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I am a new user of the forum. Working on a winter project to install power windows and locks. About half way through and as usual, one thing leads to another. The new thing is to replace all of the scratched up original glass. My car is all numbers matching and an early 1970 build, having been assembled at the Linden, NJ plant in September 1969.
I want to retain the numbers matching quality and after some research, appears that the best company to do the date coded glass work is ECS. They have been very helpful and their work gets good reviews. Would be open to any other recommendations.
Here's the question: pretty sure my windshield glass has been replaced. Although it looks old, can see where there has been new sealant added that does not look factory. Do any of you have a pic of a factory original windshield with the text and date coding? Kindly advise as I would like to see how they formatted that text, coding and other info/images that is etched onto the glass.
On my car, what is etched onto the windshield is the following (will try to duplicate format below):
From what is a etched on your windshield it has definitely been replaced.
Thanks, Oldspackrat! Is the replacement glass indicator that the etching says, "Safety Float"?
Know of anyone who has a PPG original windshield? Need to see how the etching is formatted in order to copy it onto the new glass, including date coding to match my other glass.
It's more than that, pretty much everything on yours is nothing like the original. Someone will post a picture shortly I'm sure. MANY knowledgeable guys on here that are more than willing to help you with about any issue.
It's more than that, pretty much everything on yours is nothing like the original. Someone will post a picture shortly I'm sure. MANY knowledgeable guys on here that are more than willing to help you with about any issue.
Though your car has the LOF glass and mine has the PPG glass all around, which I have read was common to the Linden, NJ assembly plant. The PPG glass etching was formatted differently than the LOF glass, thus wondering what it looked like on an original windshield.
My PPG door glass is original and looks much like that, save the date coding. What I need is the format for the PPG windshield, as mine is a replacement and apparently looks nothing like the factory original.
Does the original windshield for a 70 442 have the brown tint at the top instead of the darker colors that are used today?
It can go brown if it has sat out in the sun for a continuous period of years. Do you have a pic for the etching on the windshield? If your car was made in Linden, NJ it should be a PPG windshield.
It can go brown if it has sat out in the sun for a continuous period of years. Do you have a pic for the etching on the windshield? If your car was made in Linden, NJ it should be a PPG windshield.
My 442 i know doesn't have the original windshield.
My Cutlass SX may because of the Browning of the tint at the top. My SX is mostly original except for paint and bumpers. I will check when i get home and snap some photo's
My 442 i know doesn't have the original windshield.
My Cutlass SX may because of the Browning of the tint at the top. My SX is mostly original except for paint and bumpers. I will check when i get home and snap some photo's
Excellent! Thanks so much! M455sx, as the Cutlass should be the same as a 442 would be built at the Linden, NJ plant - PPG glass with date coding.
FYI, windshields with a yellow band at the top are considered tint-less, it is not because of sun fading. The non tint (Yellow band) at the top have not been made for decades and I don't believe they are reproduced. If you have one on your car it probably is original.
FYI, windshields with a yellow band at the top are considered tint-less, it is not because of sun fading. The non tint (Yellow band) at the top have not been made for decades and I don't believe they are reproduced. If you have one on your car it probably is original.
ok, so i have been trying for a few minutes to get a good picture of the PPG logo. it is very faint and very difficult to see. I think my Cutlass SX may have the original windshield??? On a different note mine is not yellow at the top is is Brown and i will try to post a picture of the entire windshield.
Thanks m455sx! The etched info - PPG logo and date coding - should be in the right front corner of the windshield. Could you get a close up?
If you look at the first picture i posted you can clearly see the PPG etching backwards, but barely visible. If some one you let me know what i can do make make the etching stand out better let me know?? As you can see i had to put a piece of black duct tape on a paper towel so you can see "ppg" I cant see or read anything else/
ok, so i have been trying for a few minutes to get a good picture of the PPG logo. it is very faint and very difficult to see. I think my Cutlass SX may have the original windshield??? On a different note mine is not yellow at the top is is Brown and i will try to post a picture of the entire windshield.
Sorry, m455sx - did not see this.
I can make out that it is backwards (from the outside looking in), which is interesting. Is there any other text besides the PPG logo and if so, what does it say and where is it in relation to the PPG logo?
There is writing to the left and right but cant read it. I am think about buying some black craft paper that doesn't reflect and maybe trying to see if it will stand out! Gotta give props to you for making me research! I have had the car for 15 plus years and didn't even notice the logo! If any body else has an idea how to read let me know.
I can make out that it is backwards (from the outside looking in), which is interesting. Is there any other text besides the PPG logo and if so, what does it say and where is it in relation to the PPG logo?
Originally Posted by m455sx
There is writing to the left and right but cant read it. I am think about buying some black craft paper that doesn't reflect and maybe trying to see if it will stand out! Gotta give props to you for making me research! I have had the car for 15 plus years and didn't even notice the logo! If any body else has an idea how to read let me know.
Thanks m455sx! May I suggest you place the black on the outside of the glass and read it from the inside to see if clearer, especially with some soft illumination. May read better too from that side as you will not be trying to read letters backwards.
I will try my best! hopefully some one else on this site will confirm if the windshield seems correct for the year? per the photo.
Agreed. As I understand it, what is correct is determined by the text etched into the windshield. What I recorded at the top of this thread is established as a replacement windshield. So, what is on your windshield should be a bit different, but with the same PPG logo.
ok, so i have been trying for a few minutes to get a good picture of the PPG logo. it is very faint and very difficult to see. I think my Cutlass SX may have the original windshield??? On a different note mine is not yellow at the top is is Brown and i will try to post a picture of the entire windshield.
Good morning, m455sx!
As you look a bit closer at your windshield text to determine its format, it could be similar in format to the above attached pic from the OEM side window in my car. Instead of saying "AS-2", I suspect on your windshield it may say "AS-1". To the right of this is the plant and date code - "27" is the plant and "79" is July of 1969.
Below these above texts is the question as to what an OEM windshield may state, which should be different from the side window glass.
Thanks so much, m455sx for your help!
Last edited by brock1030; Jan 5, 2016 at 05:27 AM.
As you look a bit closer at your windshield text to determine its format, it could be similar in format to the above attached pic from the OEM side window in my car. Instead of saying "AS-2", I suspect on your windshield it may say "AS-1". To the right of this is the plant and date code - "27" is the plant and "79" is July of 1969.
Below these above texts is the question as to what an OEM windshield may state, which should be different from the side window glass.
Through the kindness of m455sx, I have tracked down all but two lines of the text that was on the PPG OEM windshield on my '70 442. Amazingly m455sx's car was made one week prior to mine at the Linden, NJ plant, in the fourth week of August 1969. The confirmed OEM PPG text (minus the last two lines) on the OEM windshield is as follows:
SHADED SOFT- RAY SAFETY FLOW-LITE AS-1 PPG 1-69 LAMINATED ANTENNA
What remains unclear is the last two lines of the OEM text, as these lines on m455sx's OEM windshield are not readable. So, after a bit of research, the two following are the probable options. Any thoughts as to which one is correct? Other option? Thanks guys. Option 1: M25 W752
I thought most GMs of that era used LOF brand? Either way, my windshield was replaced, but all side glass on my 70 SX convertible is soft ray LOF and it was built at Linden plant. Different than what other people with Linden cars have (ppg). I doubt all my glass was replaced but you never know. Also, I am sure shortages etc. led to various options with different suppliers even if ppg was the main supplier for Linden. I bet there are also cars out there from various plants that have both brands as they would use whatever is on hand if the plant bought from both suppliers.
I thought most GMs of that era used LOF brand? Either way, my windshield was replaced, but all side glass on my 70 SX convertible is soft ray LOF and it was built at Linden plant. Different than what other people with Linden cars have (ppg). I doubt all my glass was replaced but you never know. Also, I am sure shortages etc. led to various options with different suppliers even if ppg was the main supplier for Linden. I bet there are also cars out there from various plants that have both brands as they would use whatever is on hand if the plant bought from both suppliers.
Seems so, that at least a healthy portion indeed had LOF glass. Several Linden plant cars I know of all had PPG glass, including m455sx's car and my own. Mine has all OEM PPG glass, with the exception of the windshield, which is PPG, but a replacement. With scratched OEM glass, I am replacing it with new PPG. But, with a replacement windshield, I need to discover the correct OEM text that it had. Hence, the inquiry as to the the last two lines of a PPG OEM windshield of the era.
With the kind assistance of m455sx and Troy from Thortons Muscle Cars, I have finally figured what the correct OEM windshield coating for my car should be, which is as follows:
Coding notes: AS-1 = American National Standards, number 1, which indicates, windshield glass. 1-69 is to be read as follows: 1 = the PPG plant in Creighton, PA, which made windshields and 69 = the date code of June 1969. This is consistent with being supplied to the Linden, NJ plant for a first week in September 1969 build week (my OEM door and quarter glass had production dates of July 1969 and May 1969, respectively).
DOT 18 = the DOT code for the PPG corporation. Contrary to what has been suggested in the CRG Research Report regarding GM OEM PPG glass (for Camaros, http://www.camaros.org/glass.shtml#PPG), M30 does not necessarily mean that so coded windshield glass is replacement glass. In this case, the M30 . 2 coding is from known OEM windshield glass, with a build date one week prior to my car. Here, the "M" = model and "30 . 2" (notice the extra spaces) is the PPG model number. I have not found a good source to further detail these model numbers from PPG.
Interesting to have found in this research that the far majority of 442's and Cutlasses were OEM supplied with Libby Owens Ford Glass (LOF) and only a small number had PPG glass - an extra added rarity for all PPG cars out there!
Hope this all is helpful, especially to owners who are doing date coding as part of the restoration process on their car.
Last edited by brock1030; Jan 11, 2016 at 09:04 PM.
