cutting glass
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New User
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 9
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From: Heatherdale PEI Canada
cutting glass
G-day,all.
I realize FTE may not have many members into the custom stuff, But I have a
question that some of you might be able to answer anyway. I have a 1979
extended cab longbox fleetside, and me and my freind Dave have been working on her body for while. We have chopped the roof 6 inches and filled in
the extra cab windows, and started shaving the door handles. We shaved off the rain gutters while we chopped the top. My question is, I want to know if
there is any way to safely cut the windsheild down by myself. I heard it can
be done with water and a belt sander, but it takes a while. Wind sheilds are
getting hard to find for these trucks out here in eastern Canada so I'd would like to find a way to cut one down that I wouldn't have to try too many times
before I finally got it right.
Thanx everyone.
J-stylez.
I realize FTE may not have many members into the custom stuff, But I have a
question that some of you might be able to answer anyway. I have a 1979
extended cab longbox fleetside, and me and my freind Dave have been working on her body for while. We have chopped the roof 6 inches and filled in
the extra cab windows, and started shaving the door handles. We shaved off the rain gutters while we chopped the top. My question is, I want to know if
there is any way to safely cut the windsheild down by myself. I heard it can
be done with water and a belt sander, but it takes a while. Wind sheilds are
getting hard to find for these trucks out here in eastern Canada so I'd would like to find a way to cut one down that I wouldn't have to try too many times
before I finally got it right.
Thanx everyone.
J-stylez.
Freshman User
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 39
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I am a glass man and let me suggest the easiest way to cut a windshield is: to have a professional do it. I've worked with glass for two years and i woudn't try cutting a windshield you need to find someone with many years experience to cut it for you.
Sanding the glass down six inches will take months because you have to use a fine belt or the glass can chip and crack.
If you have no experience with glass I woudnt try cutting it, you'll just end up ruining the windshield. hope this helps.
Sanding the glass down six inches will take months because you have to use a fine belt or the glass can chip and crack.
If you have no experience with glass I woudnt try cutting it, you'll just end up ruining the windshield. hope this helps.
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 122
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I remember reading an article about chopped tops a while ago, and the gist of it was that they didn't recommend cutting the windshields down, they would just recess the bottom edge of the glass into the top of the cowl. Maybe easier to do on a car, but worth checking into.
New User
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 0
Likes: 24
Welcome to FTE !
Because this can and is done on tons of other type vehicles and isn't really a 73-79 topic......let me suggest to look online or in your locale yellow pages for Custom Rod shops.
They have all the tricks & techniques.
There is also the Canadian Hotrodder Assoc. with many chapters.
Because this can and is done on tons of other type vehicles and isn't really a 73-79 topic......let me suggest to look online or in your locale yellow pages for Custom Rod shops.
They have all the tricks & techniques.
There is also the Canadian Hotrodder Assoc. with many chapters.
Thread Starter
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New User
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 9
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From: Heatherdale PEI Canada
Thanks all.
I have pictures of us doing the chop on the members gallery of the hotrodders' builletin
board. My user name there is also j-stylez if any of you want to see the pix. I'd creat a
link but I don't know how.
I have pictures of us doing the chop on the members gallery of the hotrodders' builletin
board. My user name there is also j-stylez if any of you want to see the pix. I'd creat a
link but I don't know how.
Posting Legend
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 30,255
Likes: 37
Bring up your gallery on that site with your browser and copy (right click with the mouse) the URL that appears in the search field. Then just come here and paste it (right click again) into a post. The system software will automatically make it into a link! 
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Elder User
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 597
Likes: 0
From: San Antonio, TX
Here's a link to his gallery:
http://www.hotrodders.com/gallery/sh...p?ppuser=49315
That looks pretty sweet, quite a bit of modification lol... Can't wait to see more progress.
http://www.hotrodders.com/gallery/sh...p?ppuser=49315
That looks pretty sweet, quite a bit of modification lol... Can't wait to see more progress.
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I have been in the glass business for about 14 years and have cut them before, but I wouldn't suggest trying it. Laminated glass is tricky to cut and the older it is, the better the chance is that the cut will run off and ruin the windshield. I have had good luck with sandblasting through the glass. Tape off the glass you want to keep and slowly blast away a line where you want it cut off. It's the safest way to do it and doesn't take long. You have to use a good vynil tape so the sand doesn't blast through it.
Elder User
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 660
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From: near Daytona
Cutting windshields with that much curve is also more difficult. If you find a shop that will do it, most likely a small privately owned shop. I cut down one for a chevy once, the guy agreed to pay for each one that breaks until one was successful. I got on the second try. It was very time consuming. Not changing the angle of the pillars will help a lot, so you only have to cut the top. You will also have to cut and urethane the gasket back together.
There is plenty of windshields for that truck, they still make them, just not as thick as they used to be. Part number is DW819 or 820 (one has a mirror bracket)
There is plenty of windshields for that truck, they still make them, just not as thick as they used to be. Part number is DW819 or 820 (one has a mirror bracket)
Last edited by RCKYMTN-PSD; Apr 29, 2007 at 11:57 AM.
Thread Starter
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New User
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
From: Heatherdale PEI Canada
Thanx for all the help guys. And thank you 78 f-150 Supercab for creating the link. I will
certainally keep you all updated on the progress of both the 79 and the 87 Ranger I'm
driving (while I'm fixing her up.) Progress may slow down a bit as we are expecting a future Ford Truck Enthusiast and have alot of work to get the house ready. Again thanx all.
j-stylez.
certainally keep you all updated on the progress of both the 79 and the 87 Ranger I'm
driving (while I'm fixing her up.) Progress may slow down a bit as we are expecting a future Ford Truck Enthusiast and have alot of work to get the house ready. Again thanx all.
j-stylez.
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