Learn me: Removing the fugly blue/green tint strip from the top of aftermarket windshields

My AE86 project is nearing completion of the resto-mod and I have huge cracks in the original window glass. All the glass shops I've talked to want to sell me an aftermarket windshield with an ugly, view-blocking, non-original blue or green tint strip across the top. OE glass is discontinued, and was over $800 when I last checked ( provided you can find a dealer with one on the shelf.)  I'm 6'2" and I need the top of the windshield for, you know, things like seeing out of the car at the view down the road, as well as originality.

Can I remove the shaded portion from the top of the glass? If so, how? If not, how do I get the proper glass for a restoration? What is the process for having one made if it doesn't exist? Sorry if these are basic questions, but I am getting increasingly frustrated with this project and the lack of support/options!

I think the tint is in the glass and not removable. Ad for getting an oe one others here are going to have to help you with that

The tint is in the PVB (plastic) layer between the two glass layers in a windshield.  There is no way to remove it.  You would need to have a windshield made that used untinted PVB.

If you have no other choice, choose green vs. blue. Green works better with the sunshine. I learned this the hard way.

ae86andkp61 said:

 I'm 6'2" and I need the top of the windshield for, you know, things like seeing out of the car at the view down the road

 

I feel you here, I'm 6'4" and most my height in my torso. The tint doesnt bother me as much as the rear view mirror being basically directly in the way of my eye line. I've removed the mirror on my z31 because it was so bad.

Damn...you know I thought that kind of tint was a chemical tint applied to the inner surface of the glass (that could be abraded away at worst), didn't know it was IN the glass...useful but sad to know. Good thing I have a full set of spare glass for my car.

You could go to a coated lexan windshield with support struts. It would cost a lot but you'd lose a lot of high-mounted weight.

In reply to GameboyRMH :

Thanks for the thought! Lexan puts me in trouble with the local authorities, not to mention the noise it will probably add to the cabin, plus  I'm unsure how it would wear with the frequent wiper use we have in this climate...I'm just not sure it makes sense for a restored street car that sees occasional track use.

The biggest part of my frustration is that all of the local glass places I've contacted for a quote are like an echo chamber...either no response and no useful information, or a response that they can provide glass, but no specifics on tint, and when I ask for details, no further communication! Are there restoration shops specializing in 80's Toyota's that would actually provide some customer service and follow through? What is the next step? Who do I contact that makes glass? Can I buy direct from a glass manufacturer on a custom-order basis? What do people with even older cars do, like 60's/70's cars, let alone even older? What does a restoration shop do when someone drops off a car and says, "make it perfect," and the glass isn't easily available?

Here you go.

http://www.heatedwindscreen.com/acatalog/toyota-corolla-coupe-ae86-heated-windscreen.html#SID=460

Okay, shipping might be expensive, but untinted glass, that as a bonus has an electric demister grid.

In reply to Knurled. :

Oh my... that's awesome.  I want one of those for my Triumphs since the defroster is somewhat useless.  They don't offer one for a Spitfire/GT6, but in the FAQ they say they do custom orders all the time.  Email sent!  Thanks for the link!

They had an episode of wheeler dealers where they needed a new windshield for an old saab. There weren't any available in the country so they found an auto glass expert. Their glass guy matched up the curve to a windshield from another car and cut it to shape. It looked perfect. Maybe you can find a guy with that level of expertise.

It isn't fugly, it is period correct.

In reply to Knurled. :

Whoa...awesome! Many thanks for the link! This might also help with the period HVAC in the car!

In reply to Streetwiseguy :

Certainly period correct aftermarket, but not original. My vision is for something almost believable as a tasteful factory tuner special, like if TRD had built an equivalent of the R34 Z-Tune that Nissan made for the Skyline.

In reply to ae86andkp61 :

Bear in mind, shipping glass from England is twelve kinds of expensive, so don't get all excited just yet.

In reply to Knurled. :

any idea if these guys are doing it in house ?

or are they sending it down the road to an unknown windscreen maker ?

I have a couple cars that I might invest in making a run of  windscreens if I could find  the direct company to make them......

Shipping not a problem if you are sending a batch , gets costly if its only one or 2 !

If it's an 86, you should go old school 80s and get the brown tint. 

Welp, I found a glass shop that offered to search "every database that anyone else in the industry would use to save continuing to search around," and they found exactly one green tinted/green band windshield for an AE86 in the entire country.

I also just found a website for a local reproduction glass place local to me. They seem to focus on domestic stuff, but I emailed them and told them I would love to learn about options that might be cheaper than importing...I'll post when I hear back! 

https://www.sandersreproglass.com

In reply to ae86andkp61 :

Ooooooo.

"The only company in the US to offer Black Edging."

There are 1st generation RX-7 enthusiasts who are annoyed that the only new windshield glass available does not have the black "Frit Band".  This is huge.

Grr, nevermind.  They have glass for common things like Chevys and DKWs and Wartburgs but nothing for Mazda.  They only sold like a million cars in the US before 1979 and about five million RX-7s....

I got a reply email that they don't provide anything for my model of car, can't get anything, and won't make anything custom that isn't flat.

So....reading between the lines, it seems thus Sanders Reproduction Glass place is your run-of-mill auto glass store that will cut flat glass for your 1920's hot rod. ☹️

Well, some apparent progress! www.vintageglass.com got back to me with a quote of $200 for no tint band! I don't have the glass yet, but sounds promising!

What year is your 8-6?

Literally every car I've ever ridden in in the United States has a blue-green sunshade at the top of the windshield, unless it was made before the mid 1960s.  American, European, Japanese - all of them.

You used to be able to request non-tinted replacement glass if it was truly critical that you saved $20, but I am so utterly used to it that it seems odd not to have / want it.

In reply to Duke :

1985, replacing the original windshield glass which has no tint band. I have owned three of these cars, and none had the tint band. The vision I have for the aesthetics of the car are mild exterior appearance (lowered, wheels, small spoiler, subtle paint) and well-maintained. When I see one with the tint band, it just screams out cheap/whatever aftermarket replacement to me. This is probably bringing out the worst of my judgemental side, but I see it as starting down the slope towards things like shoddy body repair with non-OE panels, or cars where people run mismatched or whatever's black/round/cheap for tires, or where you pop the hood and the radiator, distributor cap, plug wires, and air filter are all the cheapest aftermarket replacements.

That’s kind of funny, because to me, the untinted windshield screams “cheap aftermarket replacement”. Like I said above, you used to be able to get untinted windows to replace a broken tinted one if you were trying  to save a tiny amount of your deductible. Since the tinted ones were a little more expensive, in my perception they indicate that the owner cared more about the car and wasn’t on a desperation budget. Funny!

In reply to Duke :

Hehehe...it all depends on where we are sitting at the moment, I guess...

My 2015 Accord did not have a tint band at the top of the windshield.  I figured they omitted it to save a buck or two... I had the tint shop add a strip of 5% limo tint.  Much better.  Have a 5% banner over the OEM blue band on Sequoia too.  I like to feel like I'm sitting in a cave looking out the opening when I'm in my car.  I don't think I'll ever own another car that isn't tinted all the way around and with a banner on the windshield.  Front windows are 30% so I'm not looking like a drug dealer, just a suburban white dude who wants some shade from the sun.