7:11 pm for no apparent reason. No one seems to make one so I'm in the hunt for a NOS one, a used one someone has, or one from a salvage yard. Already checked with Bob at Owens Salvage and a few other places but no luck. If anyone has one they want to sell or maybe know where one might be please let me know. An Olds or Cadillac glass may work but I'm not sure. It is a 52 Buick Special Hardtop (Riviera) and the data tag reads: MOD.52-45R, STYLE No. 52-4337. I also posted a wanted ad in the classified but thought someone might read this and not the classifieds. Thanks for any help you can offer and Happy New Year! Buick rear glass.jpg
     
  2. 41rodderz
    Joined: Sep 27, 2010
    Posts: 6,540

    41rodderz
    Member
    from Oregon

    Ouch !!! Check with glass places. Our local one has patterns back to teens.
     
    -Brent- and kidcampbell71 like this.
  3. L. Eckart
    Joined: Jul 8, 2005
    Posts: 568

    L. Eckart
    Member

    Unfortunately it is curved tempered glass and not a flat pattern glass. Thanks for the reply.
     
  4. rockable
    Joined: Dec 21, 2009
    Posts: 4,429

    rockable
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Hnstray likes this.

  5. Johnboy34
    Joined: Jul 12, 2011
    Posts: 1,588

    Johnboy34
    Member
    from Seattle,Wa

    -Brent- and fordflambe like this.
  6. If you can trace and trim a template in stiff cardboard of the top, bottom, and side arch, you may be able to find a salvage windshield that could be cut down to fit. I'm not a glass expert so I can't say what type of glass can be cut that way.
     
  7. J. A. Miller
    Joined: Dec 30, 2010
    Posts: 2,057

    J. A. Miller
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Central NY

    Maybe check with a national Buick Club.
     
  8. Try - Trenton at Browne's Auto in Sunset, Tx - he does have a FB page if you can't contact him PM me.
     
    craig b blue likes this.
  9. Just think maybe a Cadillac might exchange.
     
  10. Mr48chev
    Joined: Dec 28, 2007
    Posts: 33,861

    Mr48chev
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    My Hollanders doesn't go back far enough but I am pretty sure someone on here has ones that do.
    Bobs doesn't have it but I think they only do laminated glass.
    Searching brought up the same link Johnboy34 posted. That lets you make sure you are getting the right one if there are any differences .

    Had a piece of tempered glass break when I slammed the door on a pickup a while back Back slider window. A bit of reflecting says I either hit it with a rock thrown by a lawn mower or with a wine bottle in my mom's kitchen trash sack when I tossed it in the truck to go to the dump. Either was days before it broke.
     
  11. gene-koning
    Joined: Oct 28, 2016
    Posts: 4,041

    gene-koning
    Member

    Tempered glass is funny stuff. Years ago I had a car I was going to junk out. My teenage son decided he wanted to break the rear glass out of it, so he grabbed my 8lbs sledge hammer and wailed away at that rear glass for at least 10 minutes, didn't even faze it! A couple days later, he through something inside the car, and when he closed the door (note he did not slam the door, just closed it normally), the rear glass shattered.
    Apparently, all those swings with the 8 pounder must have given the glass a series of cracks, and the couple days of weather change worked those cracks enough that just the jostle of closing the door did it in.

    I don't like tempered glass at all, if I can change it out for a laminated, I'd do it in a heartbeat. Gene
     
    loudbang likes this.
  12. 41rodderz
    Joined: Sep 27, 2010
    Posts: 6,540

    41rodderz
    Member
    from Oregon

    He claims from the teens up . But yes to Bob’s. He is in Oregon and where I am getting glass for my’48 effie.
     
  13. mgtstumpy
    Joined: Jul 20, 2006
    Posts: 9,214

    mgtstumpy
    Member

    Also, the rubber may have dried up and gone hard. Once hard it is no longer pliable and doesn't have any give in it. I'd replace the rubber as well when you do the glass.
     
    samurai mike and Lil32 like this.
  14. chrisp
    Joined: Jan 27, 2007
    Posts: 1,048

    chrisp
    Member

  15. brading
    Joined: Sep 9, 2019
    Posts: 704

    brading
    Member

    You could try BALL's LLC
     
  16. Petejoe
    Joined: Nov 27, 2002
    Posts: 12,264

    Petejoe
    Member
    from Zoar, Ohio

    I remember seeing that happen often on 40’s-50’s cars when I was young.
    Especially the rear windows.
    Nothing worse having an irreplaceable unattainable part to keep an old car on the road.
     
  17. Greg Rogers
    Joined: Oct 11, 2016
    Posts: 802

    Greg Rogers
    Member

    Darn Santa! (He's magical so doesn't show up in cameras). That is a bummer...
     
  18. cornfield county
    Joined: Feb 10, 2007
    Posts: 185

    cornfield county
    Member
    from Indiana

    According to my old Hollander it fits 51-52 Olds S88 coupe and 51-52 Buick Riv model 45 only.
     
    squirrel and mgtstumpy like this.
  19. goldmountain
    Joined: Jun 12, 2016
    Posts: 4,442

    goldmountain

    Since the glass bits are still in place, maybe gently make a fiberglass mold of the glass and then use this mold to place it on various windshields to see if you can get a match to the shape. You can cut windshields.

    Sent from my SM-T350 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
     
    Lil32 and kidcampbell71 like this.
  20. blowby
    Joined: Dec 27, 2012
    Posts: 8,661

    blowby
    Member
    from Nicasio Ca

    Man what a pisser. While you're hunting for replacement, get some bullet hole decals and make up a good story.
     
  21. L. Eckart
    Joined: Jul 8, 2005
    Posts: 568

    L. Eckart
    Member

    Thanks for the responses.
    Stillrunners - I will contact Brownes Auto
    Cornfield County- Thanks for the Hollanders info!
    Chrisp- I contacted the HAMB ad and waiting to get more info.
     
    Tman likes this.
  22. Dan is a great fella to deal with. Good luck with your search.
     
  23. rockable
    Joined: Dec 21, 2009
    Posts: 4,429

    rockable
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

  24. L. Eckart
    Joined: Jul 8, 2005
    Posts: 568

    L. Eckart
    Member

    Rockable- called Bob's (Nicholas) and doesn't have but is checking for me. Thanks. He wanted the Style No. 52-4337 to determine the one that fits and if any other GM cross references.
     
  25. rockable
    Joined: Dec 21, 2009
    Posts: 4,429

    rockable
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    If anyone can find it, Bob will. Good luck!
     
  26. 52HardTop
    Joined: Jun 21, 2007
    Posts: 1,078

    52HardTop
    Member

    If you do get a cross reference to another GM car please post it? It might be a slim chance, but, I do have the center section from the Chevy Hard Top rear windshield. Just in case...
     
  27. L. Eckart
    Joined: Jul 8, 2005
    Posts: 568

    L. Eckart
    Member

    First I want to thank all those who posted here. I was lucky today and found a back glass from a 51 Buick Special hardtop at John's Salvage in Cabool, Missouri, 230 miles from me! John was a good fellow to deal with and has a multitude of old cars in the yard. Said the car had been there at least 50 years and the last back glass for that model he had. I have contacted several salvage yards, both those mentioned here and others, so may hear back from them.

    I'm seriously thinking of making a fiberglass template from the 51 glass and using it to try to find something close in safety glass that can be trimmed as was suggested here.

    FYI here is info that may help others:
    The 51-52 Buick Special (Riviera) Model 45R, Style No. 52-4337 interchanges with the 51-52 Oldsmobile Super 88 hardtop which I believe is the Holiday model. Hollanders notes the center back glass as B224. THANKS AGAIN!
     
    302GMC, kidcampbell71, reagen and 3 others like this.
  28. wannabebubba
    Joined: Nov 24, 2008
    Posts: 14

    wannabebubba
    Member
    from NC

    Go to Steele Rubber Products website and do a search on your car, find the rear glass weatherstrip and click on the matching vehicles tab, it may show you what other cars your rear window was used in. In this case a 51/52 Olds Super 88 2 dr hardtop shares the same back window.
     
  29. brading
    Joined: Sep 9, 2019
    Posts: 704

    brading
    Member

    Good to know you managed to get it sorted. Always good when the OP has let people know that have replied that thread that they have got it sorted.
     
    TrailerTrashToo likes this.

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