Fusey Sedan & Wagon windshields Discontinued????

[bigmoparjeff]

It looks like the next thing on the Unobtanium list could be the taller windshield used in the 1969-1973 C-Body sedans and wagons. This is real problem for anyone in need of a new one. There will be a small supply of used ones out there for a while, but used windshields are risky business. Unlike tempered side glass and back lights, which are fairly sturdy and can take some abuse, used windshields will crack with the slightest provocation.

The search begins here for a source of new windshields. Alan found a place that looks like it can do the job, but price is unknown at this time.

Automotive Curved & Bent Glass Manufacturers | ProCurve Glass Design, Inc.

They are only a half our from me, in Hatboro PA. I should be in that area on Friday, so I'll see if I can stop by and check it out.

Anyone else have any suggestions, or possible sources for new glass?

 

[FinFury]

I am guessing that our local "kuttilan autolasi" has the tooling for the glass here in Finland but I'm not sure if it is any help for you as the shipping is real pain? For comparison challenger front and rear glass were roughly 200 usd per piece for some years ago

I am needing a new glass for my -72 sedan fury and have plans to check them out.

 

[Imperialist67]

Does that mean '67-'68 sedans are on the unobtainium list as well?

 

[polara71]

Not real New news Jeff......
Thanks for the offer ...

 

[1978 NYB]

Not available for any Formal either.

 

[Davea Lux]

Try www.vintageglass.com

 

[bigmoparjeff]

Does that mean '67-'68 sedans are on the unobtainium list as well?

Still ok on that one. $400

Auto Glass by Windshields To Go USA

 

[bigmoparjeff]

I am guessing that our local "kuttilan autolasi" has the tooling for the glass here in Finland but I'm not sure if it is any help for you as the shipping is real pain? For comparison challenger front and rear glass were roughly 200 usd per piece for some years ago

I am needing a new glass for my -72 sedan fury and have plans to check them out.

If the price for the glass was low enough, shipping a crate of them to the US might be economical. Keep us informed with what you find out.

Jeff

 

[bigmoparjeff]

Not available for any Formal either.

Still available, but the price is rising on the hardtops.

Auto Glass by Windshields To Go USA

Sedans and wagons are less. The website says I've used up my allotment of quotes for the day, so I can't link it.

 

[bigmoparjeff]

Try www.vintageglass.com

Looks like they have a glass locator service. Maybe someone who actually needs one could try it and see what happens.

Glass Finders - Obsolete, Hard-to-find, New-old-stock, Used & New Reproduction Automotive Glass

 

[CBODY67]

Main thing with a used windshield is getting it removed from the donor vehicle. On the '69+ cars, that would be cutting the urethane sealer to get the glass removed. Possibly laborious using a cutting wire in older, harder sealer?

CBODY67

 

[Samplingman]

Main thing with a used windshield is getting it removed from the donor vehicle. On the '69+ cars, that would be cutting the urethane sealer to get the glass removed. Possibly laborious using a cutting wire in older, harder sealer?

CBODY67

I used acetone, the hot summer sun, a putty knife and a small dent pulling hook to dig the old butyl sealer out of the 73 New Yorker. Took about 4 hours. The wire cutter was useless. When it was free, two dent pulling suction cups from Harbor Freight helped lift the windshield out.

 

[FinFury]

I called the glass company here in Finland and yes they have the tooling for the fuselage sedan windshields as well as for many other mopars.

Current price tag for one was 320 eur (376 usd) with some room for discount for larger quantities.

He also said that they have shipped windshields to US, especially for rarer mopars.

So if the glasses are really unavail in US I can try to help out with a group purchase if there is need.

 

[bigmoparjeff]

I called the glass company here in Finland and yes they have the tooling for the fuselage sedan windshields as well as for many other mopars.

Current price tag for one was 320 eur (376 usd) with some room for discount for larger quantities.

He also said that they have shipped windshields to US, especially for rarer mopars.

So if the glasses are really unavail in US I can try to help out with a group purchase if there is need.

Excellent! Making progress already. I think that if we buy enough of them, the shipping cost for the whole batch probably won't be too bad once it's divided up for each piece, assuming it can go by sea, not air. We'd probably want to do it in the early spring, so that they arrive in time for Carlisle.

I'm curious if this is the company that makes glass for the 1957-1964 cars? Those would be the ones I could see being sent to the US.

If all goes according to plan, I'll check out the place near me on Friday and see how they compare on price, if they can do it at all.

Thanks, Jeff

 

[MarPar]

I called the glass company here in Finland and yes they have the tooling for the fuselage sedan windshields as well as for many other mopars.

Current price tag for one was 320 eur (376 usd) with some room for discount for larger quantities.

He also said that they have shipped windshields to US, especially for rarer mopars.

So if the glasses are really unavail in US I can try to help out with a group purchase if there is need.

 

[70 Sport Suburban]

I'm glad i found a yard near me in Wisconsin he has 5 windshields all pulled and in the warehouse i grabbed one this year 100 bucks. Getting it put in hopefully soon it's getting cold really quick.

 

[bigmoparjeff]

Sadly, we don't have yards like that around here anymore.

 

[FinFury]

Excellent! Making progress already. I think that if we buy enough of them, the shipping cost for the whole batch probably won't be too bad once it's divided up for each piece, assuming it can go by sea, not air. We'd probably want to do it in the early spring, so that they arrive in time for Carlisle.

I'm curious if this is the company that makes glass for the 1957-1964 cars? Those would be the ones I could see being sent to the US.

If all goes according to plan, I'll check out the place near me on Friday and see how they compare on price, if they can do it at all.

Thanks, Jeff

I did ask about 65-68 windshields and atleast those were available. I think that the older ones would be also as we have quite many 57 - 64 mopars in Finland. If not, they can make the tooling from existing glass for reasonable price.

I am going to get the glass for my fury next spring. The gentleman from the company said that the lead time is usually 1-2 weeks although the spring time tends to be bit busy.

In any case, if you have interest for a group buy at some point, I can try to help. The guy said that their english skills are limited and preferred either emails or someone from Finland to help with the coordination.

The company name is "Kuttilan autolasi" ( Kuttila's car glass) and even ,as far as I know, they are quite small oldschool bussiness, they are still a known player also accross the pond. Atleast in the field of rare cars.

 

[bigmoparjeff]

Very good. If we choose them, we'll get everything set up far in advance so they have plenty of time to get things done. If they can do the '57-'64 glass(actually '66 when you include Imperial), then the fusey glass should be easy work. Since it's a small company that you can actually talk too, I bet they can make the glass more correct to the originals. Most of the glass for the older cars is coming out of Mexico and China now, and they have both been making the blue band at the top of the glass way too dark and too wide compared to what they came with from the factory. I actually have an NOS sedan/wagon windshield, so I can get a picture of exactly what they looked like when new.

 

[bigmoparjeff]

Here's the news from the curved glass place in Hatboro. I stopped by Friday afternoon with a sample windshield in the back of the Suburban. A very nice and knowledgeable salesman took some measurements from it and worked up a ball park quote.

The good news: They can make a distortion free, DOT approved, replica of the glass.

The bad news: We're talking major bucks to do it.

The breakdown:
Tooling $1200
Digitizing 150
Set-up 350
Product 1200
Sun band up to 300

Total cost of first windshield $3000 to $3300

Cost for an additional five windshields:
Set-up $350
Product 5500
Total for 5 additional 5850
Cost per unit including above first windshield $1525

One thing that he was very vague on was the cost of the sun band at the top of the glass. This place rarely makes glass for vehicles new enough to require the shade, so they don't stock the plastic film with the shade. The shade is dyed into the film between the two layers of glass. He said a roll of it was usually around $300, but didn't say how many windshields you could get out of one roll. Regardless, I can't see too many people willing to spend this much money on a windshield. Even going with 10 windshields, we'd still be over $1200 a piece. I expected the tooling to be expensive, but thought the discount for multiple pieces would be much deeper.

Looks like Finland is a much better choice, assuming that shipping costs aren't crazy high. Say shipping from Finland was $2000 for a crate of 10, we'd still only be around $600 total for each windshield, then there would probably be some additional money to get them distributed around the country. Or possibly a crate of 5 to the east coast and a crate of five to the west. Some further investigating will need to be done.

One other thing that I need to check is the actual size difference between the sedan and hardtop glass. If it's 1/2" or less. it may be possible to install a hardtop windshield in a sedan by carefully centering it in the opening. I should have a loose hardtop windshield in inventory, so I will do that soon.

Jeff