Early Celica Glass Window Restoration/Replacement

[Esteban]

I want to replace or restore the glass on an early celica (RA23) I also have an RA28 that will need glass in the near future

What are my options?

Front windscreens are obviously easy to replace with new items. New side windows seem rare, and rears seem impossible, especially with a demister. Here is the documentation of my progress so far
http://www.uza28.com/cars/Toymods/wi...ringaround.txt

1. Has anyone else had any luck replacing the glass with new items?
2. Can the original glasses be polished or buffed to remove the aged surface imperfections? Still awaiting a reply from novus on this...
3. Has anyone had any experience ordering custom glass and where from?
4. Are there other materials custom windows can be made from, and there any legal issues with these for the street?

I have almost 4 sets of glass, and it's all aged pretty poorly. No, I dont want to buy any second hand at this stage

TIA!

note: i tried searching the old forums, and didnt come up with anything spectacular. I also noted the search function was returning results in a form of date sorting that i can only describe as Crazy!!

[gianttomato]

Edition 3 of "Race" magazine (awesome read by the way) had an article where the editor had a windscreen made for his ridiculously rare Rochdale. He used Perfect Glass in Queensland. It required the fabrication of a windscreen mould.

I suspect they could make whatever glass you wanted but probably a good idea to chat to them.

My scanner is on the blink so probably better if I photocopy the article and send it to you.

Windscreens can be polished (look in any Yellow Pages under "windscreens" and you'll find windscreen polishers), but not sure on other glass.

[mrshin]

It'd be fascinating to know what getting a custom made windscreen like that might cost!

[Esteban]

http://www.perfectglass.com.au/wholesale/products.htm!!

Now why didnt google find that for me. I swear i must suck at configuring searches! Thanks for that GT. I'll call them tomorrow.

With regards "windscreen polishers" in the yellow pages ... maybe i'm blind? Is there any in queensland. I've tried the book, and searched the website :-(

[gianttomato]

Glad to help!

It'd be fascinating to know what getting a custom made windscreen like that might cost!

Put it this way - it was cheaper than buying one in England, having it shipped here and the associated insurance. The shipping cost was 3 times the price of the windscreen and the insurance was $450!

[ace]

have u tried finding good windows from a wrecker/used parts retailer....?

[gianttomato]

You asked.

have u tried finding good windows from a wrecker/used parts retailer....?

In his very first post he said....

No, I dont want to buy any second hand at this stage.

[o_man_ra23]

I know that polishing the side windows on a car you want to sell clears them up quite nicely. Im guessing that a heavy polishing would remove the scratches etc that have built up over the years. Start with coarse grit and work your way finer for that one. Use a high speed machine polisher. Glass is a polishable surface, especially tempered glass (how do you think they get the perfect chrystal clear surface on the lenses in your zoom camera??) I will be performing the same operation over the next couple of months on 2 cars. Ill let everyone know how i go.

Cheers, Owen

[TurboRA28]

Owen, i'm also thinking of polishing up my side windows to get rid of some fine scratches.

Do you suggest a cutting compound?

[o_man_ra23]

Yes, a cutting compound is the only way to get rid of scratches. Something for deep cutting hard worn paint/epoxy. After you have gotten rid of the scratches, then you need a finer cutting compound, probably followed by a swirl free finishing compound. Lots of work, but it beats paying for custom made glass.

Cheers, Owen

[The Witzl]

I was also very keen on getting a new rear windscreen for my RA28, and had thought that the regular windscreen peoples (O'brien etc) had these already - am I mistaken?

Saving that, i was just going to claim it under the Shannon's free windscreen policy

[Cool1]

The rear windscreens are not available for the ol Celicas anymore! Dammit!! O'brien can however search for a used one, polish it up like new and add the demister.
They can also polish your other glass to look like new, but its damm expensive.

[oldcorollas]

if you want a proper finish, the you could talk to pople like Struers (sp?) metallographic polishing company..

typically to polish silica you would just use diamond paste.. starting with 15micron, then working your way down to 1/4 micron...

i am not sure at what point you cannot visibly see scratches, but i would guess it is around the 3um or 1um particle size....

you need to be sure that the polishing compound you use is actually significantly harder than the material you are trying to polish... and be aware that water will chemically assist the polishing process a bit (since glass dissolves in water)...

also check the depth of pitting in the windscreen.. sometimes the glass will corrode at a tiny crack to give a deep pit.

has anyone tried using the polymer? stuff that you wipe over a windscreen to fill in the gaps? sounds interesting, but may not be that long lasting....

[Esteban]

Stu! you're crazy, but thanks for the info!

Shane thanx for the obrien info, I rang them yesterday about both replacement and polishing (i ased for a formal quote) and they have not returned yet

Mrshin i emailed perfectglass for a quote today, i'll post it up if they return with an answer!

[Esteban]

Bollocks! Perfectglass no longer exist. The email bounced. I rang Austral Windscreens who are listed on the same site, and they informed me Perfectglass had been closed for almost 2 years