Windwing bracket question 30 coupe

[kingsley]

What is the difference between 28-29 and 30-31 windwing brackets? I have a 30 coupe but the windwing glass looks sort of like the 28-29 glass on the Mac site with the notches in the corners. Prior owners added things via swap meets so how can I tell if I have 28-29 or 30-31 brackets on my 30 coupe?

Interestingly the brackets appear old and chrome but were attached with phillip screws that appear to go with the brackets. I thought that strange since phillip screws came on the scene around 1934-35. It is possible the original screws got swapped out at some point of time.

The old glass has gone away and the car and brackets are at my farm 2 1/2 hours away so I won't know until this weekend if the glass that just arrived from Macs will fit the brackets or have to be returned so I am trying to manage my expectations.

[J Franklin]

It is possible that your brackets are an early aftermarket and used phillips head screws.

[DougVieyra]

There is no 'correct' brackets for a particuliar year. Over-whelmingly Windwings were an after-market item made to fit a wide range of car years and windows. They were for 'Universal' application. What IS a car / window specific requirement, is the dimension of the glass. As long as the glass is made to fit properly into the bracket channels, and properly fills the space between the top and the bottom bracket, you are fine. There are some really odd ball situations were the brackets are VERY specific - i.e. any 'Slant Window' car - generally, for Ford Model A, this means some of the later '1931 cars.

Any number of explainations can be given for the phillips screws - for instance, I believe Canada came out with that type of screw in the late '20s - I think they called it a 'Roberts". It is also possible, I suppose, that the set was made in 1934 to retrofit cars of the earlier years. However, as I have had about 10 sets of original wind-wings from the 1920's and 1930's, and seen scores of others on original cars, I must say that I have never seen anything other than the expected straight-slot screws. My money is on that they were replaced somewhere along the line after about 1960 or so.

[kingsley]

Thanks - I'll find out in a few days if the glass fits the brackets or go back to Macs in exchange for 30-31 glass.

[w.michael]

The windwing bracket sets that were available in the late 1960's and early 1970's came with phillips head screws. I have a new set from 1971 still in the box. I don't have the courage to drill holes in my doors.

W. Michael

[kingsley]

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When I got my coupe I noticed the owners before the one I bought the car from had their names etched in the windwing glass, his on the driver's side, hers on the other. After I bought the car I tracked down the lady who was a widow and gave her the windwing glass and she was very pleased. It was that or change our first names.

The problem was I did not make a pattern or measure them and ordered replacements from MACS which were way too big. I managed to get the pattern for my old glass and they are 14" tall which is much shorter than anything sold by the big guys.

Now the question - Has anybody had closed body windwing glass cut from a local glass company? If so was it more or less than what the Macs of the world charge? Are there any outfits out there that with a proper template can reproduce a set of these?

thanks

[mot]

like doug said
many companies made the brackets,they wernt for a specific car
you measured the height of your window opening ,bought a set that would fit and mounted them
Mac or anyone else would have no idea what glass to fit in your brackets
have the lady send you a tracing of the old ones
or fit a piece of cardstock to the brackets
and take it to a glass shop
make sure you get safety glass
I know its not what you wanted to hear,but that's the way it is
in 1931
Ford did make a draft deflector that fit into the window opening ,and not screwed on,they are quite rare
one is pictured in the JS on page 16-3
look at the picture I just took
each one is of a different size,even the shape of the glass is different,
some are beveled,some are just polished edges
some draft deflectors have a rubber seal at the front edge some don't
so you can see there are many variables,and Macs cant solve your problem
best solution is to fit the cardstock to your brackets and take it to a glass place
or better yet take the car to the glass place and let them fit and cut
tom

[kingsley]

thanks. I did have the lady send me a tracing of the original glass and I plan to go to a glass shop with it and the brackets to make sure the curve of the glass and the notch in back fit the bracket. I believe my glass is 1/4" safety glass. I note in your pictures there are two screw holes for the top and bottom brackets. Mine have three and while they have some pitting, for the most part they are in good shape and they polished up ok. Whoever installed them did a good job.

[mot]

I have other brackets,never paid attention to them,
some are fancy some are plain.different lengths,i passed up about 5 at the last big meet I went to
there were many makers of them ,each different than the other
tom