C5 Tech Corvette Tech/Performance: LS1 Corvette Technical Info, Internal Engine, External Engine, Tech Topics, Basic Tech, Maintenance, How to Remove & Replace
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

HUD Windshield Optical Coating

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Aug 18, 2004 | 12:58 PM
  #1  
s.y.n.c.'s Avatar
s.y.n.c.
Thread Starter
Advanced
 
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 70
Likes: 0
From: Virginia Beach VA
Default HUD Windshield Optical Coating

Hey all,
Thanks to the many threads here and some excellent online pictorials, I installed a HUD into my 98 last weekend. The results are great, but the intensity during the daytime is not that great. Anyone have an idea of how to simulate the interior optical coating...wipe-on, rub-in something?
Thanks,
Brian
Reply
Old Aug 18, 2004 | 02:52 PM
  #2  
Ls1Rat's Avatar
Ls1Rat
Drifting
 
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 1,437
Likes: 0
From: UNDER THE HOOD
Default

I think you need the correct windshield. Never have heard of another way .
Reply
Old Aug 18, 2004 | 03:30 PM
  #3  
s.y.n.c.'s Avatar
s.y.n.c.
Thread Starter
Advanced
 
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 70
Likes: 0
From: Virginia Beach VA
Default

I hear you, Ls1rat. I am just wondering if I can find a spray-on coating that has an 80% or so reflectivity...perhaps specific to the green wavelength used by the projector.
As for windshields, looks like I can find those on Ebay...
Reply
Old Aug 18, 2004 | 06:40 PM
  #4  
Shylor's Avatar
Shylor
Le Mans Master
10 Year Member
 
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 6,984
Likes: 0
From: Central Coast CA
Default

Originally Posted by s.y.n.c.
The results are great, but the intensity during the daytime is not that great.

The HUD intensity in general isn't that great with bright daylight.
Reply
Old Aug 18, 2004 | 07:13 PM
  #5  
MrEracer's Avatar
MrEracer
Burning Brakes
15 Year Member
 
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 1,173
Likes: 1
From: Aguila AZ
Default

The HUD windshield does not improve HUD optical quality. It only cuts down on reflections inside the windshield. This is because the HUD bezel presents an annoying reflection and the HUD windshield reduces this a lot. Save your HUD windshield money and invest a few bucks in a dash pad that fits tightly around the HUD projector. This will eliminate all reflections coming off the dash and it will protect your dash from UV damage well into the future.
Shirl
Reply
Old Aug 18, 2004 | 08:12 PM
  #6  
s.y.n.c.'s Avatar
s.y.n.c.
Thread Starter
Advanced
 
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 70
Likes: 0
From: Virginia Beach VA
Default

Thanks for the responses. I will look into a dashpad, as I do notice the bezel reflection. I had just heard that the clarity and intensity of the HUD image were noticeably different with a HUD windshield.
Reply
Old Aug 18, 2004 | 11:01 PM
  #7  
s.y.n.c.'s Avatar
s.y.n.c.
Thread Starter
Advanced
 
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 70
Likes: 0
From: Virginia Beach VA
Default

If anyone is interested, I found an informative quote concerning my problem,
here is the address

http://hud.cz28.com/fsguestbook.html

"I am a process engineer for the company that makes the HUD windshields for the Corvette, Park Avenue, and Cadilac XLR. Your ghosting problem will not be solveable. A windshield is made from two layers of glass with a layer of PVB (vinyl) between them. When you project a HUD image on the windshield you get a reflected image from the inside sufrace and one from the outside surface. In a normal (non-HUD)windshield these surfaces are parallel and therefore the images are offest from eachother producing a ghosted image. The Dupont vinyl for a HUD windshield ("Butacite" wedge vinyl)is thicker at the top than at the bottom. This makes the two reflecting surfaces nonparallel and the two reflected images are superimposed. Each car model requires a model specific vinyl wedge angle to achieve this. This angle is very small, in the Corvette the angle is only 0.24 miliradians."
Reply
Old Aug 19, 2004 | 06:25 PM
  #8  
Halls 2's Avatar
Halls 2
Pro
 
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 715
Likes: 0
From: Central SJ Valley, Calif
Default

Originally Posted by s.y.n.c.
"I am a process engineer for the company that makes the HUD windshields for the Corvette, Park Avenue, and Cadilac XLR. Your ghosting problem will not be solveable. A windshield is made from two layers of glass with a layer of PVB (vinyl) between them. When you project a HUD image on the windshield you get a reflected image from the inside sufrace and one from the outside surface. In a normal (non-HUD)windshield these surfaces are parallel and therefore the images are offest from eachother producing a ghosted image. The Dupont vinyl for a HUD windshield ("Butacite" wedge vinyl)is thicker at the top than at the bottom. This makes the two reflecting surfaces nonparallel and the two reflected images are superimposed. Each car model requires a model specific vinyl wedge angle to achieve this. This angle is very small, in the Corvette the angle is only 0.24 miliradians."
No Sh_t!

No wonder that damn thing costs so much to replace!
Reply
Corvette Stories

The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts

story-0

Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)

 Joe Kucinski
story-1

Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!

 Verdad Gallardo
story-2

Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!

 Brett Foote
story-3

Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!

 Michael S. Palmer
story-4

10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know

 Joe Kucinski
story-5

5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2

 Michael S. Palmer
story-6

2027 Corvette vs The World: Every C8 vs Its Closest Competitor

 Joe Kucinski
story-7

10 Most Common Corvette Problems of the Last 20 Years!

 Joe Kucinski
story-8

5 MOST and 5 LEAST Popular Corvette Model Years in History!

 Joe Kucinski
story-9

2027 Corvette Buyer's Guide: Everything You Need to Know!

 Joe Kucinski
Old Aug 21, 2004 | 11:52 AM
  #9  
s.y.n.c.'s Avatar
s.y.n.c.
Thread Starter
Advanced
 
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 70
Likes: 0
From: Virginia Beach VA
Default

That is part of it....(the expense)...anybody know if there is some type of special interior coating in addition to the beveled plastic (butacite)?
Reply
Old Aug 21, 2004 | 03:21 PM
  #10  
Mike Mercury's Avatar
Mike Mercury
Team Owner
25 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 54,204
Likes: 180
From: S.W. Ohio. . . . . . NRA Life Member
Default

s.y.n.c. ;

great find... thanks for the info
Reply
Old Aug 24, 2004 | 12:54 AM
  #11  
s.y.n.c.'s Avatar
s.y.n.c.
Thread Starter
Advanced
 
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 70
Likes: 0
From: Virginia Beach VA
Default

No problem, glad that the info helps.

One more time, anyone know much about optical coatings on the HUD windshield?

Thanks,
Brian
Reply
Old Aug 24, 2004 | 03:01 AM
  #12  
Got uid0's Avatar
Got uid0
Le Mans Master
20 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 8,466
Likes: 51
St. Jude Donor '17
Default

3m does it i believe and i have seen after market huds use a small piece of window film kind of material to cut down on ghosting

there is dimmer option on the hud if ur having problems with brightness
Reply

Get notified of new replies

To HUD Windshield Optical Coating





All times are GMT -4. The time now is 09:02 AM.

story-0
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)

Slideshow: Ranking the top 10 Corvette engines by torque output.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-05 11:58:09


VIEW MORE
story-1
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!

Slideshow: A Corvette pace car nearly matching IndyCar speeds sounds exaggerated, until you look at the numbers.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-04 20:03:36


VIEW MORE
story-2
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!

Among a rather large group of them.

By Brett Foote | 2026-05-04 13:56:44


VIEW MORE
story-3
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!

Slideshow: the top 10 things Corvette owners want in the C9 Corvette

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-04-30 12:41:15


VIEW MORE
story-4
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know

Slideshow: 10 Important Corvette 'firsts' that every fan should know.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-04-29 17:02:16


VIEW MORE
story-5
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2

Slideshow: Should you buy a 2020-2026 Corvette or wait for 2027?

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-04-22 10:08:58


VIEW MORE
story-6
2027 Corvette vs The World: Every C8 vs Its Closest Competitor

Slideshow: 2027 Corvette lineup vs the world.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-04-24 16:12:42


VIEW MORE
story-7
10 Most Common Corvette Problems of the Last 20 Years!

Slideshow: 10 major Corvette problems from the last 20 years.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-04-14 16:37:05


VIEW MORE
story-8
5 MOST and 5 LEAST Popular Corvette Model Years in History!

Slideshow: 5 most and least popular Corvette model years.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-04-08 13:25:01


VIEW MORE
story-9
2027 Corvette Buyer's Guide: Everything You Need to Know!

Slideshow: 2027 Corvette buyer's guide

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-04-17 16:41:08


VIEW MORE