Avanti windshields ----------------------------------------------- our local glass shop in southeastern pa. has a listing for avanti (63-85) windshields and door glass, albeit they are expensive. All, I have always wondered what would happen if my glass should get broken. Is it readily available? Or can any glass shop remanufacture it? ----------------------------------------------- All the 63 - 85 Avanti glass is unique- and since it's tempered (except for the windshield) and curved, it can't just be manufactured locally like most flat glass '50's Studebakers. On the two occasions I tried to buy glass through one of the local glass companies I found that although they had a listing, they couldn't get the glass at any price; the normal pipeline is dry and it isn't manufactured any more. The only place I've been successful is with Vic Phillips, who sells obsolete auto glass and advertises in Turning Wheels. I suspect Dan Booth might be able to supply certain pieces, too. Regards, Chuck chuck.lampman@tuff.gatech.edu ----------------------------------------------- A local glass shop got the glass for my Avanti and my 62 GT Hawk from PPG. Cost each about $375.00 installed. Steve M ----------------------------------------------- My Avanti's windshield is all installed and it looks good. According to the factory sticker the shop owner gave me it was made on 30 Oct. 97 and identifies it for a Studebaker Avanti. The glass is correct for my car. The logo in the upper right hand corner of the sticker is AGP. Unfortunately while I was out for a drive the car's ignition went away. I was blasting along on the freeway at about 70 when it cut out, back in and began to cut out more until it completely died. After stopping I made a couple of attempts to start it and it made a half hearted attempt to catch but not quite. It has one of those Jon Myer Chrysler ignition conversions in it. It's close to dark so I'll fuss with this another day. What's one more setback? SteveM ----------------------------------------------- Straight stuff: Final bills for my windshields: Gary's Auto Glass of Kern County 4300 Wible Road, Ste. C Bakersfield CA 93313 (661) 834 8432 64 Avanti final bill: $375.66 62 GT Hawk final bill: $371.75 That's product, tax and labor. Steve M ----------------------------------------------- Since I'm in the business, I will tell what I know. PPG, one of the two major suppliers of O.E.M. auto glass, has a search division set up for obsolete glass. They also have the ability to manufacture parts and can place the correct "bug" (etched trademark) on the new part. They search for a part before manufacturing it. One drawback on N.O.S. glass is that it has been handled and moved around for many years in a warehouse and is often scratched or chipped. Windshields are easiest to make from scratch, especially if they are flat and not curved. If a windshield is curved it must be be manufactured in a factory where the glass is bent and formed. If a windshield is flat any experienced auto glass technician can take a pattern and cut it from flat laminated stock. Tempered glass is another story. It is heat treated in a process which arranges the molecular structure of the glass so when it breaks, the pieces are not sharp. Flat plate glass can be tempered, but if it is curved as all side and back Avanti glass is, it is best prepared by a factory that has the original specifications. Laminated glass can sometimes be buffed if it is scratched, but often will have a distortion visible where it was buffed. Most of the time, tempered glass will not buff. I checked and as of a few months ago Newman & Altman still had some Avanti glass available. I don't know if that is still true. Many of the older Studes used flat laminated glass in the side windows, only having the backglass tempered. Again, a glass shop should be able to cut many of the flat side glass parts for older Studes on site. -----------------------------------------------