Night vision

Rainmaker Ron

Rainmaker Ron

Senior Member
I am still driving the pick up I finished rebuilding in October. Every few years here in the midwestwe have a mild winter that hangs on until the new year. This little truck is fun to drive but not after dark. My shop is 3 miles from home and it is dark by 5:00 P.M. most evenings when I leave. Driving home, the flat glass reflects so many lights that it is confusing to drive. When it is warmer I tilt the windshield and the reflection is not a problem. I hate to put the truck away as long as there is no salt on the roads, does any one have a trick to eliminate the reflection problem?
Rainmaker Ron
 

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Passenger cars have pull down shades in the back window for just this dillema. Seems like trucks would also have this feature regardless of being a "no frills" vehicle. Lebaron can supply the shade with the spring loaded roller for about $30. Brackets are available through any aftermarket supplier. Even if this wasn't offered on pickups, I don't think you could go wrong installing one.
 
Great Lakes Greg said:
Passenger cars have pull down shades in the back window for just this dillema. Seems like trucks would also have this feature regardless of being a "no frills" vehicle. Lebaron can supply the shade with the spring loaded roller for about $30. Brackets are available through any aftermarket supplier. Even if this wasn't offered on pickups, I don't think you could go wrong installing one.
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Only problem with this is there is no real way to mount the curtain as there's no wood around the back window like you'd find in a Coupe or Sedan.
 
I used to know a truck driver that had a small blue light mounted near the bottom of the windsheild
He said it was to cut down the headlight glare and reflections of the dash lights on the windows
It was a small 'cone' shaped light (kind of like a motorcycle turn signal)
Maybe a dash light (like the one under the dash rail) with a colored bulb or lens
 
Ron, I had eye surgery years ago and now the glare from oncoming lights is horrible for me I started wearing my polarized yellow shooting glasses and that really cut the glare for me
 
Use it to advantage. At night I park at the 99 cent store to do girl watching. I can see them coming from any direction.:D It's like having mirrors everywhere! I've sorta got used to it over a period of time. I think it helps me to be a more careful driver. Someone's Polaroid glasses suggestion sounds like a good idea. Bill W.
 
Tilting the windshield has always worked for me with my '30 Coupe. It only takes a small angle to deflect the reflections. The colder weather here in the Chicago area does make it a bit uncomfortable but I dress warmly, put a blanket over my legs, and grin and bear it. The Autolight manifold heater does help some but it can still be quite cold. I simply love the opportunity that we have had this year to drive so deeply into the winter without concern about salty roads. The hammer will fall soon........... Gar Williams
 
The blue light and the polaroid glasses are worth a try. Thanks for the creative thinking.

Most folks do not know the purpose of the rear shade, it is widely thought to be designed to conceal some hanky pank.

Rainmaker Ron
 
I have not tried this, but think it might work. There are magnetic curtin rod brackets available (with the rod). I would think that would work, and it would be easily removed if desired. A curtin could be made of cloth, or maybe some kind of anti-glare window coating.
 
I wonder if one of those window screens that you apply to the glass would work. This is the type with a lot of small holes so you can see out, but it's hard to see in. These often depict some graphic such as the Conferate flag, FORD in script, etc.
 
Tear some rags into stips and stuff them in the dash rail from the bottom to block the air movement. Then open the windshield slightly to an angle that works for you. I'm guessing this would at least, cut down on the cold air to your legs.
 
The rear curtain will stop most of the reflections but I worry about getting hit from the rear, especially at night, so I am very reluctant to pull it down. Gar Williams
 
How will the position of the rear window curtain make any difference in getting hit from the rear? If some idiot is going to hit you from the rear the position of the rear curtain is certainly not going to stop that from happening. I always pull the rear curtain down when driving at night. As mentioned, it cuts down on windshield glare, yet allows enough light through to be able to tell if there is a car following.
 
if it's a pickup cab, there's no interior really to speak of besides the seat & kick panels. That leaves a lot of exposed metal. take an old shop rag, and fold it over sewing magnets into one end. simply put the towel over the back window at night using the magnets to hold it up, and take it down when you get home. This could probably be used on any model a since all the window trim is metal.
 
Rainmaker Ron said:
I am still driving the pick up I finished rebuilding in October. Every few years here in the midwestwe have a mild winter that hangs on until the new year. This little truck is fun to drive but not after dark. My shop is 3 miles from home and it is dark by 5:00 P.M. most evenings when I leave. Driving home, the flat glass reflects so many lights that it is confusing to drive. When it is warmer I tilt the windshield and the reflection is not a problem. I hate to put the truck away as long as there is no salt on the roads, does any one have a trick to eliminate the reflection problem?
Rainmaker Ron
Click to expand...
I solved my night glare problem by pushing out the windshield a few degrees and sealing up the gaps with duct tape the same color as the paint. Looked like I was driving a '31 Town Sedan instead of a '29. When spring came, I peeled off the duct tape. I bet that blue, wide masking tape would work if you are worried about your paint.
 
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