[azbirds]

Is there a source for the side glass with the bird on it?

[ponyakr]

A guy on the 1st Gen site says that he bought some from the place I'll link below. He said they can also date the glass for you.

But, he says they don't advertise it. You have to call and ask about it. Didn't see any prices mentioned.

http://firstgenfirebird.org/forums/u...628#Post160628

http://www.autocityclassic.com/

[gtobird]

If anyone buys bird glass from this source or any other, please report the results when you get it. I have never seen it for sale. I have two sets of originals but my original tinted set isn't perfect and I would like to replace it.

[pmdclassics]

The bird glass is an interesting topic. I would like to see a story on which cars got the bird glass. Mike Noun do you know?

[ponyakr]

http://firstgenfirebird.org/forums/u...=302327&page=1

[Tim john]

Did any 69 (Trans Ams) have the bird glass etching ? or was this a 68 thing only ? Thank You.

Tim john---

[ponyakr]

Part of the year, in '68 only. Pontiac probably decided it cost too much. From the info I've read, these were silk screened onto the glass, rather than being etched.

You can feel the bird standing out from the glass. Similar to a decal, I suppose.

[gtobird]

For your consideration.....

This is not ordinary silk screening, unless it was silk screened and then fired in place. As I've heard it described, it's kind of like the script on the old Coke bottles. It's unbelievably durable, far more than just cold silk screening. The process that was actually used is undocumented as far as I can tell.

With respect to when the glass came out and which cars got it and which didn't, your report as it being during part of the year in 68 was dispelled long ago. There was a survey done as part of the first gen org over 10 years ago. The dates when the cars born were logged and it didn't point to any particular dates getting glass and not getting glass. My spring of 68 car had it (soft ray). I have the original order sheet that was filled out to custom order the car and nothing is on the order other than to say soft ray. I also talked with the original owner about this just 2 years ago and he didn't know either. Some power window cars got it as well as manual crank window cars while others didn't. Some were in deluxe interior cars while others were std interiors. I believe the survey also showed some 69 cars had it (that is from memory so I could be wrong on that one). So, if anyone has proof of why some cars got it and why some didn't, I certainly would like to know that as well.

[rexs73gto]

If you have a spot blaster & a sign shop close to you you can do this your self in just a short time. You go to the sign shop & have them cut you a bird decal & then blast around it after you have taped off the rest of the window so it isn't blasted at the same time. If you want I can give you the complete way to do it , but it's easy & very cheap to do.

[ponyakr]

Found this on the 1st gen site. I obviously can't confirm any of the info presented.

"Regarding the 1968 Firebird ‘Bird’ Glass mystery; I’ve collected documentation from many 1968 Firebirds during the 10 yrs I’ve been working on the 1st Gen. Firebird Registry. Out of the hundreds of cars, I have yet to decipher this mystery other than to say that the Etched White Birds on the front side glass appeared only on the early 1968 Firebirds. I’ve found them on original, documented, one owner cars that have been 400s, 350s, with and w/o A/C, with and w/o Custom Trim Option, Coupes, Convs, Clear Glass and Tinted, automatics and 4spds. I’m currently trying to establish the latest build date for cars having this special glass. It could be that this feature was pulled due to production costs. Your 1968 350 Firebird w/Bird Glass being built around the 1st week of March is certainly one of the later ’68s I’ve heard of getting this feature. I’d be interested in adding any of your current/former Firebirds to our Registry. If you wouldn’t mind sharing the VIN, Trim Tag info as well as descriptions and/or documentation. We’re still doing quite a bit of research into this and other 1st Gen. mysteries..."

"...ALL pieces of bird glass were manufactured in one plant, in a limited date code range Oct-Dec 1967. Both tinted and clear glass were made, and this glass was installed primarily in Lordstown cars built 11/67-mid 01/68.

The glass found in later cars and earlier cars still bears date codes from this range of dates, and is virtually guaranteed to have been installed at some point in the car's post-delivery history."

[68400BIRD]

I bought the glass for my 68 Bird. It is at a company called http://www.autocityclassic.com/
The glass fit great and looks very nice.
Just give them a call and ask for pricing. They send glass all over the world.

[gtobird]

Originally Posted by ponyakr

Found this on the 1st gen site. I obviously can't confirm any of the info presented.

"Regarding the 1968 Firebird ‘Bird’ Glass mystery; I’ve collected documentation from many 1968 Firebirds during the 10 yrs I’ve been working on the 1st Gen. Firebird Registry. Out of the hundreds of cars, I have yet to decipher this mystery other than to say that the Etched White Birds on the front side glass appeared only on the early 1968 Firebirds. I’ve found them on original, documented, one owner cars that have been 400s, 350s, with and w/o A/C, with and w/o Custom Trim Option, Coupes, Convs, Clear Glass and Tinted, automatics and 4spds. I’m currently trying to establish the latest build date for cars having this special glass. It could be that this feature was pulled due to production costs. Your 1968 350 Firebird w/Bird Glass being built around the 1st week of March is certainly one of the later ’68s I’ve heard of getting this feature. I’d be interested in adding any of your current/former Firebirds to our Registry. If you wouldn’t mind sharing the VIN, Trim Tag info as well as descriptions and/or documentation. We’re still doing quite a bit of research into this and other 1st Gen. mysteries..."

"...ALL pieces of bird glass were manufactured in one plant, in a limited date code range Oct-Dec 1967. Both tinted and clear glass were made, and this glass was installed primarily in Lordstown cars built 11/67-mid 01/68.

The glass found in later cars and earlier cars still bears date codes from this range of dates, and is virtually guaranteed to have been installed at some point in the car's post-delivery history."

I can get access to cowl tag on my car this weekend, but my original bird glass is in a crate in my garage attic (I moved mid restoration), awaiting installation. I probably won't get up there for a while as it's around zero degrees in this neck of the country right now. Below I've pasted a link to the first gen information that I believe you were referencing. I greatly appreciate the work that everyone went to in capturing this data. The two issues I still have are.

1.) I question the idea that bird glass in cars was installed "post delivery" of the car. I'm not sure what that exactly means. I can see enthusiasts like us doing this all these years later, but I can't see a dealer doing this back in the day just for an owner that wants bird glass. For the cost and issue of doing this I would think a car owner would have spent his or her money on something else for the car. If you know the logic behind saying that later cars had the glass installed, "post delivery", it would be great if you can explain the reasoning and if there is any real proof of this. For me, it just seems like someone is simply suggesting that as there is no logical clear explanation as to why some bird glass did make it in later built 68 cars, but it seems to be in fewer numbers than earlier in the year.

2.) While the first gen data does suggest that most of the cars with bird glass were built earlier in the 68 model year, isn't it true that more cars built in that same period didn't have bird glass? Assuming this is still correct, the mystery of why some cars got the glass and some didn't is..... still a mystery.

3.) Perhaps the strangest part of this mystery is that there doesn't seem to be a special part number for Bird Glass..... or is there? If it was installed "post delivery", the dealer would have to know how to order it and I'm assuming it would be by part number. For that matter, how would you order a piece of matching replacement glass for a broken window?



This is a fun topic, because we never seem to get a 100% complete answer and maybe one day we will find someone who worked on the production line and knows the answer.

OJ

http://firstgenfirebird.org/forums/u...=302327&page=1

[ponyakr]

"...If you know the logic behind saying that later cars had the glass installed, "post delivery", it would be great if you can explain the reasoning..."



One possible explanation of this could be that someone could have installed the Bird Glass years later. In the mid to late '70's, the 1st gen Birds were dirt cheap. I probably bought a couple of dozen myself. Several of 'em still had 400/TH400 in 'em. And somewhere around $350, is the most I paid. Some of those without a drivetrain were $100-$150.

And there were wrecked Birds. So, probably $100 or less would have bought a good junkyard door, with Bird Glass. This stuff was cheap back then. Nobody thought it would ever be worth what it is today.

[68tpls400]

Originally Posted by ponyakr

"...If you know the logic behind saying that later cars had the glass installed, "post delivery", it would be great if you can explain the reasoning..."



One possible explanation of this could be that someone could have installed the Bird Glass years later. In the mid to late '70's, the 1st gen Birds were dirt cheap. I probably bought a couple of dozen myself. Several of 'em still had 400/TH400 in 'em. And somewhere around $350, is the most I paid. Some of those without a drivetrain were $100-$150.

And there were wrecked Birds. So, probably $100 or less would have bought a good junkyard door, with Bird Glass. This stuff was cheap back then. Nobody thought it would ever be worth what it is today.

Agree. I have only witnessed bird glass in '68 cars 'roughly' built from mid October, 1967, to very early Jan, 1968. And it appears only from the Lordstown plant. (posted earlier) So that date range seems to match. And 10 years ago, used bird glass was easy to find. Not so easy these days.
The 'Maro had similar glass, etched with "Astro Ventilation". They call it Astro glass. But much easier (and cheaper) to find.

[gtobird]

That's what I find interesting about my car. I know for a fact the bird glass was in my car from the factory as the original owner again validated that for me about 2 years ago and I've owned it the last 28 years or so. The original owner was so anal retentive that he had every receipt for work done, even oil changes. He even kept the box tops from the oil filters. Of course, I have all of the original paperwork including protecto plate, build sheet and original hand written sales sheet the sales guy filled out to custom order the car. Being a spring car it's kind of unusual and it has the darker factory tint glass and matching windshield and quarter glass. Also, my bird glass has the curved cutout on the bottom of it (which I think is for power window cars). The other set of bird glass I have is not tinted, but came out of a pair of power window doors (I still have the doors) and it has the same curved cutout at the bottom. I don't know when that car was born as the prior owner had already junked it. Interestingly enough, that set of bird glass is almost perfect. I paid $100 for the pair of complete doors with all of the power window guts, deluxe black door panels, remote mirror still attached. Funny, the doors themselves are rusty trash, but the rest was halfway decent. What a bargain!

[AG]

My car is a Lordstown 12B build date with all Soft Ray bird glass dated M278.

[north]

I've seen them on 67 GP hardtops over the years, did they use the etched glass all year on them?

I parted a 68 bird many years ago that had the etched glass, D'ont remember the build date other than it was early (before 68 calendar year), stripper 2bbl car with no soft ray, basic interior

[ponjohn]

There is a guy on craigs in Long Island selling bird glass right now.