need glass for my 31 model a tudor, excluding windshield. was kicking around using acrylic but worried about scratching and or clouding. shipping to 67301 is almost as much as the glass. I 'll probably bite the bullet and get glass but was interested in other opinions regarding acrylic. Sent from my SM-J727R4 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I have acrylic on the sides of my Chevy II. I use the car for racing as well as street driving...it's seen a lot of miles in the 6 years it's been on the road. The plastic is still ok, but it's scratched and you can tell it's not glass. I also park it indoors most of the time, so it's not exposed to sun too much. For a Model A, that's not a race car, I'd save up to buy glass. And you'll need to make sure the channels etc that hold it are in great condition, proper size, etc so it doesn't crack.
On a Model A it's all flat glass. Find a good glass shop locally and take them some good cardboard or wood patterns and have them cut.
Uh...yeah....that was a true statement a few decades ago. These days, it's kind of dicey. Not many shops know how to make laminated glass that fits and has properly finished edges. If you don't have glass, making the pattern can be challenging, too. Use 1/4" masonite, and make sure it fits and works like it should. And check that the cut glass matches the pattern, before you pay for it.
Definitely glass. I have changed one side of a split windshield and a door window as well. Both flat glass. I took the damaged pieces to a local window/glass shop and had them copy them using laminated glass. When I got them home I found the edges were quite rougher than I liked and the door glass could use some work to better match the original. I took a shot and hand sanded them both. Worked GREAT. I was even able to sand enough off the door glass to get it to fit better. Now, when I say 'hand sanded', I mean it. I did not use anything but sand paper and a block of wood ... keeps the heat down (which may or may not be an issue). I don't remember the grit I used by some experimentation will determine what works.
Glass! Check with Danmark/Whistler. If Mark doesn't have it maybe he can refer you. I got some there years ago when it was just Whistler. Don't know if they still carry flat laminate glass or not. You may have to go to Coffeyville or Bartlesville. Read and digest posts by Squirrel. He knows all. .bjb
Glass for mine, and never even considered anything else. It was actually pretty cheap, and so was shipping. Whole 9 piece glass set for my '39 Chev coupe was $330, and $30 shipping.
Good advice. I use luan (SP). It's the underlayment stuff sold for flooring at home inprovement stores. It's cheap, easy to cut and shape and is damn near the perfect thickness. And...it can be repurposed after the glass is done!
The few glass shops around here, don’t have the patterns for old stuff anymore. None would measure and cut for my ‘36 PU. Only thing they cut is house panes. Seems it’s more efficient to order glass needed for newer cars and just install it. There’s a few HAMBrs who do glass, no experience with them though.
I have to agree, go with glass the acrylic will scratch after a while, another option might be Lexan with marguard but you'll be paying the same price if not more than glass.
Whistler glass independence ks will cut just supply patterns yeah Sent from my SM-J727R4 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Over here in Australia we have to use Tempered in side glass and preferably laminated in front screen unless it's original tempered screen. Engineers won't pass it for inspection otherwise. You either cut a template yourself or get the windscreen mob to do it. They cut the normal pane glass and then send it out for tempering and it must have the armourfloat watermark on it or it's not legal. Sounds expensive but for fresh glass that fits and a bit of mucking around I reckon it's worth it. You can get a slight tint done at the same time.
One rule for getting flat glass cut for old cars. Find the oldest auto glass shop in the region that has been in the same building for decades. They either have the patterns or don't spook when you roll your car in to have glass put in it. Speaking of smoothing out the edges of glass, this popped up on FB market place last night for a dirt cheap price and I bought it this morning and it came with about 50 belts. I didn't know my camera had a black and white setting.
I used tempered in the back window and front door glass and tinted lexan in the rear side windows. The clear lexan scratches very easily. I had the rear window filmed with 10 % tint, The glass guy said any darker tint will cause tempered glass to shatter on a hot, sunny day. I have seen this happen to cars in impound when I worked in a Tow yard.
I use acrylic for side glass and rear if it flat. But I do it to save weight and I have a bunch of it. For the most part I agree with @squirrel if you are building a hot rod and glass is an option buy glass. Acrylic is not optimum, if you have it on hand it is easy to work and will save money. But end of the day you are way better off with glass.
Perhaps a comment about the "bug" or stamp of quality would be worth a mention. You can get a ticket if you don't have a big on each piece here is sunny Cali. I worked near a glass shop for a while and they knew someone who could come by and sand-blast the bug in smaller pieces. Huh! Maybe that was just for tempered?
I think that probably it is a good idea to check local laws before making a decision. I do not know of a state that would allow it for a windshield. Unless it falls into a historic situation and it is a boat style windshield on a roadster. For example, I know of a 64 Corvette roadster. A factory off road car that came with a short boat style windshield, no side glass and the little bumps behind the seats that taper into the deck lid area.. It is documented vehicle and it is street legal. The guy can only run a historic tag which legally limits his driving here in Missouri, but no one checks really and he don't drive it much anyway. Here is a thought that none of us are thinking about when it comes to the legality/safety issue. How many of us drive without wipers. This is not to say that i would really want an acrylic windshield and defiantly would not recommend it but it is something to think about.
Lol yeah everybody is correct, acrylic, lexan, plexiglass is more expensive than glass. Lighter? Yes. Safe? Yes. Stored inside it will last a while. But i think most people use it as an alternative because glass is intimidating. I wish we were all closer, I'd help out anyway i could.
LOL when the current project gets that far I will probably send you a pair of windshield frames. As much as I like my Lexan I will not use it for a windshield. If my belts let loose I want to pass right through the hole.
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