Hey everyone! New guy here! I just purchased a pretty hacked up 63 chop top unibody f-100. First thing I need to find for it is probably going to be the hardest to find or make. Which is the windshield. It looks to be chopped 5" or so. A friend said I would have to take it someplace to get one made. Where can I take it in the detroit metrp area? I've also hear of sanding a stock windshield down with a belt sander to fit. Another possible option I thought of could be getting one made in avryliv from a boat shop.I'm just looking for advice on the best and most cost effectoveoption for the windshield. I don't mind wearing goggles while driving, but I'm sure the fuzz will. Ill post a intro thread when I get to a computer. Its hard to do a good intro with pics from a crackberry.
Find out where the hotrodders and custom car guys get their glass work done in your area. that means in about a hundred mile radius of where you are at. If the the chop has been done for a while and is somewhat hacked as you say there is a pretty good chance that you may not be able to get a windshield to fit no matter what you do. There is one chopped truck in this area that has been floating from owner to owner for most of the past 30 years. Most of the glass shops in the area won't even talk to the latest owner as several have suffered through attempting to put a windshield in the truck without success due to the poor quality of the chop. I have a suspicion that may be the case here.
Several threads here on cutting windshields. Any sort of Lexan/Plexiglas/plastic is not legal, and will get scratched to shit.
A friend of mine has fixed dozens of chopped Mercs, that were not done correctly the first time. The magazine articles tend to leave out a few details.
Thanks for the helpful responses. I was a couple"use the search n00b!" Replies, I'd have to guess the hack job is the reason why there isn't one as well. Lexan may not be legal but there's a lot worse stuff rollin around here. Lol. Ill search for the threads on cutting down wondshoelds when I get a chancr.
Lexan/plexy sucks but it will get you down the road, and I drove with it for about a year before I couldn't stand it anymore. Yeah lots of threads on windshields, but as far as cost effective, well maybe someone doesn't crack at least one while cutting a curved windshield, but lots do, so it ain't cheap usually.
These pics will give you an idea of what I'm working with. This is a fiberglass roof panel riveted and bolted in It looks like they cut the roof in 4 sections, cut the pillars, welded the pillars together then filled in the gaps...... kinda. The plates used to fill in the gaps are under the original metal and bondo'd over. there is no original metal under the fiberglass panel. They also built the bondo up to and filled in the drip rails. I spent most of today chipping away bondo with a air hammer. at some points it was 3/4" think in 6 layers. You can count them like a tree. before the windshield, the center section of their patch needs to be replaced. the truck:
Alright.....looks far enough gone that it really doesnt matter what you do....rip all that old crap out, cut the crap metal back till you get to good metal....verify your measurements and get your windsheild cut then wrap the roof around it... You gotta lotta latitude with as crappy as that is.... You got some fab-n in your future
Do it yourself! Their are alot of glass cutting techs posted here from over the years . Do a search and you should be able to fiind quite a few of them . That truck is awesome . Unibodies are probably my favorites right behind the 39 ford and the 37 hudson terraplane . As far as that roof is concerned , I've seen fellas fix alot worse . You can do all of this . Ask questions about the techniques needed , Post up photos of the work and your progress , take your time and have fun with the build. There are plenty of good folks here who will help steer ya through this if you need the help . Shit , that's what this place is all about. Spreading the Gospel . G'luck and congrats on the score. swaZZie
I thought about it... but I want to try and fix it. whats carnack mean? I think i'm going to try the tile saw with diamond blade method. We'll see how it goes. I'll put 2 windshields in my budget... lol. Still searching for different methods but this one seems doable. Theres a nice junkyard locally that has a classic section. I should be able to find a decent F-100 to cut up. I was thinking about finding a donor and cutting a 6" or so section of material from the donor in the areas that need repair. Remove the janky fills then cut down the replacement patches to actually fit then weld them in. As far as the open section, I have no idea. huge skylight or sliding ragtop maybe? Any input on any of this?
that looks nice in profile, but with all that shoddy work, I would get another roof, and replace the whole thing, and do it right. looks like the w/s posts could have been laid back a little to give it less of a model T look. I did a quick photo chop, but I might have leaned them too far back... but you should see the idea. get a junk windshield , and a glass cutter, and just cut it down as you are redoing the windshield opening, that way you can see where the windshield will need to be cut and how the roof should fit. you cant stretch or reform the glass, so it will have to be the top.
carnac the magnificent===from the johnny carson show the envelope on the head bit! its American history
When you go buy a donor, buy the whole top off it at the base of the posts so you have all the material you need to fix it.
Just wondering, does flat saftey glass come in "grades" of hardness or with optional protective coatings? My 37's front window started to pit far sooner than I ever anticipated and my 27's window will be nearly vertical. So, I'd like to try to find glass that is more resistant to stones and sand than the standard stuff. Idears? Thanx, Gary
I'd 1st like to ask what the history of that truck is if ya know. Also, there's a specific way to cut a curved W/S since one side of the laminate is under more stress than the other, but I can't recall what side gets cut 1st. I tend to agree with the "un-chop it" idea though. At least lift it some. Don't tell me that truck has an old Caddy motor and a T-bird dash...
first off.... get windshield cut,, then remake frame to fit..no need to redo the whole thing..but start with front glass first.. or else your gonna be selling it off to someone else ...
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