I'm getting new glass installed in my chopped 42 plymouth next week and the question is to v-butt the glass or not. I'm currently not using any stainless trim so if I don't v-butt the glass there will be a black silicone seam running down the middle which is how it is now. I'm worried that the v-butt will make the car appear too slick and modern. Anyone want to weigh in with their thoughts?
When Studebaker and Porsche changed from 2-piece windshields to 1-piece in the early '50s, they had "bent" windshields. One piece, with two flat surfaces and a radius in between. That looked OK, but I've never seen a butted windshield that I thought looked worth a shit. Why don't you use the stainless divider bar that it came with? Looks best that way.
Thanx for the responses. You all pretty much confirmed my feelings on the subject. I currently don't have any trim to cover the seam but I agree that this would look best.
George Cerney's Plymouth wagon had one in 56 with Shaded Glass. they are traditional. I do alot of them but can't imagine one in any car I own.
Barris v-butted the glass on a LOT of the cars they chopped in the early '50s (including the Hirohata Merc, as mazdaslam pointed out) . And you don't use black silicone, you use clear. That said, if you don't like the look don't do it. I personally think it looks fine either way on most cars. I would think keeping the divider would be more simple.
If you remove the trim from the hood,trunk and body to clean up the lines of your car why not the windshield also.Just my opinion I think v-butt is more custom than street rod.It looks fine on my 41 ply.
I could easily make my own divider but I don't have the rest of the stainless trim for the windshield and I do think this without the outer trim looks odd. It's funny that until now I never thought about replacing the missing trim around my windows but after looking at a lot of pictures of old Kustoms last night I think I will be keeping my eyes open for some window trim.
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