Hot Rods Windshield

My 1939 Chevy Coupe project. It's time to make the decision. I'm ready to paint and can't decide.

Haven't cut out the center divider of the 2 piece windshield. Do I want to do that in favor of a one piece windshield or go with the original 2 piece. Admittedly the one piece gl*** is a cleaner look but I can appreciate the 2 piece. My armchair advisors say go with the one piece. Are there any visual drawbacks to the one piece like distortion? I don't want to chop out the divider and then later regret it.

Have any of you guys put in the one piece windshield and regretted it? Or are you digging it?

 

The most attractive and eye catching item on a 30-40’s car is the split windshield and back window.
The best thing ever is the tilt windshield. It can be 80 degrees outside and its perfectly comfortable inside. You will need to pick an occasional bug out of your teeth.
One piece conversions look like street rod ****.

 

I’d never convert one. I get that early 50s Chevys are easily converted to one piece with an olds windshield but it’s nothing I would do

 

Keep it 2pc with the divider. When I got my 39 it had a v-****ed windshield with no divider. Though it looked weird and then I saw others with 1pc screens. Those look super weird IMHO. The lines of the car scream for a line in the windshield. Keep it there.

 

...you take away the old car look when you eliminate that divider...

 

I'd just look at pictures of both and decide which look I liked best and go with that.

As far as "Street rod" cars had 1 piece windshields looonngg before "Street rods" were ever even thought of....

I like how some immediately scream Street rod or r#t rod when something doesn't conform to "their idea" of a hot rod or mild custom.....

...

 

Can you get the split windshield rubbers? Is the center bar good enough to reuse?

 

One piece (like an older, modest ladies swimsuit) is best left to the street rodders, the Amish and those who fear skin cancer.
Hot rodders on the other hand prefer a shapely woman in a ***y two piece.

The same is true of windscreens on vintage cars in my opinion

 

The bent gl*** 1 piece look like ****.

 

You asked how individuals liked or disliked their own attempts. I V-****ed the 2 pieces of gl*** on my 47 Ford coupe 30 years ago, and never looked back. Well, I do look back, but that's another issue. Its' not a one piece bent one, but 2 panes using factory rubber. It's amazing how much more vision one has, with the inch an a half of vertical bar not in the way. I like mine.

 

^^^no way

 

I've been looking through this gl*** for over fifty years, it wouldn't look right with out the divider bar. It's even better after @Stanlow covered the visors after forty five years

 

I don't like the look of V ****ed gl*** personally. 49-52 Chevy cars using an Olds windshield is different because there's not a seam or V shape in the center when you use the Olds windshield. On a car with a 2 piece flat gl*** windshield, I'll always prefer the center bar in place.

 

nope not a good look.... not even on 49-52 Chevrolets..... OK.. maybe on a hardtop but not a coupe or sedan.

 

Advantage of two piece windshields is if you get a crack you only have to replace half the windshield

 

Flip a coin; heads one piece, tails 2 piece. While it's in the air you will know which way you want it to land.

my 2 cents

.bjb

 

My 46 GMC windshield is V-****ed, and I never feel like I wish it had the center divider.

However, it sounds like you're talking about the V-bent one piece windshields. You're unlikely to find anyone that's a fan of them on this forum, as they're really more street rod stuff. I've heard there is a bit of distortion on those style windshields for a couple inches each side of the bend, but it's been several years since I've seen someone who had one.

 

One piece is kustom

 

someone mentioned using black silicone on v **** as clear is like sun catching a crack in windshield. I will need to do this in a few months.

 

My vote is 2 piece gl***. Use the divider to mount your rear view mirror.

 

I like a two piece that has been V ****ed with silicone in the center. That was done sometimes back in the day. But the bent one piece type is not good at all.

 

I V-****ed the 2pc in my 48 Chev. It was the thing to do in the 90's. After a couple summers I wished I would have left it alone. Leave it a 2pc! A big no to bent one pc! Dan

 

Please no. The split windshield is a signature design element of that era.

 

2-piece.......
Just like Jesus and Moses did theirs.

 

On my 48 Plymouth, I built a narrow center piece for the inside, then bonded in the two piece windshield. The outside center of the windshield has black urethane sealer in the center and around the outside edges. No leaks of any kind at the windshield for 15 years and nearly 100,000 miles, it has a better seal then nearly any rubber gasket windshield I have ever had installed.

 

Just a theory:
If your insides don't cry out "one piece" what do care why others do or don't?
My experience:
Four of my cars had two piece.
Never was a bother; some thought it cool.
All of the tractors that I drove for 18 years
( yeah I'm supposed to to know how many millions of miles that was, but... )
They all had 2 piece gl***. Never was a bother.

 

The distortion is horroble in those one piece windshields for older Chevys that have two piece windshields and flat gl***.
This is a local to me AD Chevy with a one piece heated and bent windshield that you can see the distortion in in the photo. They have brought it to just about every show around for the past 15 years but honestly I don't know how they stand to drive it with that much distortion.

 

I have rode in a 40 ford with a 1 piece it seemed to have distortion where bent more than a division bar would be noticed. 1 for sure maybe 2 have cracked in the center. I would v but it before a 1 piece .but prefer the divider bar. find a car with a 1 piece and look thru it

 

We have a winner, this and Bandit Billy's sensual description comparing it to a woman in a bikini.

 

^^^yeah, it's real fun just replacing one side!