Will toothpaste work??

Need some tricks of the trade. Windshield on the '41 is scratched from wipers and somewhat foggy in that area(it wasn't my doing). I've used the old toothpaste trick on plastic headlight covers on the daily driver which did a good job. Scratches on windshield aren't deep, but the area has a smeared look to it. Trying to avoid taking it in to a $$$ glass place or replacing the windshield. Any old timer help is appreciated.

 

My guess is toothpaste will not help much if at all, but would be worth trying and it might help. Windshield polishing kits are available that would be more helpful but be careful not to get the glass hot. Professional help would be best IMO.

 

I've used tarter control toothpaste to polish plastic headlights and it works somewhat as a rubbing compound. I have a couple of windshields that won't get used again I can play with and see what works.

 

It is possible to polish glass using the same techniques as polishing paint, but it takes much, much longer. A co-worker in a bodyshop scratched a back window in a car with sandpaper. He spent a whole morning working the scratch out with progressively finer grade wet sandpaper, and polishing compounds. Got it about 95% better. You could just barely see his original scratch if the light was right. As was mentioned, do not get the glass hot.

I would fear that if it is "foggy", that might indicate that the lamination of the glass is breaking down. There is nothing you can do if that is the case.

 

Spring for a glass polishing kit. Eastwood sells a good one and they are not real expensive. If the scratches are deep you may as well forget about getting them worked out.

If the glass is foggy it is probaably comming apart and your best solution is to replace it.

 

Replace. Windshields are cheap. I know a guy who replaces his every couple of years (drives his stuff a lot!). Compare the visiblity of new glass next to your twenty, thirty, forty, or fifty-year-old windshield. You will not believe the difference. Depending upon your coverage, many insurance companies will even pay for a new windshield because they know it prevents accidents when you can ACTUALLY SEE!

 

Well now.. Let's see... Can you buy a new one for a '59 bubble top chevy???

 

You can buy one for ABSOLUTELY ANYTHING, but a few will cost some serious $$$$....

 

Cool!

 

yea Hardin Glass 250.00 installed. Maybe up in the 300.00 range by now.

 

There was a product called Rarox that worked on glass. It will cut deep enough to cause distortion, but the scratches will be gone

 

Glass is a lot harder than plastic. Use a Cerium Oxide polishing kit, that is made for glass.