Windshield - is this a ripoff ?

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Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2012: Windshield - is this a ripoff ?
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bud Holzschuh - Panama City, FL on Saturday, April 28, 2012 - 09:15 am:

A few days ago I removed the lower windshield frame on my 15 touring to do some painting on the car. When reinstalling I must have cranked down on the bolts too much because the lower windshield cracked during the night.

Stopped in at an autoglass place yesterday and described the problem. They said they could replace (just the lower glass) with laminated for the paltry sum of $238.

Now I know I'm living in the 60's (pricewise) but doesn't that seem excessive ? I dunno, maybe not, thats why I'm asking.

Are there alternatives? Could a regular glass shop to the work? Tempered glass OK? Cheaper ?

Lexan? Plate glass?

Whats the best vs most economical way to get the job done ?

Thanks
schuh


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bob Gruber- Spanaway, Wash. on Saturday, April 28, 2012 - 09:32 am:

Shop around.
You should be able to get it for less than half that.
You can save a lot by installing it yourself.
It's pretty easy.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Chris Bamford, Edmonton AB on Saturday, April 28, 2012 - 09:54 am:

Two or three times what it should be. They must figure there will be a lot of farting around to get it installed and/or that you look like a sucker. Tempered glass will be more expensive and take longer (regular glass cut to size then heat-treated) and not appropriate for this application.

Laminated safety glass cut-to-size but not installed should run $6-$10/ft2.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dan Treace, North FL on Saturday, April 28, 2012 - 09:58 am:

A while ago, decided to do my '23 windshield myself, usually just go to the glass shop.

Ordered the new safety plate from MAC's. It arrived in a neat pack, ready to install. Followed the Ford Service... and was very happy with fit, no issues.



MAC's price was $160, with shipping the cost was about or maybe less than the auto glass shop, figuring taxes and maybe labor.

Note that MAC's has single panels of windshield glass for $85. each....maybe you should do-it-yourself?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By George_Cherry Hill NJ on Saturday, April 28, 2012 - 10:05 am:

Bud,

Was the price on an 'as installed' basis? Others are right....way too much if it is glass only!

Install can be as complicated or as easy as you want it to be.

The 'right' way is to salvage the bedding channel, and therein lies the rub...it might be easy, it might not, it might twist and bow, typical T. Then there is the thickness question old v. new....etc.

The real easy way is to forget the pesky bedding channel and buy a roll of glass bedding tape in two different thicknesses and just build up the edges like as masking tape until you have the right total thickness, bed it by just sliding it in, and then razor cut what shows...all done! Some guys just bed it with RTV or Silcone without the channel, but bedding tape is really cheap enough and much cleaner to work with.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bob McDonald-Federal Way, Wa. on Saturday, April 28, 2012 - 10:40 am:

Bud

Just yesterday I priced safety glass for a 17 to 22 windshield at two glass places and was quoted $130.00 for both top and bottom or 60.00 + each. check around. Check Check check.

Bob


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Allen E Tobin, Dolan Springs,Az. on Saturday, April 28, 2012 - 10:42 am:

i got mine at a glass shop for 175 the the two pieces for my 13.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Larry Smith on Saturday, April 28, 2012 - 11:06 am:

I just had some cut for my '13. He charged me about $75 each. Shop around.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Rick Goelz-Knoxville,TN on Saturday, April 28, 2012 - 11:07 am:

Bud, i had all nine pieces made in tinted laminated glass for my Fordor for $380.00 including tax of 9.50%.$60. would be about right.
Rick


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By R.V. Anderson on Saturday, April 28, 2012 - 11:26 am:

I paid about that much for both halves of my '14's windshield, and they installed it too.

Some members of the public hear "antique car" and assume you're a multimillionaire.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Willie K Cordes on Saturday, April 28, 2012 - 11:56 am:

I just pull the glass out of the frame and take it to a glass shop for a pattern. I ask for safety glass.
It is cheap. They do not even have to know it is for a car.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By William L Vanderburg on Saturday, April 28, 2012 - 12:13 pm:

SHOP AROUND. One panel of glass for my windshield was 51.00 installed.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John Semprez on Saturday, April 28, 2012 - 12:23 pm:

Willie Has the secret!

I've discovered most auto glass places are like the DMV the less you tell them the better.

Last year we needed a new windshield for my son's old military truck. I took the new frame to one guy and he quoted me $350 for both sides installed... We walked. Went home made a single pattern from hard board and went to another shop. I told him we needed two pieces just like the pattern. The price was $35 each! The second guy even threw in the glass tape for the installation! It was easy to install in about one hour and worked perfectly.

I think the difference was I assumed all the risk and did the installation myself, but I figured I could break them both the first time and still be Money ahead!


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By mike_black on Saturday, April 28, 2012 - 12:42 pm:

Bud,
I just had both glasses replaced in my 15 touring windshield frame in Shelby, NC for $135.00. Same place 2 years ago in a 15 frame for my hack was $120.00. I take them a clean frame with the brass channel removed and let them put it in with their black gook and it looks fine. If you can't do any better locally, call Hub City Glass in Crestview, FL. They did my TT, my pickup, and even cut a round piece of laminated for one of my speedsters. (Save the brass channel )


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bud Holzschuh - Panama City, FL on Saturday, April 28, 2012 - 01:45 pm:

Thanks guys..for all the good advice.

Since I'm a big DIY guy I think I'll find a glass shop and see how cheap I can buy just the safety glass.

One more question. I would like to get the old glass out to use as a pattern. How do I do this?

Do I just start yankin' or perhaps a little heat where the glass meets the brass channel ?

Cheers
schuh


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By george house on Saturday, April 28, 2012 - 02:24 pm:

First of all . . . . wear GLOVES. Pry the upper two vertical windshield frames outward. They'll bend slightly outward so you can use a flat tip screwdriver to seperate the channel from the frame and from the glass. The exercise here is to lift the glass up from the lower -usually horizontal frame. Then you'll want to extend the distance between the lower frame and glass - probably by tapping on hardwood. Might even want to use a lubricant like PB Blaster. It'll eventually seperate from the frame. Ever price the glass channel in the vendor catalogs? Unfortunately I have to agree with Willie: don't ever tell a tradesman or parts counter clerk that its for an antique car. I've used 'deer blind', 'porch furniture' - anything but antique car.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By John Zibell on Saturday, April 28, 2012 - 04:23 pm:

I had a local shop do the windshield for my 26 Tudor. Just handed them the frame, they charged $106 for the job. I brought the car to them a few months later for the rest of the glass, and that was only $364. I worked with them to install the new glass so that saved me a few bucks. I gave them the original pieces the day before I drove the car over. When I arrived with the car, they had the glass cut and we only needed to make a few trims. It only took 3 hours to install 5 pieces of glass. So my words would be to find a fair and reputable shop. Cutting laminated glass isn't that bad and these guys did great work.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By mike_black on Saturday, April 28, 2012 - 04:55 pm:

Bud,
There's a small book with all the T glass dimensions and even the radius of each corner. They are about $7.00 from all the vendors. Ican't find mine, but I'm sure someone can post the specs of the 15 w/s for you. Also, the glass cutters seem to forget to cut the corners off so the glass clamps will fit--remind them.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jason Given - St. Paul, MN on Saturday, April 28, 2012 - 05:21 pm:

Bud, I do not recall how much I paid for my 26 upper and lower windshield glass. The local glass shop cut and installed it for less than the purchase price from the major suppliers. So your $238 price is WAY to high.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Royce in Dallas TX on Saturday, April 28, 2012 - 05:28 pm:

A place in Cincinnati quoted me $60 to make a rectangular pane the same size as the lower half of my '13 windshield. That was for 1/4" safety glass, NOT tempered glass.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ken Ward on Saturday, April 28, 2012 - 08:15 pm:

Just paid $100 total for upper and lower glass for my 16. Retained the brass channel. Very easy
to assemble.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Larry Smith on Saturday, April 28, 2012 - 10:13 pm:

One thing that is important to me, is I don't want the safety glass logo down in the corner. I tell them to leave it out. Also the old glass is somewhat thinner, the the 1/4" stuff works.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Aaron Griffey, Hayward Ca. on Sunday, April 29, 2012 - 09:26 pm:

Up until three years ago I was getting them custom cut here in Oakland for $90 each.
Most other places wanted $85 but they never had the glass in stock.

There are things I don't want to do or sell sometimes but I don't just quote a nutsoid price. Rather I just pass on the job.

R.V.. you mean billionaire don't you?
I used to deal with a radiator shop that always charged a "Classic Car" price to do anything on an old car. $375 to rod out a "classic" 40's or 50's or 60's Ford radiator! Uhh ah.
Since I quit going there I've done probably eight to ten thousand dollars worth of business at another shop.
If you don't do it like Willie does you are not even in the old car hobby. You just own one.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Arnold Wallace on Sunday, April 29, 2012 - 11:22 pm:

Bud, They have given you very good advice. My glass man in Detroit put an upper '25 windshield in for $40 one year and then 4 months later a shop in north Florida charged $90 for the same glass.
Just go figure...


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Peter Borland. Bathurst. NSW. Australia. on Monday, April 30, 2012 - 05:28 am:

G'day,

$90 for a glass service to cut and fit. My screen has two small cut outs on the bottom corners of the top half of the screen.This is not a Ford screen, it is a Steinbohm body from Sydney.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mark Wetherbee on Monday, April 30, 2012 - 12:18 pm:

I looked around and got all 7 side & back windows made for a 26 Fordor for $135 about 4 years ago - the windshield was done a few years before that by a different place and both halves were $110. You can see the plastic seam on the edges, but safety glass is the only way to go IMHO.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Bud Holzschuh - Panama City, FL on Monday, April 30, 2012 - 06:21 pm:

Again guys...thanks for all the input.

Your comments have prompted me to remove the old glass myself. Turned out to be MUCH easier than I expected. The glass and brass channel all came out with only a little persuading and the brass channel is in fine shape. The glass thickness measures .253 in.

I stopped at the same place and got a quote for just cutting the glass (safety glass) and was quoted $76. My blood pressure almost returned to normal.

Another place has quoted me $42. I told them it was for a "project" I was doing.

I will call some more places tomorrow - maybe I can do better yet!

Just one more question... when I took the old plate glass out it didn't seem to be bedded in anything! Just slid into the brass channel and then the brass channel was slid into the frame.

Is this correct? Was there no bedding compound used ?

Thanks
schuh


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mark Wetherbee on Tuesday, May 01, 2012 - 12:18 pm:

The brass channel is the bedding - it has a little give, but clips on like a spring. You are in good shape there. The windows on the sedan needed a bedding material, but not the brass channel windshields. $42 seems very reasonable - are you also having the edges ground? If not, it would be worth it to have that done.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Willie K Cordes on Tuesday, May 01, 2012 - 12:47 pm:

A belt sander, but with the proper belt, can be used to sand the corners and edges. You do not want to go to fast as heat is built up and can crack the glass.
I was surprise how well it works. (bench type, not portable)
Sonny, wear your glasses and gloves for this operation.


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