safety glass in side and rear windows?

[johnbuckley]

I know that As right from the start were reputed to have safety glass for the windshield. But what year it get all the windows being safety glass? ( if ever?)

[J Franklin]

None in any model A.

[SeaSlugs]

Yup none from factory. Very good idea to install it though...

[johnbuckley]

Yes that's what I thought. But Jim Schild's book The Original Ford Model A says "In May1931, Ford's Triplex laminated saftey glass was made available as special equipment at extra cost on all Ford Passenger models... different glass runs were required... Dealers were advised that laminated ..and new runs could be installed as a service replacement item." So Jim's book is indicating it was a factory optional extra but I've never read that anywhere else and I wonder if Jim's book is correct?

[J Franklin]

I would suspect Jim is correct. If you had enough money you could get about anything you wanted.

[mhsprecher]

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The Restoration Guidelines say the same thing as Jim Schild's book.

[Neil Wilson]

Originally Posted by johnbuckley

I know that As right from the start were reputed to have safety glass for the windshield. But what year it get all the windows being safety glass? ( if ever?)

Modern day cars have tempered glass (side and rear). Safety glass would make a vehicle a death trap for anyone ending up in the water.

[J Franklin]

Modern cars window electrics would fail maybe but you could always roll a model A window down.

[Y-Blockhead]

Good info on Ford Garage...http://www.fordgarage.com/pages/craiglewisglass.htm

[redmodelt]

The 29 town sedan I had, laminated glass in the side windows. The side windows matched the general age and condition of the car. I do not recall what the markings were. Seems to me I read someplace that some states required safety glass in side windows earlier then 1931. I think it came out of Kansas.

[Mike V. Florida]

GENERAL
Laminated safety glass was used in the windshield of all
Model A's. All laminated glass had a black sealant (tar)
around the edges from the beginning of production through
mid 1929 and from October 1930 to the end of production.
In the period mid 1929 to October 1930, the edges were
protected by a clear sealant. Door, quarter and rear window
glass was plate glass. In May 1931, laminated safety glass
was optional in all windows. Exceptions to this were the
Town Car (laminated glass throughout) and the Taxi
(laminated glass in rear compartment and partition). Closed
cab rear window glass was changed to laminated sheet
safety glass in March 1931.

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

The tar or edge sealant must have been to keep the isinglass from separating & turning CLOUDY??? In the past, that was QUITE common.
Bill W.

[desotoguy]

If you want the best of the above mentioned safety features, Vintage Glass can produce tempered glass for the windows of a Mosel A, except the windshield of course.

[barkleydave]

For todays restorations: Safety Laminated glass for Windshield. Rest of the glass Tempered. Tempered shatters in tiny harmless pieces so you can escape by striking it with a hard pointed object. Safety does not and would be very difficult to get through in an emergency. Also in a side impact collision the window regulator will no doubt be damaged making it inoperative.

[Bruce Adams]

Confirming barkleydave's report, nowadays Windshield Safety Glass is LAMINATED, while Side door Safety Glass is TEMPERED. Tempered Shatters into little beads, while laminated windshields crack, not break.

[Karl Wescott]

As a second to barkleydave, tempered for side and rear glass. In addition to the self destruction into little pieces factor it takes much more effort to crack than plate/safety plate. Too often someone with little knowledge of old car glass will try to close the door using the half rolled down glass a handle, tempered is much more resistant to damage than plate.

As a side note, in the United Kingdom for years windscreens used tempered glass, the feeling was the benefit of small round pieces vs sharp shards was a better safety factor than the occasional exploded windscreen from a stray rock or road debris.

[Mike V. Florida]

Originally Posted by Karl Wescott

As a side note, in the United Kingdom for years windscreens used tempered glass, the feeling was the benefit of small round pieces vs sharp shards was a better safety factor than the occasional exploded windscreen from a stray rock or road debris.

Here in the states, we think the opposite way. We want the windscreen glass to stay in one piece if a rock is kicked up and to keep occupants in the car should there be a head on collision.