Hi, I want to replace the windshield on a 1939 Ford Deluxe Coupe with either a V-**** or one piece. The one currently in the car isn't sealing very well and the frame isn't great. Any ideas out there as to whether one is better than the other and where is a good place to order one from? I'm in New Zealand so will need to bring it in from the States, any advice would be appreciated, thanks.
Original owner of my 37 Chevy wanted a one piece. Cracked when he put it in. By then, the centre bar was gone, of course, so now it's a v ****. Sent from my iPad using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Don't know where you get a one piece. A V **** is simple, you can get flat safety gl*** cut locally. It must be made a little wider than the original. The pieces **** together in the middle and you seal the seam with clear sealer.
I really like the original style. V-**** and one piece, not so much. The divider down the middle just looks good, especially from the driver's seat.
A 39 has a windsheild frame that the gl*** fits into. If the frame is rusted out on any part of it, it will not seal for anything. You may just need a new frame. A 40 windsheild fits directly into the body. You may want to see if you can use a 40 gasket in your 39 opening if you really want a one piece or v**** windshield.
Your car looks great with the original windshield frame and I'm afraid that eliminating the center divider would really change the look of your car. Without the frame you would have to glue it in and then fashion some glue-on fake trim around it. I've seen them done and it looks very "street roddy" and inappropriate for the traditional look of your car. Is the frame rusted out or is the chrome just bad? I'd repair it and have it rechromed if possible. If your frame is not repairable, it is the same on most '37-'39 Ford cars and pickups, so you should be able to find another one, maybe even in country. You can also have new flat gl*** cut locally. New rubber seals should fix your leaks too. By the way, welcome to the HAMB! Your '39 is beautiful!
The one piece that I've seen are distorted and just don't look right. I'd go with a v-**** personally. And v-****ed gl*** is traditional....
I worked on and drove a 38 Ford sedan with a one piece windshield, It is a Street Rod. Looks good on the Street Rod it is on. It had very little distortion. V ****s are nice but I prefer the split windshield look. I would like to see if the 40 gl*** would fit in 39 without modification I vaguely remember some difference between the 39-40's window area.
Thanks everyone who responded for your help. I think I'll try the V-**** screen but will keep the existing frame and gl*** in case I want to put it back in, cheers.
Please don't do it. V-**** windshields are one of the worst things that happened to these cars in the 1980's- 90's. The only thing worse is those one piece curved gl*** things. Yuk.
I don't see how a 40 windshield would go into a 39 without a ton of work. 40 has a pinchweld the rubber sit on, 39 a big hole the frame and seals sit into. Just putting a v ****ed gl*** into a 39 would be tough without the frame. My 39 coupe had a one piece windshield in it when I bought it. I absolutely hated it, functioned OK but the view of the world thru it wasn't right in my mind if you know what I mean. It also looked wierd with a big gap between the garnish and gl*** the po had filled in with metal to give the gl*** something to glue to. Luckily the po had the stock frame in his garage, I made him throw it in with the deal. I also had Gary Goldchain standing by to buy the one piece gl*** for his street rod, too bad I broke it trying to get it out! Before After
yes, I know the 40 is a different animal here, but here is a story about me wanting to put a 1-piece in my 40 sedan. I ordered one from a well known company in Calif. 6 months later when the body work was done, I hired a gl*** guy to install it. he is known in the area & has done several older cars. he told me the w-shield was 1/2" or so too big all the way around. several delays getting info from the gl*** supplier. finally they told me that all their w/shields are like that cuz no 2 40 Fords had the same size opening. they told me to have the gl*** guy sand it down to fit. gl*** guy was leery of doing that to an expensive w/shield. wound up going back to split w/shield from the same company, it fit like a glove.
Your car but I V ****ed my 40 coupe years ago and hated it,it looks too much like a street rod to me. HRP
I have to agree, the 1-piece look like ****. Huge distortion, bad appearance, and not fooling anyone. V-**** is better, but with the original divider bar is what seems the best look to me. What that said, my 38 Chevy divider was MIA when I built it, so it has V-****ed and has been working fine for 20 years. Key is getting that V-gap even and small as possible, so minimum sealer is required.
Do everything you can to save that original look of the '39 windshield. There has to be repairable frames out there somewhere if yours is too rusty to save.
V ****ed and one piece windshields are for "street rods" this place is all about "traditional" hot rods......
Just look at the car........it's a traditional look. I wouldn't change it, it would be like doing one custom thing to the car while the rest of it has a totally different look in my opinion.
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