IT BROKE! HAHA

BUT

Now, I had nothing to lose. The glass was delaminating around the edges and I am buying new anyhow. I called a guy (Chris Blattie) to cut it for me and is sure he can he just needed a paper template. I will fit my cab to the glass I cut. and then make a paper template and mail it to him for him to cut.

I called my local guy and he assured me it would break if he cut it down for my template, and was going to charge me 50.00 bucks to do it.

I thought I can do it myself, and was going to order a glass wheel/pen. Then it dawned on me, back when I did construction we used to cut glass wheels with a diamond blade on a grinder when we had tight spots, so why wouldn't it cut a windshield......well it does and did

I was doing it outside in 30 degree weather, the glass was really old and brittle, I was using a cheap blade, trying to hold a water hose and an angle grinder at the same time, I was in a hurry, and it was nearly dark.

So I come away with this, It is possible to cut a windshield with the grinder and diamond blade. I will probably try my own instead of paying someone else to do it. Had I had someone holding the hose so I could have controlled the grinder I wouldn't have cracked this one. And it can be done within about 15 minutes


I taped it off


used this blade


taped it off


and cut it

 

You are going about the chop in the correct manner...cut the glass and THEN match the roof to it. As you can see the point where the glass meets the roof is considerably forward. The good news is that the 56 roof has enough "brow" to compensate for the new position of the windshield. Good luck with your project!

 

You are braver than I am, not in the fact that you cut the glass but the attempt of chopping a 56 or anything with the wrap around windshield. I may be wrong but there looks like there will be a rather large gap at the top of the glass when the roof is lowered. I've tried visualizing this many times and why I'd be afraid to try it. Waiting to see how it turns out. Another reason why I think I'd not attempt it is because of the agony of having to do it all over again should a flying rock makes contact with it in the future which would be my luck.

 

I was wondering about cutting a windshield now I know! Looks like you're on your way to a chop top 56.

 

Good bit of info
You're a brave man.

I wonder if that blade might cut better if it were mounted in one of those small circular saws instead of an angle grinder. I don't know, its just and idea



Bobby

 

very cool information, I had never thought of starting a chop job by cutting the glass first but after just a moments thought it makes perfect sense. Thanks for educating me today.

 

Where does the glass end up after the chop? Looking at the side picture it would seem that the glass would be about 3/4'' to 1 " away from where it's supposed to be.

 

56, you are right. The solution is to sand off the back upper edge of the wing, and lower bottom edge of wing to allow the glass to roll back.

I have decided not to do the chop. I really like the look of the flattened roof with the stock height cab as I have done.

 

Not only brave but wise also. I would be shakin' in my boots for sure.

 

I think you have made a very wise decision, you could end up destroying many windshields before you get one to fit properly and only risk having to do it again if it were to ever get broken in the future.

 

Even though I chopped my 55, I think you made the right decision on the 56. I've always thought the 56 was perfect as it came.