A good friend of mine says he saw a magazine article not too long ago that showed how a curved windshield from a VW Super Beatle was cut down and used on a hot rod roadster. But, his recollection is a little fuzzy and he can't remember the source or any of the details. Does this sound familiar to anyone? The same friend also used to run an auto gl*** shop in Colorado and sez it's not that difficult to cut down a piece of safety gl*** by scoring both sides, carefully snapping it and then melting thru the plastic "sandwich" with ignited alcohol. But, it would be helpful to first see specifically how someone else did it and what windshield stands they used before embarking on a trial-and-error effort of my own. C'ya - RAY
Yes,it's been done many times. Not really a "traditional" style,more for adapting a curved windshield,to more modern hitech rods.
The Zipper fibergl*** body uses a superbeetle windshield. It's a high tech looking roadster body. Not a very traditional look IMHO
Its a good mod for a fibergl*** roadster body. Basically, you saw a slot into the cowl and drop the gl*** into the slot about 3". Level the gl***, then cover the gl*** sticking thru the underside with vaseline or paste wax. Then use resin and mat to fibergl*** the bottom area of the windshield into the underside of the cowl. You wind up with a curved, slanted windshield that is freestanding without windshield posts. Its a very neat look, although as the previous poster pointed out, its not a "traditional" look. And even though the bottom portion was covered in something that resin and mat won't stick to, I've always wondered "can they really be removed if they get broken"?? One thing for damn sure, its about $1000 cheaper than going the traditional route with an aftermarket windshield frame.
gl*** is gl***. cutting gl*** is "traditional". i believe the emphasis on the original post was on the cutting, not of the origin of the gl***. ray, if you do a quick search on "cutting gl***" you'll come up with tons of tech articles discussing the variety of ways it can (and can't) be done.
THANX for all the replies! My RPU is definitely gonna be what I would call a traditional (cough......."rat") rod and I don't wanna offend any of the traditionalists. BUT, I've also seen plenty of so-called "traditional" rods sporting those ****-ugly (IMHO) chromed bronze/br*** "Duvall" frames that mount two angled panes of gl*** and cost a small fortune (no offense intended). My main reason for considering this somewhat less-traditional route is twofold. First, as mentioned in other threads, I'm a cheap*** SOB and I can't see spending a ton of money on the traditional swing-out Model A w/shield stands, window frame and hardware. Second, I don't WANT a swing-out window, in spite of its period-correct look. Whether I opt for curved or straight gl*** is still "up in the air". My idea was to use the VW gl*** in conjunction with a pair of grooved w/shield posts and no frame around the gl***. The gl*** would be imbedded into the posts with black urethane. At the bottom I was thinking of using a small 1-inch-long SS receiver channel to support/strengthen the gl*** right in the center. I'm sorta talkin' out of my ***, however, cuz I have absolutely no experience whatsoever with this sorta thing. I don't even know who makes the grooved stands AND I'm not sure that the bottom of the gl*** can be cut curved to match the cowl (I've heard that it CAN be belt-sanded, however). I'm definitely NOT gonna cut a slot in my steel cowl and have gl*** sticking thru under the dash, lol. C'ya - RAY
If you go with flat gl***, look up a pre-'64 beetle windshield. They're a bit smaller than the later versions.... and CHEAP!
If I use flat gl***, which I still may do, I just can't rake it back very much without running off the cowl surface where the gl*** "rests". But, by using gl*** with a very-mild curve, I can angle it back a little further (nothing drastic, mind you) and the bottom edge will appear straight with the rear edge of the cowl. C'ya - RAY
My mistake ,i thought you wanted to use the VW frame too,and graft the VW cowl and the existing cowl. Didn't mean to imply "gl*** cutting",wasn't "traditional." I'll have to report to the"traditional police" for my punishment.
I'd use something less curved than a super bettle.this is one I cut down for a 32 ford. he wanted a curved shaded windshield fit the curve of the cowl like factory
And that less-curved w/shield is from a.........................(???) Well...........at least he's alive and has his own hair, lol. Wifey and I saw Ringo and his "All-Star Band" a few months ago at Colusa Casino - a pretty good show, especially when Edgar Winter performed "Frankenstein". C'ya - RAY
Might not be Considered traditional. but it was done. Check this pic from the late 50's. Looks pretty good.
I think my memory is as fuzzy as your friends and i did see that artical. They taped off the area with duct tape and left a 1/4 gap where they wanted it cut and sandblasted the gl***. If i remeber right it was time consuming and the windsheild had to be flipped regularly. I believe that artical was in Street Rodder about 4 years ago, i would maybe check the tech archive on their website.
That's just the right amount of curvature to look good without giving the wrap-around appearance of a boat windshield. Wish I knew what w/s he used! Funny, but the fuzzy image of the driver looks very much like Steve Allen or Gray Baskerville, lol. THANX, I give that a try! C'ya - RAY
I worked vw for years windshields are ; up to '57 small '58-64 a little bigger '65-newer standard '68 - newer standard '73 -super beetle (curved) early convertible gl*** is slightly different. just my $.02
On my '32 Ford roadster I built stantions and cut a grove in the cowl. I then mounted the flat (AS1) gl*** using black urethane. Clean and strong.
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