[gtobird]

Originally Posted by Cammer-6

Whats date on data plate and date code of glass?

I will check and post pics. It may be a few days until I can get to it. I've seen this topic get batted around since I had my first 68 Bird convert (bought in 1979) and it too had bird glass. No-one has solved it yet and a lot of effort was put into figuring it out quite a while back. RA1JOHN has documented an amazing amount of info on our cars and I believe he tried to run this down. I will ask him to reply to this post,

OJ

[Cammer-6]

Originally Posted by gtobird

I will check and post pics. It may be a few days until I can get to it. I've seen this topic get batted around since I had my first 68 Bird convert (bought in 1979) and it too had bird glass. No-one has solved it yet and a lot of effort was put into figuring it out quite a while back. RA1JOHN has documented an amazing amount of info on our cars and I believe he tried to run this down. I will ask him to reply to this post,

OJ

I too have been in the thick of it,never can tell what info will pop up.

[RA1John]

Here we go again

Sometime around the end of Sept., to the beginning of Oct, 1967, Lordstown Assembly began installing door glass (R/L) with a small white 'Bird' graphic (ceramic baked) in the front, lower corner (bottom of A-Pillar area). This glass (produced by PPG) was then pulled from production (and as supplies were depleted) around the mid to end of January, 1968.

Mfg. date codes found on 'Bird' glass include: Sept. 9, Oct. 7, Nov. 7

Despite the efforts of many Firebird enthusiasts over the years to research this special feature, no conclusive evidence was revealed as to why some cars were built with this glass, while others were not. To date, no official PMD documentation has surfaced that mentions this glass. From surveys & research, 'Bird' glass has been found on...

- Coupes & Conv.
- All color combos
- Standard and Custom Trim
- Low option and high option vehicles
- 6-cyl, 8-cyl vehicles
- Tinted and clear glass
- Standard windows and power windows
- Standard S/V mirror or Remote S/V mirror

It would seem that PPG produced the glass in batches and mixed this glass in with non-'Bird' glass. There appears to be no pattern in the build schedule, examples have been found built the same day, with other gaps of more than a week. This may have been a styling feature that was introduced sporadically. Interestingly, all '67 Grand Prix's had a similar etched "GP" on the door glass, while the '68 Camaro had "Astro Ventilation" on the door glass.

It is assumed that 'Bird' glass was production was stopped due to upcoming Jan. '68 Federal Safety Regulations which included side view visibility. It's also possible that cost may have been a factor.

It would be necessary to collect thousands of records for surviving vehicles with this glass to better establish when exactly this glass first arrived at, and was last used at Lordstown Assembly. I've collected records for perhaps several hundred to a thousand 68 firebirds over the years and see a scattering of 'Bird' glass cars built between early Oct. and mid Jan. Most are in Nov, early Dec.

Over the years, there have no doubt been owners who have added the 'Bird' glass to their '68. There's even a '69 owner who claims his has factory installed 'Bird' glass.

[rdl]

John, I might be the ‘69 owner you spoke of. Let me clarify my story. It was delivered new by order to a New York dealer and, at time of pick up, it had passenger side bird glass only. The original owner (I’m 2nd owner) conveyed to me that the transport carrying the car to the dealer was delayed when it went off the road during a snowstorm. The dealer claimed no damage was done to the car. However, when I removed the original paint, I discovered the driver’s door had been dented, repaired and resprayed. The owner informed me the car had never been in an accident while in his care. The passenger door was virgin. I assumed perhaps the driver glass may have been replaced. Maybe the dealer actually replaced damaged passenger glass with old stock? I will now check dates on both and update the forum if that helps.

[Baron Von Zeppelin]

Its surprising that no one has reproduced a decal to simulate these yet.
Maybe with a safety disclaimer ...

[einstein]

I'm doubtful "visual obstruction" is the issue. It's far less an impediment than the previous year's ventipane framework.

Can anyone who currently owns one tell us that bird is in line of sight to the mirror from the driver's point of view?

[AG]

RA1John,

What format is the date code?

[rdl]

Originally Posted by Baron Von Zeppelin

Its surprising that no one has reproduced a decal to simulate these yet.
Maybe with a safety disclaimer ...

There is a decal. I ordered a set and used one on my driver door glass.

[Baron Von Zeppelin]

Its not in the direct line of sight

Explained by someone else to us at some point back in time , I thought it was posted on this site but maybe it was somewhere else .....
As being - The proximity is close enough that it can unwillingly distract some focus to it versus full focus on the mirror.
Split seconds can cause issues in situations
Its an attractive symbol

That was how it was explained in conjunction with the Jan 68 Fed Safety Regs coming in.
If that is fully legitimate
It sounds about right but I don't recall any bulletin posted.

[Baron Von Zeppelin]

Originally Posted by rdl

There is a decal. I ordered a set and used one on my driver door glass.

Hooray !

[Baron Von Zeppelin]

Originally Posted by AG

RA1John,

What format is the date code?

Originally Posted by AG

If you are looking at the glass from outside the car the date is lower left-hand corner by the door lock on the passenger side and lower right-hand corner on the driver side. Etching looks like it is on the inside like Jonhnta said.

Try this ∆
edit : oops thats the location, not format. sorry

[johnta1]

LOF date code is different than PPG
LOF basically alpha and alpha
PPG is digits I think


Thought I had a web page made but can't find it.

I have the codes on my computer.

[AG]

Originally Posted by johnta1

LOF date code is different than PPG
LOF basically alpha and alpha
PPG is digits I think


Thought I had a web page made but can't find it.

I have the codes on my computer.

My Bird glass is PPG and the date format looks weird, M27?. I'll write down all the numbers and post them.

[johnta1]

The PPG pic in post #2 shows the date as 118 - Nov 1968

[AG]

My date is 117 so November 1967. Wouldn't Nov 1968 be for the 1969 model year?

[Baron Von Zeppelin]

Originally Posted by AG

My date is 117 so November 1967. Wouldn't Nov 1968 be for the 1969 model year?

In post #2 , he has a 69 car and had a different type dilemma with his glass.
Not a Bird Glass contributor , he just had a general question about glass in his Bird.
He might find his answer if someone provides a decoder for LOF dates.

[NO67GTO]

Yea that was me with the 69. Sorry.

Sent from my Pixel 6 using Tapatalk

[johnta1]

The LOF date in that post has a date of Jan 1973

[NO67GTO]

Originally Posted by johnta1

The LOF date in that post has a date of Jan 1973

Sent u a pm. Thanks

Sent from my Pixel 6 using Tapatalk

[rdl]

Originally Posted by rdl

John, I might be the ‘69 owner you spoke of. Let me clarify my story. It was delivered new by order to a New York dealer and, at time of pick up, it had passenger side bird glass only. The original owner (I’m 2nd owner) conveyed to me that the transport carrying the car to the dealer was delayed when it went off the road during a snowstorm. The dealer claimed no damage was done to the car. However, when I removed the original paint, I discovered the driver’s door had been dented, repaired and resprayed. The owner informed me the car had never been in an accident while in his care. The passenger door was virgin. I assumed perhaps the driver glass may have been replaced. Maybe the dealer actually replaced damaged passenger glass with old stock? I will now check dates on both and update the forum if that helps.

Okay, I have additional info... let's see if any sleuths here can help solve what happened with my car back in the day. The car was built late January '69:

PPG Glass Dates:

Windshield = 25-106
D/S Door = 26-128
P/S Door = 26-107 ('bird glass)
D/S Quarter = 27-108
P/S Quarter = 27-98

Looks to me like the windshield and passenger door glass were replaced by the dealer. Thoughts?