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Howard - that was my other thought. I already took some metal off the top, but I don't want to take too much. I can do some off the bottom pinch weld as well, and those two combined might get me enough.

-Kevin

Take it to an auto glass shop. They can grind it to the correct shape.

I think I might have some answers here. And my conclusions are interesting.

I measured the new clear windshield against the remains of the 1st original green tint windshield I received. What I found is the new windshield is on average at least 1/8" taller than original. The entire top edge of the windshield is very rough. Closer inspection revealed that it is not straight along the top edge either. Further inspection showed that the lower edge and side edges of the windshield have marks from previous gaskets. The top edge shows no such marks.

So it appears the windshield actually wasn't originally for a hardtop or convertible. It appears it was cut down from another windshield, and was later removed from a hardtop and put in storage by Tucson Packard.

Now that is interesting. My guess is that the windshield was originally from a 4-door model, and cut down to fit in a hardtop. So maybe there's hope for retrofitting windshields for use in hardtops? The question is what are the dimensions on the sedan windshields. I assume the width, lower edge, and sides are the same...with the only difference being the height.

-Kevin

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  Wavy upper edge.jpg (132.13 KB)


  Rough upper edge.jpg (107.02 KB)


  Gasket mark on lower.jpg (173.74 KB)


  No gasket mark on upper.jpg (102.17 KB)

Kevin, if you can tell me how much of the glass is inside the rubber at each edge, I would be happy to measure my 1954 Patrician tomorrow. Incidentally, I’ve been trying for weeks to reach Tucson Packards but nothing.

Good Morning Kevin...I also lean toward having the edges smoothed up by a local glass shop...or adjustments made to smaller size...they have the insurance and also the skill to do it correctly...then you can fit it into the car. We did a fiberglass Model A Ford body a while back and the windshield would not fit...the space was not the same from side to side...Bell Glass was able to caulk it into place...the owner is 78 or so and has been in the glass business all his life and he made it look easy while we watched! Special skills perhaps required with what you are doing...Ernie in Arizona

Don - I'm not home at the moment, but I'll get that measurement to you as soon as I can. Regarding Tucson Packard, Mike is crazy busy. He had another guy there helping that he trained to do everything, but he was in an accident a few weeks back and is still in the hospital. So Mike is doing what he can and trying to keep up.

***EDIT: Don - the gasket covers a little more than 3/8" of the glass edge all the way around.

Ernie - I spoke to a glass shop here in town yesterday and will take the windshield to them as soon as I can. They can probably grind off 1/8", which is exactly what I need. There are some minor cracks along that top edge that need to be repaired as well....basically damage from when the glass was originally cut.

-Kevin

Okay, I’m heading out to the shop soon to meet with a roll-up door person (one door got stuck last night) and will let you know the height at each corner and at the center.

Measuring from the lower corner perpendicular to the lower and upper edges, it is 17” and at the center it is 17.25” add in your 3/8”X2, the glass would be 17.75” at the corners and 18” at the center. I hope this helps!

The hardtop/convertible glass is 16 1/8" at the corners and 16 1/4" at the center. So it looks like the windshield I have was probably a 4 door windshield that was cut down, although very roughly.

If I can get this windshield cleaned up and installed successfully, then it looks like cutting a 4 door windshield will work for those needing glass for hardtop/conv.

-Kevin

Sounds like that’s the case and others have apparently already figured it out based on what you have. Do you have enough left of the broken one for these same dimensions?