The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk 1946 Windshield Frame Vendor?

Well I'm not much of a metal man so I'm going to bite the bullet on a new frame. But first to tell the story leading up to it.

I had a used one ready to go and one of my kids threw some toy on it and cracked the glass. So now I have two windshields with broken glass. The divider bars are all rusted in as well as the channel at the same spot. Plus the corners all show some rot. I suppose if I knew what I was doing I could patch something in and make it work but I don't.

Anyhow, the best price I could find was $350 with Bowtie Bits. Only problem is they don't calculate shipping till after you pay for it and it's an oversized item. I've never ordered from them before but all their prices seem way below the rest. Is it because their shipping is outrageous? Anyone have an idea what the cost would be? Or know of a cheaper source?

What if you called them, I bet they'd give you a quote on the phone. Here's the number they listed on their website. (316) 941-9331

Yes, I was going to call them in the morning. I was really wondering how they are to deal with. Or what others experiences have been. I haven't used them for anything yet.

I bought mine from Jim Carter truck parts. Its been a while but $ 350 ( as outrageous as that is ! ), seems close to what I paid. You might also try Chevs of the '40's. The stainless center divider bar I got from Carters was hopeless. The rubber insert/backer was not installed, and I tried everthing to slide those pieces together. Finally gave up and bought a preassembled bar from Steeles Rubber. Also, use Steeles for the perimeter gasket - much better quality = more flexible. I had a local glass shop install the glass to the frames with polyeurethane setting compound - charged me $ 40.00 I've used Bowtie Bits for a few items along the way - always happy with the quality and service. Window frame comes in ( 2 ) pieces. Why is it " oversized " shipping fee ?

With my other truck, I used Jim Carter for the new frame. That was a few years ago. I think his price was over $400 then. I could never get that rubber insert in the divider as well. I ended up setting nuts and washers in fiberglass epoxy. Worked like a charm.

Yeah, I don't understand the oversized freight deal. They come in two pieces. They must intentionally pack it in the biggest box they can so they can justify it. That's why I'm apprehensive about them. I've bought much larger and heavier stuff without the fee.

I met the guy who had the original GM blueprints/recipe for making the window rubber. He told me it was made larger at the edges to make a tighter seal. He was unhappy with the new ones being made. He then lent Jim Carter the originals who apparently sent them to a Chinese manufacturer who promptly lost them. He's pretty upset.

I bought my Division Bar from American Classic Truck Parts ($67 inc Shipping. Have not installed it yet. Any comments on this Bar?
Harold

My windshield frame is an Argentine alum. repro that has never sealed properly. I put it in 35 years ago. The truck has been undergoing a three year restro and I put a new rubber (Jim Carter) in and although not perfect it will do. Drivers side still has a slight gap even after I added a weather strip seal. Should I try to bend the steel strip that joins the two halves to bring the driver side in a little closer? Truck is a 46 1/2 ton BTW.

Harold 46...not familar with the American Classic piece, but as long as the rubber is pre-installed into the stainless cover, you should be OK.
Anzan - my frame is a little loose on the bottom passenger corner - lets a little road spray in at speed. I have seen a " cam lock " type latch that mounts on the inside of the A pillar and sucks the windshield tight. I think they may have been stock on some 46's ?. I found the Jim Carter gasket material really hard & inflexible. Steeles worked great.

Britcon, so right about the fit. The groove in the frame would not allow a four inch section of gasket to go in and I had to carve a little rubber off to make it fit. Used black silicone and made wood culls ( I think that's what they're called) so clamps would hold it in place. Came out ok. We'll see how long it holds up!

I've been told that the new "V" bars that hold the halves together are not the correct angle. I've heard that some make a relief cut, fold the V tighter and weld/grind it at the cut. The windshield on my other truck is loose at the passenger lower corner as well.

so how did the windsheld work out

Called up Bowtie Bits. They "quoted" me a price of $35-45. The part is back ordered with no date.

Mike, my other truck windshield worked out pretty good. Like I said before, I used my own home brew center bar assembly, black silicone, and the rubber from J.Carter. The fit isn't real snug but my crank is stripped and doesn't hold it in tight.

I have a few of the "Art Deco" trucks and have spent some time researching this. At this time there is only one manufacturer of the new windshield frame and it is made in the USA. It is stocked by most sellers.
I purchased 2 years ago a crate of 6 of these that had been kept in a warehouse in Chicago since 1950. They were GM factory made NOS windshields complete. I took one completely apart to examine all of the parts and compare them to the current parts being made. Here is what I found. The shape and profile of the metal frame was correct. The rubber gasket on the NOS frame was CAST as one piece where the reproductions available today are extruded rubber. The profile is similar but not exact. This especially affects the fit on the 4 round corners of the frame.
The "keys" or joiner bars used in the center to hold the frame together are where the real differences lie. I compared the NOS to the reproductions available, and there are 3 different reproductions available for sale on the market today. Two of them are bent or made at the wrong angle...being just a few degrees off magnifies as you go to the ends of the frame....and that is why they do not fit correctly in one corner or at both sides. A few companies do stock the correct ones but they are double the price of the incorrect ones....$24.00 as compared to $39.00. These correct "keys" also have two angles for the bottom "key". These are the ones you want to get if repairing an old frame.
On the subject of the rubber outside gasket there are 3 manufactures of that...two in the USA and one is Chinese. The two USA gaskets seem more pliable than the Chinese one.
The center bar is another important part of the install. Steele rubber makes a replacement rubber for the OEM stainless steel bar. I have found it difficult to install as reported by others. I used a reproduction aluminum billit center divider which fit well and looked great. Most suppliers have these in stock. Some are "raw" so that you can polish or paint. One has them polished.
I hope this helps clarify this application.

Thank you for sharing this information!
Tim