Which windshield?

irrich · #1 (**permalink**) 09-24-2003, 09:37 PM

Need a little help here. Shopping around for a windshield and have found that there are two basic types. Domestic or imported. Which one is the better one? Is there a different angle in mounting the two. Is the sub frame better? I have read about cracks from screws? and from mounting them hard to the body. Which of the two has the better mounting supports? Any help will be appreciated. Rich

Snake · #2 (**permalink**) 09-24-2003, 10:22 PM

All I can tell you is about mine...It's made in England....and the craftmanship is excellent..chrome on brass. I think the others are chrome on steel or is it chrome on aluminum. I here that the imports are better from everybody elses point of view. Well theres my 1.6 cents..I live in Canada.
Latter Buddy.
Snake/Gerry.

CRZN427 · #3 (**permalink**) 09-25-2003, 12:02 AM

More limited experience here.

I have seen two types of windshield frames.

One is chrome plated brass. That is the normal type of windshield frame. Mine is of British origin also, it came with my FFR.

The only other type I have seen was Aluminum. I don't know whether it was chorme plated or merely polished. The thing I did notice about it was that it was 1" wider than the standard frame.

I was fitting a convertible top, that had been on my car, to this car with the aluminum frame and had to "expand" the fabric across the windshield to make it fit.

Bud Man · #4 (**permalink**) 09-25-2003, 06:53 AM

I have looked closely at both domestic and imported windshields and found what I considered a major difference between the two.

The domestic unit was finished out nicely and all, but the four side mounting screws on each end were surprising short and utilized a National Coarse thread. When cinched down, it appeared that only a couple of threads were engaged.

The English unit was even more finely finished, but more important than that, the same mounting screws were longer, utilized a National Fine thread, and they engaged the frame much deeper (maybe 5-6 threads). That clinched it for me.

Bud

vegan2 · #5 (**permalink**) 09-25-2003, 09:06 AM

My windshield frame is from ERA (chrome) - with the glass the issue right now. I'm not handy and apparently not too bright some times, in that I attempted to re-attach a visor - the screw was to long and I cracked the windshield - obviously the glass must be directly behind the screw hole that is used to mount the visor. That's around a $400 screw up, but I'm a novice so live and learn. New windshield is on the way!

irrich · #6 (**permalink**) 09-25-2003, 06:01 PM

I appreciate the replys, thank you. I was wondering why the price was so dramatic $500- Domestic verus $750-Imported. The screw issue is the most important, I have read a lot about them and trying to avoid that pitfall. Thanks again

CRZN427 · #7 (**permalink**) 09-26-2003, 12:22 AM

In case you don't already know, there is a guy over on FFCobra that had made a stainless steel insert for the windshield frame attachment to the support posts. This is a direct replacement for the brass strip.

stevehaygood · #8 (**permalink**) 10-12-2003, 04:35 PM

Just my 2 bits worth. I lived in the UK for 6 yrs and have met the one man. yes really only one guy who makes the "English" windshield. It is made out of brass and chrome plated and he makes them all by himself. A little company named Brasscraft. Met him in '97 at the big kit car show they have over there every May. At that time he had manufactured something like close to 3,ooo units over the years. He has a jig that was made from the original when it was AC in Thames Ditton