Ok, I am really frustrated here. When I bought my '52, the door glass was cracked on both sides. I had a local shop cut the glass for me and I installed it. Less than 2 weeks later, the passenger side cracked again. I had it cut once again. Today the driver side cracked. I rolled the window down, cruised around a good bit today running errands, and it was cracked when I rolled it back up. I am not slamming the doors hard or anything, and the glass company assures me that they are using the correct glass for the application... I do need new run channels and seals, but I'm on a tight (read: zero) budget and did not replace them. The original channels are in bad shape, but they are all there and the glass does not flop around. Any ideas??
Money for new glass but none to replace the channels & seals? Cut the glass & have then send it out to be tempered.
Im thinkin the glass is rattling around inside the door while your driving and then breaking. shouldent door glass be tempered? Sounds like you are describeing pane glass?
should be laminated safety glass ...and you need to fix the channels. I have heard of using the fuzzy side of velcro to line the channel but have not tried it yet.
The glass they used looks just like the original glass in the rear doors... it's two pieces with the green tint sandwiched between them. I'll have to ask if it's tempered or not. I guess I'll have to spring for the channels and seals... in SC insurance pays for the glass, so it hasn't cost me anything so far... I've been putting all my money into a 292 inline six that will get swapped in eventually.
my old 49 Chevy sedan had all new glass and fuzzys. it cracked all by itself while driving along minding my own business. when I gave it a close look I could see it was not polished well on the topside where they cut it. maybe your glass guy sucks? there are glass people on here, maybe one will show up and answer.
That is laminated, not tempered. It is like the original glass. They didn't start using tempered glass for doors until the early-mid 60s. Not only do you need to replace the channels and the fuzzy strips along the edge of the door, you also need to make sure everything is aligned, adjusted, etc. The shop manual might help http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/shop/1949_53/index.htm .
Side glass should be tempered. It should shatter into 47 million square shaped pieces. This allows you to get out in an emergency. It shouldn't be plate glass or two ply safety glass. Who know what it came with but what ever you are putting in isn't working. It also needs to be polished on the edges.
The glass you described is called "laminated". It cracks, but does not shatter into bits. It's easy to crack it. Tempered is hard to shatter, but it'll still shatter. For a door glass that's flat, laminated will work. I'd actually prefer it, if a choice was made. I'm not sure what type was available in '53, but laminated will be cheaper and easier to find, even if tempered is even available. Regardless, you need the channels to keep the glass from moving around and cracking or shattering.
So you spend the extra bucks to have custom tempered door glass made?? I understand the reasoning but can't agree with it.
you can have the glass co. make them out of 1/4" float glass, and have them send them out for tempering. or i vend in the felt door glass channels, and felt wiskers. any one you need. there 8 ft. $20.00 each plus shipping. JAN. the glass is going to make you broke if you keep breaking them. your call!!!
How are the window stops? If those are shot it's gonna rattle around. Glass doesn't like that. Ditto on the channels and window stops.
I'm sure everything was adjusted properly, I installed them per the service manual and have done a good deal of glass work, just never on anything this old. Guess I just need new soft parts to make it work, which was what i was thinking anyways and you guys confirmed it. Jan, I'll send you a PM when I have some cash to throw your way. Thanks a lot for the quick responses.
Nope, although my wife can't seem to understand that you don't have to slam them even though it's 60 years old. Something about old cars makes people want to slam the damn doors....
Glass cracks when its overstressed - doesn't matter if its tempered, laminated, or plate. You've either got some twist in the tracks or even the car door itself, or the tracks are too tight and pinching. The position of the crack may indicate the source of stress. If you want to be super cheap, try a layer of friction tape along the edges of the glass where they contact the tracks.
Nobody really hit on it yet but cranking too tight to close the window puts uneven stress on the glass (and even more overnight with temp change) and will crack any glass installation has to allow for movement ... check it in th "UP" position. but either way you have laminate glass ... the tempered glass is cut BEFORE tempering (sent out) ..... which is the common product on newer cars Edit :ArchangelKustom ... good call on stress .... we be fast!
Check the channel, the pieces are held on door frame by very small flat head screws. If one screw is worked loose and sticking out a bit your glass will catch its edge and a run will start. You dont need tempered glass unless you got money to toss. Find out what is wrong before you do anything.
really good suggestions. possibly the new glass is cut by measuring outside of original size and making glass larger than needed. Dorman Parts has window glass anti-rattle clips (#76991). has the channel into which the glass sits had lining replaced? sell some extra car parts to get $$ for parts you need now.
When you get ready for the new weatherstripping... Contact Shemp on here... he sales Steelerubber products, and it usually cheaper than their web prices and it drop ships from them directly to you!
I've had cars that will crack glass even with all new channel and whiskers. Auto GLass in San Dimas can sell you a complete set of side glass, clear or tinted, for your stock car for a good price., that is tempered. This WILL resist breaking more than the stock laminated. Most regular glass shops "can" do tempered, but usually charge way too much for doing it, unless you have a really large order, or you wait until THEY have a large order going out. If you need it for a chopped car, you can send them patterns, and they will do custom work. I've been doing this on my cars for quite a few years now, and am very happy with them.
Nah, they think they have to slam it because it's an old car. I had a beautiful '71 Skylark post car (rare as hell) a while back, the doors would literally click shut if you just nudged them. The first time I took a friend of mine for a ride in it, she got out and wound up and slammed the door shut as hard as she could with both arms! Asked her why, she said because her dad always told her old cars were junky and you had to be careful to get the doors closed. So I showed her how I closed my door with one finger. She realized her dad was an idiot.
This would be my best guess....same thing happened to my 56 F100 in high school. Window would be fine...roll it down...when I got around to rolling it back up they would be broken. I replaced this stuff and they never broke again.
maybe you have used a screw thats to long for your arm rest or door panels and its touching the glass, if the glass is rattleing maybe the screw is the right length but the glass can rattle against the screw, the fine point of a screw could crack it for sure. Just a thought. Godspeed MrC.
If money is tight you can make a cheap fix that will hold the glass for a long time and work well! My oddball Austin had worn out channels and I couldn't get new ones. I went to the local fabric store and bought a chunk of black wool felt. Cut strips that fit inside the channels and then applied 3M weatherstrip adhesive to the channels and used a piece of old glass to push the felt into place. My glass fits great, and after a year it's still working like new!
Thanks again guys... I have all of the channels and felts on the way, as well as most of the weatherstripping for the doors... hopefully this will fix the issue. The passenger side just cracked again, so both front doors are now busted. I just took a template to the glass shop, so once I get all the rubber parts in and the new glass cut I'll let you guys know if my issue is resolved.
X2 Are the edges of the glass rounded over, or left square as they were cut? Signed, Guy with 15 years auto glass experience.
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