Visual Difference between Green Tint and Clear Windshield Glass
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 21
Likes: 7
Visual Difference between Green Tint and Clear Windshield Glass
Here's my dilemma:
My car originally had a clear, non-tinted and non-shaded windshield (original side and rear glass is also original clear and not tinted):
Right now I'm in the process of replacing the windshield, totally cleaned up and refreshed everything I could get to on the birdcage while I have it all apart. My problem is I can't find a clear, non shaded windshield anywhere.. I even called Pilkington and it seems they only make the green tint (Solar ray, EZ Cool, or whatever it was called originally). Mid-America Motorworks shows what I'm looking for one on their site but apparently they no longer sell ANY windshields:
https://www.mamotorworks.com/corvett...quality-632853
This is all that is available through Auto City Classic:
https://www.autocityclassic.com/1968...ndshield-w714/
My question is, if I have to go with the green tint is it even that noticeable? I'm thinking the window glass will stick out like a sore thumb next to the clear side glass when rolled up, but I may be over thinking it.. Some pics of mine:
Attachment 48340632
My car originally had a clear, non-tinted and non-shaded windshield (original side and rear glass is also original clear and not tinted):
Right now I'm in the process of replacing the windshield, totally cleaned up and refreshed everything I could get to on the birdcage while I have it all apart. My problem is I can't find a clear, non shaded windshield anywhere.. I even called Pilkington and it seems they only make the green tint (Solar ray, EZ Cool, or whatever it was called originally). Mid-America Motorworks shows what I'm looking for one on their site but apparently they no longer sell ANY windshields:
https://www.mamotorworks.com/corvett...quality-632853
This is all that is available through Auto City Classic:
https://www.autocityclassic.com/1968...ndshield-w714/
My question is, if I have to go with the green tint is it even that noticeable? I'm thinking the window glass will stick out like a sore thumb next to the clear side glass when rolled up, but I may be over thinking it.. Some pics of mine:
Attachment 48340632
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
The [evenly] tinted windshield is beneficial for bright, sunny days: to reduce intensity of sunlight and to [somewhat] reduce interior heating. Back in the day, I would not purchase a car with a 'clear' glass windshield.
Pro
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 515
Likes: 66
From: Grosse Pte. Mich.
Weren't tinted windows only available in A/C equipped cars back in the day? Or am I remembering it wrong, where A/C equipped cars automatically came with tinted windows?
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 21
Likes: 7
Anyway I understand the green tint is better from a solar ray protection standpoint but I'm more concerned about the color not matching.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
Tinted windshields were available as an option, whether you ordered A/C or not. It cut down on the bright sunlight and glare, primarily. For Corvettes, Soft-Ray tinted glass was started in 1963--the same year that Air Conditioning became available. So there may have been some 'association' between tinted glass and A/C.
2026 Loser of the Year
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 36,601
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From: New Or-leens Loo-z-anna
(The tint helps alot with glare and interior heat, though)
Intermediate
Joined: Mar 2020
Posts: 39
Likes: 0
From: Sunset Beach, NC.
Thanks!, as with the original poster I need to replace the windshield and I found one at a decent price and the same as what Eckler's sells but it is green tint and the rest of my glass is clear so I didn't want the green tint windshield to look strange with the side glass being clear.
Last edited by RAM77; Mar 3, 2021 at 11:01 AM.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 2,300
Likes: 2,017
From: MA/NH Seacoast
I've mixed and matched clear and tinted glass on F-bodies, and you can definitely notice the difference when looking thru the windshield.
Having tinted door glass and a clear windshield isnt bad. It's actually a pretty normal feeling, as most modern cars door glass has a darker tint to it than windshields. If it's the other way around, it's strange.
Having tinted door glass and a clear windshield isnt bad. It's actually a pretty normal feeling, as most modern cars door glass has a darker tint to it than windshields. If it's the other way around, it's strange.
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2019
Posts: 1,370
Likes: 99
Dark tinted side windows are one of my many, many pet peeves and really grinds my gears! Since 97.6% of the cars out there are either a full size SUVs or crossovers (RAV4, CRV, etc), there is a really good chance you'll come out of the strip mall and you're between two of them. You want to back out and leave but you're in a blind canyon/can't see in either direction because you are trying to look both ways through blacked out windows. So you start easing out slowly from the blind alley only to hear some joker LAY on his horn for the full 10 seconds!
Last edited by Elcransonator; Mar 7, 2021 at 08:45 AM.
Drifting
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 1,545
Likes: 405
From: Brampton, Ontario Canada
Dark tinted side windows are one of my many, many pet peeves and really grinds my gears! Since 97.6% of the cars out there are either a full size SUVs or crossovers (RAV4, CRV, etc), there is a really good chance you'll come out of the strip mall and you're between two of them. You want to back out and leave but you're in a blind canyon/can't see in either direction because you are trying to look both ways through blacked out windows. So you start easing out slowly from the blind alley only to hear some joker LAY on his horn for the full 10 seconds!
Last edited by How Are You; Mar 7, 2021 at 02:22 PM.