MTFCA Forum

So I just came home from Snyder’s with a new upper and lower windshield frame. Everyone says take it to a local glass shop for new glass. Are there patterns around to make sure they don’t screw it up? What thickness do we use?
26/27 roadster is the flavor
Thanks in advance

Most likely any decent auto glass shop can put in the typical safety glass. That's how I get mine done.

You likely went to Sandusky, Tim. The local guy in Norwalk had no clue how and wasn’t willing to try, so I bought gasket rubber from Snyder’s and did it myself on our ‘27 runabout. The downside is if you break it, it’s on you. It did work out well for me. Maybe lucky, maybe skill ( no conceit here) Silicone spray is your friend and after install, you apply brake fluid to swell the rubber.
The one thing the Norwalk guy taught me was how to cut safety glass. That’s a good skill to have.

I’ll bet your area has some good old time glass shops, Danny.

I have no problem putting the glass in the frames myself. My problem is I don't have original glass to use as patterns. I have new repop frames and all the parts needed to assemble. Just no glass. I guess I could lay the frames out and see if it looks like I can trace it out. Without original glass for patterns the glass shop would have a hard time also, only my guess.

About 20 years ago I bought windshield frames from Chaffin's. I fitted them first before installing the glass. One of the frames was askew and I didn't want to try to bend it and ruin it, so I went up to Chaffin's. Glen straightened it and I am sure if he couldn't have done that would have replaced with another one. They are very helpful. The reason I posted this is because before you install the glass, you need to be sure everything fits correctly. I took it to a local glass shop and they installed safety glass in it. I have had no problems with it since.
A friend has a 20 touring which I have helped fix. He took the windshield frame to a local glass shop and got new safety glass in the windshield. It was good until he tried to put it down. When putting the windshield down on earlier T or on a 23- 27 swinging the glass out. Be sure to move both sides together without bending in the middle. The breakage was not caused by a fault with the glass, but because the frame can easily be twisted if you try to move it from one side.
Norm

Danny

The '26-'27 open car is easy for a good glass shop to cut and install. Tell them the important aspects, that is to have the open edges of the glass ground for smooth radius. The glass is placed with 'bedding tape'. If the installer doesn't know what bedding tape is , try another shop!

Have have many done for me, a good shop does good work

Here are the Ford prints, you can take these along and help them out, but the frame dimensions will provide the guide for the glass cutter.


Bedding Tape

This frame is non-Ford, but had new safety put in both frames, didn't take the old curved lower glass to the shop, but did fit the metal glass top clips so the cutter knew where to trim to. You want to be sure the folding panes clear each other!

Here are scans from the Ford Windshield and Closed Body Glass booklet covering tourings and roadsters from 1915 through 1927.

I made these drawings for my '26 Runabout. I have these in an AutoCAD dwg and dxf formats if anyone wants copies for a CNC job. I can't attach them here. Send me a PM.

Mark,
I sent you a pm with my email. The cad files will help for sure, I can plot and cut some cardboard templates for mockup.
Thank you for this and all who posted. Great stuff.

I have made Masonite templates for the glass guy to use. It also allows you to do a trial fit in your frame before glass gets cut.

Danny, I sent the files and I included G-2C upper too.

Thanks mark

Two pieces of sage advice given. Install the frame first to be sure it fits. Cut a masonite template to fit the frame. That way you know it will fit your application.
With body parts, timber kits etc. all need work to get them to fit. They are not precision engineered articles, so the work must be done to make them fit each application.

Allan from down under.