Got a quote from a glass shop about getting a new rear window (includes new rubber molding). $2600!
Anyone find these anywhere else? I know they were on Rockauto when I looked in 2015, but they appear to have also disappeared from there.
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This was my quote from the same company in 2015, but held off to see if they could find one with the defroster grid (not that I cared that much, but Rockauto had ones with the grid). They even sent warehouse photos of the non-defroster window and molding back then.
Your Price: $504.63*
Your Vehicle: 1988 Ford Thunderbird
Type of Work: Replace Back Glass (est. duration 2 hours)
*Includes labor & moulding, before taxes and any applicable fees.
(http://masejoer.com/Images/Thunderbird/Exterior/RearWindow/newbackglass_1.jpg) (http://masejoer.com/Images/Thunderbird/Exterior/RearWindow/newbackglass_2.jpg)
Good grief! That is insane!
Yikes! Tell them you can buy a windshield that comes with a whole car for that!
Funny - the second pic looks like the guy is just holding a perfectly formed gasket.
Holy!!!! $2600.
Yeah, buy a junker first.
They were holding a separate molding in the above photo from 2015, but had to buy the whole glass + molding to get it. Obviously I regret not getting it years ago (and keeping the molding uninstalled for now). Would be great if someone, sometime, somehow made a reproduction for us with the rubber single piece.
Waiting on 5 other companies to get back to me on price/availability from their suppliers.
Jebus. Is the 87-88.5 rear glass and metal molding the same cost?
Fortunately for me all the glass (well the whole car) has a $0 deductible with the collector car insurance. So if the rear window ever needs replacing the insurance is gonna eat the cost....
I have reached out to steelerubber.com about the possibility of getting new rubber rear-window molding at some point.
No other companies have gotten back to me about new rear window glass. Seems $2k+ may just be our current option.
From Steele Rubber:
Perhaps someone on here or NATO (I will if I can find one in reasonable condition - there aren't many in yards here now days) can pull a decent rear molding from a 1988 model and send it in for buttstuffysis? I'd be willing to pay the shipping cost to Steele, for a good part that isn't completely hardened or broken.
$2.6K for rear glass. Glad I have good insurance...….
Another shop managed to find a new Carlite rear glass with molding, $550 installed. Much better, and jumped on that since I have the funds for my restoration project. No defroster grid on the glass, but my current grid is mostly broken anyway from cargo-hauling-abuse, my rotary HVAC controls don't have defrost, and it's not a daily driver anymore - no big loss.
New windshield and rear window being installed this weekend.
Is the front windshield Carlite as well? I'd like to replace the front Windshield on my Thunderbird as it's got some pits and marks that just won't polish out, but it's the factory original Carlite windshield. If it's replaced I want it to be replaced with a Carlite windshield, not an aftermarket one.
Front is not Carlite - they didn't show the oem glass as available.
My windshield has a foot long crack that started from under the cowl trim at the corner - obviously a defective piece of glass or install. It needs to go, whether I want it to or not.
What is the best method to polish light scratches and "age" off a windshield? Thanks.
I looked on Safelite.com
For '88 - $810 heated (black molding) or chrome molding
For '87 - $329 heated, $810 chrome molding
Aren't '87-'88 the same PN?
Well I tried this stuff: https://www.meguiarsdirect.com/meguiar-s-reg-perfect-clarity-glass-kit.html
Didn't get rid of the small pits in the glass. They are really only noticeable in the spring/fall dusk time, when the sun is low and they reflect.
I would have assumed so. Weird
Safelite quotes the rear glass on their site, but they were not able to find any stock when I contacted them weeks ago.
'88 heated would likely have come with the rubber molding, whereas the '87 would come without. Glass should be the same.
The ol' bait and switch, or bait and nuthin'...
Not sure if I misheard, but I got new windshield AND rear glass installed today for a $558 total invoice. Glass looks great, as does the new molding. Supposedly last one in the Northwest!
50 miles of Thunderbird driving. About the same miles as it has seen over the last 5 years.
(http://masejoer.com/Images/Thunderbird/Exterior/RearWindow/NewRearWindow.jpg)
On one of the Facebook groups, I saw a guy who had Safelite cut out and reseal his rear glass in an 88, and then use a universal window trim. To the untrained eye, it looked pretty good.
The 88 came with the window molding preinstalled. That's the one thing I miss about having an 87 over an 88. I hate this rear window molding.
Would be interested in looking at that universal molding. Would be good moving forward as more people need replacements.
My plan right now is to stock up on all the intact ones that I can find at the junk yard (along with other rubbers, and tail lights). At $12 from the yard, a good molding would be worth storing slathered in silicone grease, wrapped in saran wrap, and in diy boxes.
When exactly was the switch over date for the 88 cars? My September 87 built 88 has the metal rear window trim. I don't recall seeing many 88s in the yard (well back in the day when they used to be plentiful) with the rubber rear window molding, except really late (March 88 on) builds.