Looking to document original tinted glass windshield on 6s554

[poboy427]

My original glass has several scratches and looks like maybe a PO tried to scrape the glass with a car key in lieu of a  ice scraper. I know that tinted glass has been disputed on a 65 66 Shelby. My date code is 5K as is 4 of the other 6 pieces. My car was built 5L. My question is how do I document my original glass as tinted, dated etc if I  choose to replace.

Thanks Ray

[KR Convertible]

Tinted glass should say "SUN-X" down by the date code.

[Bob Gaines]

My original glass has several scratches and looks like maybe a PO tried to scrape the glass with a car key in lieu of a  ice scraper. I know that tinted glass has been disputed on a 65 66 Shelby. My date code is 5K as is 4 of the other 6 pieces. My car was built 5L. My question is how do I document my original glass as tinted, dated etc if I  choose to replace.

Thanks Ray

Is the door and vent glass tinted? If not then most likely it was replaced early in life given the mentioned date code.Ford would not ordinarily install a tinted windshield without installing the accompanying side and vent glass. If it is all tinted the first place to go is to the keeper of the records (65/66 registrar) and see if for some reason 6S554 had the windshield replaced early in it's life for some reason under warranty. That would explain the history but would not be the one the car was born with. If all of the glass is tinted then Howard should have the records indicating the extra cost of the tinted glass. If that is not the case and Howard doesn't have anything on it you will have a extremely difficult time convincing anyone that the tinted windshield and or the rest of the glass is what the car was born with.   You can document the date codes all you want but the problem is that what ever you document is in direct contradictions to standard Ford procedure and the facts given 65,66,67,etc. regular production Mustangs/Shelby's got the clear windshield if they did not have A/C or were special ordered. Special orders for any year Shelby were extremely rare more so in 65,66,and 67 then in 68,69 70. Mistakes are more common then special orders. Mistakes by them selves are hard to document and need other cars with the same mistakes to help establish a pattern. Any knowledgeable enthusiast will look at the tinted windshield on a regular production 66 GT350 and assume a replacement.  If this was my car when the time came to replace the windshield I would replace the glass with clear as it was meant to be from the factory. In the big picture It isn't worth the drama. But that is just me. You may feel differently about it.

[poboy427]

Door glass is clear. It is my understanding that all fastbacks got tinted glass and a standard mustang could option tinted all around or there was a front glass only ck off too. Though this would be an exception to what SA specified for their cars it seems reasonable that some (100 in 20,000 maybe) tinted front windshields got on the assy line. Ford was not in the business of giving away upgrades nor was Shelby looking to buy any non performance extras. In Fords case, time was money and since no one would complain or even probably notice, Fords quality control efforts went elsewhere and the line kept moving. I think the front tinted add was only like $10 retail. Since it matches the other date coded glass I think i will replace it with tinted.If it wasn't scratched I would leave it alone. But to imply my car could not have come off the assy line with a tinted glass is to say no mistakes were made at FoMoCo.

[Bob Gaines]

Door glass is clear. It is my understanding that all fastbacks got tinted glass and a standard mustang could option tinted all around or there was a front glass only ck off too. Though this would be an exception to what SA specified for their cars it seems reasonable that some (100 in 20,000 maybe) tinted front windshields got on the assy line. Ford was not in the business of giving away upgrades nor was Shelby looking to buy any non performance extras. In Fords case, time was money and since no one would complain or even probably notice, Fords quality control efforts went elsewhere and the line kept moving. I think the front tinted add was only like $10 retail. Since it matches the other date coded glass I think i will replace it with tinted.If it wasn't scratched I would leave it alone. But to imply my car could not have come off the assy line with a tinted glass is to say no mistakes were made at FoMoCo.

You may be thinking about the rear glass which is tinted regardless because otherwise if it didn't have A/C or specified as a option then it got clear. Shelby's were no different then regular Mustangs in that respect. Since you haven't been with the car since it was new and given the history of other 66 Shelby's a objective enthusiast could ask themselves what is more likely?  That the windshield was replaced early in its life or a mistake on the assemblyline was made. It is your car so do as you please but if you are replacing with another tinted do it because you like what the tinted does blocking the sun and not because it is original to the car. 

[deathsled]

Very interesting post and information!

[GT350Lad]

Hi guys, I am also having a early replacement windscreen on #373 that is tinted. Here is a photo of the glass. I have considered sourcing an original but am happy are the moment.

Cheers

[Bob Gaines]

Hi guys, I am also having a early replacement windscreen on #273 that is tinted. Here is a photo of the glass. I have considered sourcing an original but am happy are the moment.

Cheers

There are replacements with proper factory etched markings and date coded alternatives out there. Sourcing a hard to find and typically incorrectly marked original is not the only alternative now. 

[GT350Lad]

Thanks Bob, Appreciate the info
Cheers

[2112]

You may be thinking about the rear glass which is tinted regardless because otherwise if it didn't have A/C or specified as a option then it got clear.

Bob, maybe I am misunderstanding this statement. Are you saying the San Jose built Shelbys did get tinted rear "backlight" glass whether it had A/C or not?

[Alan]

All '65 fastbacks came with SunX rear glass.

[2112]

All '65 fastbacks came with SunX rear glass.

Can that be extrapolated to the other San Jose cars, i.e. '66 & '67?

[papa scoops]

the gtlad ws looks like a replacement, note it is a LOF glass, not carlite. phred

[poboy427]

+1

[Bob Gaines]

You may be thinking about the rear glass which is tinted regardless because otherwise if it didn't have A/C or specified as a option then it got clear.

Bob, maybe I am misunderstanding this statement. Are you saying the San Jose built Shelbys did get tinted rear "backlight" glass whether it had A/C or not?

The fastback rear glass was tinted regardless.