Safety/Tempered Glass

R

Ross6860

Senior Member
When did they start putting safety glass and/or tempered glass in cars?

My ride is a '36. If I have safety glass and tempered glass should there not be some kind of marking on it somewhere?

This car gets driven a bit and will be driven a lot more once all the bugs are out. If need be I'll put the money in new glass.

PS - I have the 35-36 Ford book on order from the V8 Club, but I don't have it yet.


Thanks
 
One of my books state Ford started installing safety windshield glass in early Model A's.
Can't believe your '36 doesn't need new glass, unless it's been in a museum, or has under gone a previous restoration.
 
Safety Glass is two layers of glass stuck together or laminated with clear "plastic" in between the two glass sheets. (Not really plastic but can't think of what it is called.
CRS.) Tempered glass is a single sheet of glass that is tempered for strength. It is thinner than safety glass. It will not crack if struck by say a flying rock from the road. It will shatter into a zillion pieces. Safety glass will crack but not separate.
 
Lawson Cox said:
...(Not really plastic but can't think of what it is called.
CRS.)...
Click to expand...

Lawson, the current plastic used is Polyvinyl butyril. I don't know if that's the same as was used by Ford back in the day, but it's all plastic by definition anyway. :D
 
If you do go for new glass use,toughened[tempered] in the doors, as they can grind a nice round edge on them, and laminated glass on the screen. A rock won't send glass all over you and most stone chips can be repaired to almost invisible. Cheers Tony.
 
V8 Bob said:
One of my books state Ford started installing safety windshield glass in early Model A's.
Can't believe your '36 doesn't need new glass, unless it's been in a museum, or has under gone a previous restoration.
Click to expand...

It has been restored, I'm guessing three or so years ago by the look of the new hardware, headers, etc., but I have absolutely no documentation with the vehicle other than the title.

It was an estate purchase, and the car came from Washington State, prior lif in California, supposedly. I have a copy of the Washington title, so that's all I can prove.

I know what tempered and safety glass are.

I've run into a lot of folks that put plate glass in the doors. Why? I have no idea. I would never do it on purpose.

So short of whacking it with a hammer (kind of like testing flash-bulbs), any way I can tell what I have?
 

Attachments

  • RFN1 001.jpg
    RFN1 001.jpg
    93.2 KB · Views: 4
  • RFN1 010.jpg
    RFN1 010.jpg
    79.3 KB · Views: 4
Just roll down the side windows, and look at the very top edge of the window, it
should be easy to see the two halves of the glass, laminated together with the
acetate in the middle.











.
 
Looking at the edge of the glass for the different layers will only tell if it laminated safety glass not tempered or plate glass
 
In regard to your first question, tempered glass (as well as laminated glass) was used in rumble seat equipped open cars at least as far back as the 1932 model year. Two different window frames were used to provide for the different thickness of the two types of glass used in that application.

I second your opinion regarding the use of plate glass anywhere in an automobile.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top