The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Original glass?

Help please. Was the original glass (windshield, vents, door, and big rear) in the 1958 3100's all clear, or green tinted?

Thanks!

can't give you the definitive answer but I seriously doubt anything other than windshields would have been available tinted then, and that likely would have been just the top part .... and it would have been an option, standard was all clear for sure

Bill

E-Z-EYE (green-tinted) L-O-F brand (now Pilkington) glass was available all-around in 1954 (even in the Suburban). Was it available as an option in 1958 (RPO 399, maybe)?

if it was an option in 54 .... then maybe I think tinted was only inventened around 1950, must have been a pretty pricey option for a work truck buyer

Bill

There is no "IF" about it being an option for all USA Chevrolet trucks in 1954 (except for Forward Control & School Bus Chassis).
A similar option called Shade-Lite glass was available in Canadian Chevrolet trucks in 1954 (rear glass not included).

In 1954 (USA prices - Canadian prices were a little less, due to no tinted rear windows):
$18 for 3-window cab
$20 for 5-window cab
$27.50 for Suburban (15 pieces of glass)
(cheaper than rear corner windows)

However, it looks like RPO 399 is not available in 1956 (RPO 398 tinted windows was available in cars in 1956) - so, unless someone has documentation for 1958, guesses are in order.

My 53 AD had this tinted glass all around. Many AD trucks that I have looked at in the Bakerfield, California area, in front yards, backyards and barnyards had this tinted glass.

hey! I didn't mean 'if' as in questionable but 'if' as in precendent established

I don't see anything in the 55-59 assembly manual RPOs, which of course is actually for 55, but #399 is one of the skipped numbers, might just have been not listed, although in the regular sections, there's only one part number listed for each of the glass pieces - also nothing in the 57 accessory book

but "if" it was available in 54, it seems most likely it would have continued to be available ever after - as an option

of all the TF trucks I've bought, sold, parted, contemplated, I've never seen any originals with any side or back tinted glass, and only a couple original tinted windshields with the tint on about the top 6-10"

also I've seen claims that side glass tinting is subject to restrictions in some areas

Bill

Thanks for all the input - I couldn't find it listed as an option for 1958, or any reference to it in any reference materials. Any other comments / facts welcome and much appreciated.

Since restrictions on tinted windows has been mentioned, here is a catalog for those laws/regulations in the USA (note that some states' laws/regulations are for added film and others are for total transparency).

Canadians might be interested in these provincial laws/regulations.

USA, Canada, and Europe

I don't think the light green tint on the AD trucks would even apply to todays tint regulations. It was very hard to tell a tint was even on the glass. If you would hold a piece of white paper behind the glass it was more apparent. A glass shop got the same tinted replacement glass for my truck so, it's still available, as is the corner tinted glass from the vendors.

interesting on the laws Tim, and I noticed it appears common to require dual outside mirrors with rear tinting

Bill

I think that police have been instrumental in getting laws passed regarding film-tinting; and, it has nothing to do with navigational safety (too many bad experiences when stopping vehicles and being fearful of what the people in the rear were up to).