1927 Coupe Glass Source

[daveclause]

I am ready for the glass for my 1927 T Coupe. What is a reliable source for purchase of the complete glass set for doors, quarters and rear?
I want to get laminated glass for safety.
How thick should the glass be? Most of what I am finding is 1/4" thick but I think that might be a little to thick or am I wrong?

Thank you

[Steve Jelf]

Find the glass book here: http://acimorelli.readyhosting.com/mtdl/default.htm.

That should give you pictures and measurements you can take to a local glass shop. Pay attention to seemingly minor details. They may be important to making things fit.

If the new windshield for my 1915 was any thicker than the original glass, it wasn't enough so to be a problem.

[daveclause]

Thanks, Steve.
Very informative and interesting. I've never seen this before.
I'm sure it'll be a great help if I have to have the glass made.

[Humblej]

Glass is easy. If you have the old plate glass a modern auto glass shop can cut you new safety glass and install it in the windshield frame and the door regulator channel for you. Modern safety glass can be tempered or laminated, they do different things and cost different amounts. Tempered glass breaks into tiny crumbs, laminated glass sticks together with a plastic like sheet in between 2 glass sheets. Both prevent huge shards from flying thru the air at you. Most auto glass shops have both. Might be your choice, might be state law which glass they use. I have always gone for laminated. The door window edges need to be polished so they will go up and down in the cloth covered track and has a nice neat edge on the top which shows when the window is down, it also makes the laminated glass edge become un-noticeable, all things an automotive glass shop can do. I always asked them not to etch the glass with the mark for safety glass, but your glass shop may not have that option by law. Glass is heavy, buying it from a vendor and shipping it will cost more. Installing it in the windshield frame and door channels can be done at home, I have done it, but I have also cracked a windshield trying to install it in the frame. The glass shop will charge you for one piece of glass but cut and install as many as they need to get one done right, you break it you buy another, that was an expensive life lesson for me, just part of doing business for a glass shop.

[daveclause]

Thanks, Humblej. Perfect pitch for those not in the know about glass.
What about thickness? How thick should the glass be?

[Humblej]

The auto glass shop will use the right thickness based on the original glass you give them.

[TMiller6]

I have written about this before and to Tim (Dropacent), I promise I will have a local estimate soon. My glass patterns are now in my car ready for me to drop off to in Dearborn.

I continue to believe tempered glass is the only way to replace the side and back windows in our cars. It’s stronger. It looks like the original glass on the edges. It does not delaminate with time. I saw the glass delaminate on the Presidential limousine and I’m seeing it happen on my cars where I used laminated glass years ago. Tempered glass is safer; I saw firsthand the pointy little shards that flew out of the windshield of my son’s car when a deer slid across his hood. He was wearing sunglasses and sustained cuts on his face.

Here is a 2008 article from Ford Garage written by someone in the business. He recommends tempered glass. https://www.fordgarage.com/pages/craiglewisglass.htm

And finally for the frugal, I offer this west coast’s automotive glass price estimator. https://www.sandersreproglass.com . If I use their prices, the two pieces sitting in my trunk would be $33.78 more if I specified laminated glass.

[daveclause]

I found what I was looking for just around the corner from me. I never knew the place existed.
https://streetrodglass.com/
Street Rod Glass in RIverside, Ca.
Decent price, Very knowledgable.

[ModelTWoods]

When the glass was replaced in my Grandfather's 27 coupe back in the late 1960's, we took the car to a man who restored Model A's and did his own upholstery work. He not only replaced all glass, including channels, but did all the upholstery, too. Unfortunately, my Dad and I didn't know what type of material should have been used and had him upholstery the car with rolled and pleated black naugahyde, which wasn't correct. It has since been replaced with the correct whit stripe cloth. MAC's still offers pre-cut glass, A note out of their catalog, states:"All glass is clear AS1 safety glass, 1/4" thick. This modern safety glass works very well and presents no major fitting installation problems. Originally, Ford used 3/16' thick glass. That thickness is not available; we sell only 1/4" AS1 safety glass that is required by state laws.'