Classic Car Windows

corelli

I am restoring a 72' Chevelle. Ive replaced the windshield , the rear window and rear side quarter windows are in good shape. The problem is the front side windows. After years of being rolled up and down with New Mexico grit in the cat whiskers, they have verticle scratches.
My question is this: does anyone know of, or has heard of, a method/service that can resurface or repair car windows?
Or am I stuck replacing them.

thanks, great forum.

edit:typo

Mr_Shiftright

Here's one way but it looks like a hell of a lot of work.

The author of the article says that he was told that if you can catch the scratch with your fingernail, then it's too deep to polish out. I don't know that for a fact but it makes sense.

http://www.bostonaquariumsociety.org/html/faqs/scratches.htm

corelli

My scratches are pretty deep. At the least this will be a temporary fix. When I get it back(if ever)from the paint shop I will take a better look and see if this procedure may reduce the visibility of the scratches.
At least I wont have to work in the confines of an aquarium.

lol, I was hoping someone would have a link to some place you sent your windows to and they slid them into their window planer and they came out the other side looking brand new and the shipping cost was higher than the service : P
Anyway, thanks for the info.

Mr_Shiftright

I'll snoop around for you for glass restorers.

This is a common problem. I look at a LOT of classic American cars and most of them have scratches in the door glass. It's the norm rather than the exception and I'd just live with it unless you are shooting for a frame-off restoration and a trophy winner. Even if you polish the glass, this can happen again and again unless you pop those panels and re-align things, and also put in new fuzzies.

Hemmings Motor News has a good selection under "Services" of places that sell reproduction glass, right down to the proper etchings. It is interesting that there are no entries whatsoever for "glass restorers" which suggests to me that this is not a profitable enterprise.

corelli

Its not a frame off, Its a Malibu that is being made to drive on weekends. So it certainly doesnt have to be perfect.

Thanks for the Hemmings info, ill take a look.

Mr_Shiftright

My gut feeling is that if you are going to take the whole door apart, you might want to consider new glass if it is not prohibitively expensive. Certainly $100 bucks a pop would be worth it, but $350 each wouldn't be.

lemko

...where does one find those wrap windshields for 1950s/early 1960s cars anymore? What really irks me is when I see an old derelict car and some knucklehead shot bullet holes into an otherwise perfect wrap windshield.

Mr_Shiftright

Depends on the car---sometimes you can find NOS parts, sometimes big name manufacturers make 'em, sometimes specialty vendors can provide them, and sometimes you are totally SOL.

lemko

I imagine if you wanted a windshield for a 1955-57 Chevrolet, you'd pretty much be in luck. You can practically build an entire '55-'57 out of aftermarket parts.

Mr_Shiftright

Some people even have windshields custom-made for them, but it ain't cheap.

poonamt93

Any glass company can do this for you because of the special tools and apoxy needed to secure the window and its not that expensive either, make a few calls and get some estimates.
Or , You can buy a used one at blapauto.com,any bodyshop or good diy'er can handle the install!!

marty85

You should check out www.sandersreproglass.com