So what does it take to put a one piece windshield (Oldsmobile I think) in a 49-52 Chevrolet? Does anything need to be done other than cutting out the bar in the middle? How available are the one piece windshields and the rubber to hold it in place? Suppliers and sources? Thanks for any input!
I bought my 2 piece windshield from a place up in Minnesota a little north of Minneapolis. He is easy to find on E-Bay if you type in 1950 or whatever windshield.
There are at least 2, maybe 3 different windshields, Coupe-Sedan, Club Sedan(fastback) and Hardtop-Convertible.
Here's more info: https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/windshield-interchange-49-olds-fastback.713998/
I think Pat Ganahl (Pgan) did an article in Rod & Custom way back when about putting a one-piece windshield in his 51’ Chevy. Had all the details on what fit what and what mods were required on the car. If a search doesn’t turn up the article maybe Pat will chime in here with the scoop.
It's easy peasy. Just trim the center post and install as normal. I did a 50 Fleetline years ago. You can probably do the mods in less than an hour. The installation I farm out.
As Root said, easy as pie. Use the Olds windshield for the same body style as your chevy (sedan windshield in yours, correct?). Steele Rubber should have the Olds gasket. Carson Hobson @ Street Rod Glass in Riverside CA ( https://streetrodglass.com) is who I got all the gaskets, channel, etc for my Merc. If I remember right, he's the guy who did Pat's Chevy in the R&C article referenced above. I'd start with him...very knowledgeable and very nice to deal with.
In the 1950s n 60s,for custom for two part,into one piece windshields,the trick was to use the Studebaker "V" glass that was one of Studebakers ways on saving update $ for there next year,now with a one piece windshield{ mounted in a body design to start with for a 2 piece. Using that Study "V" glass,let a lot of custom guys have one piece in other then Studebaker bodys. By recutting the Study glass a little or redoing the frame hole some.
Don't let the install scare you. clean up the channel real well, use your rust preventative of your choice. let dry and get the glass into the gasket. The hardest part of mine was keeping the glass in the gasket. squirmy little things they are. Now here is where I went a little differently than most. I used 14 gauge primary wire slathered in dawn dishwashing liquid. Put it inside the gasket. Put the windshield up, lined it up and started from the inside top left. while I pushed in on the windshield, my daughter started pulling the wire out to get the gasket slit to grab onto the frame. we moved about a foot at a time making sure the windshield was in right or whenever I needed a beer. At times a used a rubber mallet to persuade the windshield into the channel. All in all a little over one hour. I suppose I could have gone faster, but its a marathon, not a sprint.
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