Auto Glass for Classic Cars: 3 Considerations for Owners

Classic cars serve as a both major investment and a popular hobby for automobile enthusiasts. Much of the challenge in the ownership and maintenance of these vintage vehicles involves the repair or replacement of various antique components, including windshields and other glass panels.

If your classic car needs some help in the windshield or window department, you need to understand the challenges you face as well as your options for overcoming those challenges. Take heed of the following three considerations when restoring, repairing, or replacing your vintage auto glass.

Decades of exposure to dust, gravel, and other debris will naturally create defects in a classic car's auto glass. Age-related deterioration of rubber weather-stripping pieces can add to the damage by allowing metal to scrape against windows as they roll up and down, potentially leaving deep grooves in the glass.

Thankfully, experienced auto glass professionals can often remove surface scuffs and scratches from vintage auto glass, sparing you the need to replace entire windows or windshields. Cerium oxide polish can remove the lightest defects, while silicon grit polish can grind away deeper damage and even out the remaining glass.

Smaller cracks and chips may respond to the same filling and polishing techniques that work on modern auto glass. However, tempered glass panels can prove trickier to work on than panels made from modern laminated glass. If you have deep cracks or chips in your vintage glass, you'll most likely need to replace the glass. 

You may find the search for authentic vintage auto glass both tiring and ultimately fruitless. Even if you manage to find a matching vehicle in a junkyard, you can't expect that vehicle to sport perfect glass untouched by time. A custom-ordered original part from a specialist provider will cost you more than any other available solution.

Your auto glass technician will probably advise you to have a custom-made glass replacement constructed and installed. This approach will cost less than the use of a period-authentic glass part. It also provides a simple means of replacing oddly-shaped vintage pieces such as quarter windows or triangular vent windows.

The first step in replacing a classic car window or windshield involves the careful removal of the original piece. With the piece removed, your auto glass technicians will get rid of the old weather-stripping and check the metal beneath for any cleaning or repair it might require before installing the new piece and any associated hardware.

The installation of classic car glass almost always calls for expert handling. While antique vehicles dating from the 1940s and earlier present relatively few challenges, windows and windshields for later vehicles include more mechanical complexities. Improper installation can cause vibrations that damage the new glass.

You may find it impossible to recreate every single feature originally included in a classic car's windshield or window glass. For instance, some original windshields contained an extra layer that enhanced the sound of vintage audio systems, a feature you'll probably have to forego in your replacement glass.

If you don't insist on a completely faithful reproduction of the original auto glass, you open the door to potential modifications, updates, and improvements. For instance, you might consider adding non-period window tint. This extra feature will cut unsafe glare while protecting you (and your car interior) against UV rays. 

Whether you have an old car in need of specialized glass care or a brand-new car with more routine auto glass challenges, Perfection Auto Glass can give you the pristine, beautiful, period-correct glass you need. Contact any of our locations to ask about our vintage car auto glass services.