1952-59 Ford Side glass

Has anyone taken their car to a local auto gl*** shop for new side gl***? I know I can buy new gl*** from Auto City Cl***ics for about $250 but wasn't sure if a local shop would be priced any better.

Here is my rub - years ago when I moved my car from my dad's house to mine he included a box of all the side gl*** for a 1955/1956 Ford Sedan. I've never really looked in the box but have recently pulled it all out and have found it is tinted a smoke gray color. My car is styled as a mild 60's custom every mild custom I have ever seen has clear gl*** so installing this tinted gl*** will not make sense.

 

I use these guys. They are local to me but they ship all over.
Street Rod Gl*** – Cl***ic Auto Gl***, Rubber, & Power Windows

 

I believe the gl*** in our 50's ire are laminated gl***. If the side windows are flat, any good gl*** service can cut them to fit. The other me has replace a lot of gl***, but never automotive.

 

I bought gl*** for my t coupe a while back and the cost was absolutely ridiculous. Like 300/ window.

 

Mine is the factory green Ford tint from ACC and it looks good against the other gl***. I doubt that many gl*** shops want to be cutting gl*** unless the payday is big.

 

I'd go for the gray tinted you already have. I got mine from AutoCityCL***ic, but then decided to go with fixed windows, so had to have the (different size) rears made locally. Not sure if it's the same with other gl*** shops, but the shop I went to could only do it tempered. He cut the gl***, then sent it to OKC for tempering.

 

I too went with AutoCityCl***ics gl***. I got the slight green tint. All 6 pieces for $250 is $40 per pane. Pretty good deal shipped to your door! It's a quality product and makes all the difference in the world to the overall look of your car. Here's the only pic I have but you can see the tint is fairly light.......

 

I looked all over for a shop to cut the windshield gl*** for my Roadster. When i finally found a place willing to do it, they cut it about a 1/8 too narrow at the bottom corners. I've been living with it because it was all I could get at the time. If you find a shop in the greater Atlanta willing to cut gl*** please let me know.

 

I'm a bit confused......what gl*** shop DOESN'T cut gl***? Unless you're talking cutting tempered gl***, which you'd be correct....most won't/can't............or maybe you're talking laminated gl***, which can be cut, but I'm not sure many gl*** shops stock it in plain clear.

 

It's much cheaper to do it yourself.
i found a local shop in La to do a windshield once and had to provid the rubber. It was about 7-800 bucks installed. 64 Fairlane.

A windshield gl*** is about 300 tops rubber 100. So I paid about 400 to make it someone else problem to install
on my 57's. I bought the rubber and installed 3 different ones. After buying the tools about 40.00. Myself with the help of my wife.
That about 3 fancy dinners. Or about 10 pizza nights.
once you got it down it's really quite easy.
just depends on what you want to do.
Thats doing a dogleg 57 windshields.
Side gl*** is mostly about taking apart the door painter and track out.
I hardly trust contractors.
either way if that coming out. Redo do the roller, and add some felt or gl*** velvet/cat whiskers and grease the mechanism while you are there.
But I doubt the do that for the included price.

mostly places are acting like they are doing you the favor for paying them.

for flat side gl*** you need the right tape at the bottom and kerosene to activate the tape.

also note you can just get only the window you need from auto city cl***ic. Not the whole set.

 

Had a local shop here that did the windshield in my 59 F100, wrap around like Abe was describing above. $239 for the gl*** and $200 for labor, this windshield did not have the stainless trim, they said that would have been an extra $50. Had to make an appointment, got there and they said the installer hadn't shown up yet I would have to wait. I was watching other windshields getting installed, you know, the glue in type, wondering what was up. I hear a rumble and a old pickup rolls in, guy jumps out looking like an old biker and starts working on my truck. He is the retired gl*** guy that only shows up to do old **** I am told. He also cut and installed some side gl*** for me on one of my past Studebakers I had years ago. He is gone now and most shops in town do not want to do gl*** in 50's cars, especially curved windshields. Can still find guys to cut flat side gl*** but it isn't cheap, labor rated are running $150 per hour and up here.

 

Thanks everyone. Pretty sure I'm just going to order all 6 pieces from Auto City Cl***ics in clear to match the clear Ford script gl*** already in there. All of the gl*** in the car now has bubbles along the edges and the driver side pieces are all cracked. I really would prefer to use the tinted gl*** I have but I just can't get past it looking out of place in the overall look of the car.

 

Had the same issue in the tinted side gl*** my 57 is factory blue tint. So I bought the tinted set thinking at least the cut lot will match. Well after getting 2 shatter price in the shipment! anyhow. If anything breaks in shipping the replace it for free.
make sure to take pics as you take apart the rollers and stuff and you can also get the setting tape at shops like CW moss for a little cheaper.

I have a hardtop so a complete frame goes around some of the gl***. I have too many project lately.
On sedans with just the bottom holding it. It's much easier job.

 

When it comes time to install the gl*** in the setting tape, this is a really good youtube video on the procedure. I followed it when I did my install and it was very easy to do.......