1960 windshield advice needed

[real61ss]

Has anyone here had a windshield installed recently in a 1960 Sport Coupe? Im trying to get a new windshield in my 60 Pontiac 2 door Sport Coupe which is the same as a 60 Chevrolet Sport Coupe. I have bought two new windshields and the local glass shop says they wont fit. Anyone here had this problem. The problem according to my glass shop is the windshields are too wide at the base of the A pillar. These are a wrap around windshield and its like they didnt wrap the windshield in enough

 

[1958 delivery]

Maybe your glass shop lacks experience. When I was still active in the glass business most windshields would have about 1/4" to 1/2" wider at each lower corner, this is normal, those were easy installs. Now one time I had a return from a customer that had about an 1 1/4", maybe a little more, wider corner on both ends I agreed that this was excessive. My partner, who was the real glass expert kept it and some time later had an install and he used that windshield. He got it in, did say it was a bit of a challenge but it fit perfectly once it was completed. He's been installing these since he was 16 and he's 62 now and doesn't shy away from jobs that others can't do. Although he's semi retired now, like myself, he still provides Auto City with a lot of their flat stuff that they can't handle.

 

[1958 delivery]

One other thing. Sounds like you're providing the windshield? They won't take any chance if you supply the windshield. Let the shop supply the windshield and they'll install it.

 

[real61ss]

Thanks for the comments, yes, I am providing the glass, none of the glass shops here will provide the glass

 

[BSL409]

Tommy,
I received mine late summer for my 59 and it fit fine.but I also install my own I did get one that was short in the corner for my 60 Impala about 15 teen years ago

 

[1958 delivery]

Thanks for the comments, yes, I am providing the glass, none of the glass shops here will provide the glass

Sounds like wrong type of shop(s) They don't really want to mess with the old cars.

 

[real61ss]

Sounds like wrong type of shop(s) They don't really want to mess with the old cars.

Well, no, this shop that I use does mostly old cars upholstery and they do really good work but they only do glass work on old cars. If you look at the photos attached it looks like the windshield to too narrow at the top and too wide at the bottom

 

[1958 delivery]

That looks OK, I've watched my friend install stuff 10X worst then that. It's all about experience.

 

[rstreet]

That looks OK, I've watched my friend install stuff 10X worst then that. It's all about experience.

I have somewhat very limited glass installation mostly in Corvette's I'd like to be a fly on the wall for that install. Yes that gap will shrink up at the top once the bottom is seated BUT?? Oh, I would want a good heated shop for that one!
Robert

 

[1958 delivery]

I wouldn't touch it, but I haven't been doing it for the last 40-50 years either. The biggest problem I've seen with garage installers and rookies is it's almost all the way in, just one corner sticking up slightly and they go and pound on that corner with the palm of the hand and CRACK! It's all about knowing when to pound and where

 

[real61ss]

Looks like we got my glass delima solved. I got a windshield from Pilkington Classics in Ohio and had a local glass installer (that I have used before with great success) and he put it right in with no issues. Thanks for the advise and suggestions

 

[real61ss]

Well, it all just turned around, the windshield was installed yesterday with no problems at all but because the last one broke after it was installed the installer said lets let it set until after Christmas then he would come back and seal the windshield and put the trim on.
I went in the shop this morning and the windshield was fine, tonight i went back to the shop and found the damn thing cracked. Cracked at same location as the other one. Man, i dont what to do now

 

[1958 delivery]

They don't crack on their own, the installer cracked it

 

[ragtp66]

I'm not knocking Auto City just stating a fact. A friend had bought a front windshield for a 58 Biscayne. The glass was almost 2" wider at the "wings" where the glass curves to meet the A pillar then his original glass. The installer had a really rough time getting it in. One side would go in and by the time you got back around to the other side as much pressure as you had to exert to try to get the glass even close to the pillar was putting a lot of strain on the glass. After some discussion Auto City took the glass back and sent a new one out but he had to pay the shipping to send the 1st piece back and the second one to him. The second one was better but still did not fit at the a pillar. At that point they reinstalled the original glass and it went back in easily without having to FORCE the glass. He got pissed because of the freight, he was NOT going to pay AGAIN to ship it back to get a refund. He just cut his losses and ordered a new windshield from https://www.sandersreproglass.com/ went in just like the original that came out. The same subject came up last summer with some guys at a cruise night and another person had a similar story. The unconfirmed rumor was that Auto City had a run of bad glass that the problem had to do with how the glass was cooled during manufacturing that was causing the wings to bow outward too far. The fact that Auto City was taking the glass back was indicative that they knew they had a problem. The freight cost was killing them. If you sell the glass @ $300 plus $125 for crating and common carrier shipping and have to replace it under warranty it doesn't take long for you to lose money on every one you sell. I can't tell you if THAT part is fact or fiction but I work in B2B wholesale and I do know what happens in the background. Even if you have a pile of 10 of something that came back your standard response goes something like "Hmmmmm, REALLLY ? We have sold literally hundreds of them and this is the FIRST time I have ever heard of that happening !"

 

[oldskydog]

Had exactly the same problem with a 58 windshield I bought locally for the wagon. I finally got it in a d the next morning it was cracked down the middle called the local supplier and he brought me a new one that slipped right in. It's not a new problem since that was about 10 years ago.