Short "chopped" windshields in the early 1930's

[sftamx1]

I am amazed by some of the  chopped appearing windshields I see on early '30's  cars, especially coupes and convertibles of the luxury brands.

I just had a new frame made and glass cut for my 1933 Terraplane Convertible coupe. I measured the glass height and it's just 7"! I may have to duck to see better while driving. Are there any others with windshields glass  7" or less on any production cars from that era? It certainly gives those vehicles a custom look with attitude! 

 

Edited September 14, 2020 by sftamx1
Added to (see edit history)

[46 woodie]

If I'm not mistaken several states had 7" as the minimum height for a windshield.

[F&J]

2 hours ago, sftamx1 said:

Are there any others with windshields glass  7" or less on any production cars from that era?

Yes, ...  7" measured in center,  34 LaS:

 

Wiper travel in degrees of sweep is very limited with a conventional wiper arm and blade.  34-only LaS conv used an articulated arm/blade that changes the angle of the blade in relation to the arm, as it goes from side to side.

 

Poor pic of mine, but maybe it makes sense if I try to explain.  The round wire rod rides in a tube shaped thing on one end of the wiper blade, like a trombone slide.  That is what changes the angle of the blade as it sweeps the glass.  This setup keeps the heel of the wiper blade from hitting the W/S frame in full sweep in both directions.   If it did not have this, you would not be able to sweep the same total degrees of the glass, and not have the heel of the blade hit the frame in both directions. 

 

 

[Laughing Coyote]

That's crazy.  

[alsancle]

Mercedes solved the problem with 3 wipers.  The 320 Cab A might be less than 7 inches.

 

 

 

[John_Mereness]

There are a lot of 30's things out there with 5" windshield wiper blades 

Edited September 15, 2020 by John_Mereness (see edit history)

[Ozstatman]

3 hours ago, John_Mereness said:

There are a lot of 30's things out there with 5' windshield wiper blades 

5 feet! Big sweep. 

 

Sorry, couldn't help but comment!😉

[Restorer32]

The 1932 Packard 900 Coupe Roadster has a 7" at center windshield. Sitting in the car there is only 3" between the top of the steering wheel and the top of the windshield frame.

[alsancle]

1 hour ago, Restorer32 said:

The 1932 Packard 900 Coupe Roadster has a 7" at center windshield. Sitting in the car there is only 3" between the top of the steering wheel and the top of the windshield frame.

 

There are some cars where you see scratches right above the steering wheel on the windshield.  Owners with rings turning the wheel on a low windshield car.  

[Steve_Mack_CT]

Ford even got into the act when the 30 Deluxe roadster came out.  A Deluxe has a 2" to 2.5" lower wndshield, than a Standard.  It is not as low as 7" in the center but a noticeable difference for sure.  Especially with the top up.  If you lay it back a little, knuckles do scrape the windshield.

[John_Mereness]

6 hours ago, alsancle said:

 

There are some cars where you see scratches right above the steering wheel on the windshield.  Owners with rings turning the wheel on a low windshield car.  

The 1935 Auburn 851 Phaeton is like that - I found another project to beat myself senseless on and left original glass alone. 

[John_Mereness]

19 hours ago, John_Mereness said:

There are a lot of 30's things out there with 5" windshield wiper blades 

 

15 hours ago, Ozstatman said:

5 feet! Big sweep. 

 

Sorry, couldn't help but comment!😉

LOTS of vision needed !!!

[Akstraw]

1930 Franklin Convertible Coupe has a 7" windshield.

[Graham Man]

My 1931 Graham Phaeton is 10"

My 1933 Graham is 9"

[Graham Man]

Always liked the look of these...1932 Stutz DV-32 Convertible Victoria by Rollston

[58L-Y8]

Odd how a low windshield and top was acceptable on convertibles but not on closed cars of those times.

[Graham Man]

My 1933 Graham sedan uses the same 9" windshield as the roadster.  I have had more than one person ask if I had "chopped the top".

 

[alsancle]

12 hours ago, 58L-Y8 said:

Odd how a low windshield and top was acceptable on convertibles but not on closed cars of those times.

 

There were a few.

 

[alsancle]

14 hours ago, Graham Man said:

Always liked the look of these...1932 Stutz DV-32 Convertible Victoria by Rollston

 

 

The "production" custom Rollston of which there are a few.    The one you really want is this one of which there is only 1 on a Stutz and 1 on an Hispano Suiza.  You need to look close but the differences are important.

 

[58L-Y8]

56 minutes ago, alsancle said:

 

There were a few.

 

Pretty much can count them on one hand...

[jeff_a]

Would you consider this a low-profile windshield?

I think this Stutz was at a Monterey auction this year. 1930 MB Monte Carlo, Weymann body.

 

Edited September 18, 2020 by jeff_a (see edit history)

[alsancle]

47 minutes ago, jeff_a said:

Would you consider this a low-profile windshield?

I think this Stutz was at a Monterey auction this year. 1930 MB Monte Carlo, Weymann body.

 

I would say yep.

[alsancle]

54 minutes ago, 58L-Y8 said:

Pretty much can count them on one hand...

 

I need to measure my Dietrich,  it is low but not as low as the Monte Carlo.  So by hand,  I came up with about 4 closed... one hand.

[58L-Y8]

5 minutes ago, alsancle said:

 

I need to measure my Dietrich,  it is low but not as low as the Monte Carlo.  So by hand,  I came up with about 4 closed... one hand.

 

5 minutes ago, alsancle said:

 

I need to measure my Dietrich,  it is low but not as low as the Monte Carlo.  So by hand,  I came up with about 4 closed... one hand.

Quote

!) Stutz Weymann Monte Carlo

2) Packard Dietrich Newport 

3) ?

4) ?

5) ?

 

 

[alsancle]

I assume American only?

 

1.  Rollston Closed Victoria

2.  Dietrich Newport

3.  Weyman Monte Carlo

4.  Derham Arlington

5.  Waterhouse Sedan

 

[58L-Y8]

A.J.  Yes, American to simplify the selection, the European coachbuilders seem to do low windshields just in the course of design of sport sedans,  That's a pretty impressive list of closed custom-bodied closed styles.  The Waterhouse Packard came to mind after I'd posted, but I knew you'd include it.  That would be a good companion for your REO Royale 8-48 Dietrich...

[edinmass]

How about a list of fantastic sedans............the list won’t be long..........

[alsancle]

1 hour ago, 58L-Y8 said:

A.J.  Yes, American to simplify the selection, the European coachbuilders seem to do low windshields just in the course of design of sport sedans,  That's a pretty impressive list of closed custom-bodied closed styles.  The Waterhouse Packard came to mind after I'd posted, but I knew you'd include it.  That would be a good companion for your REO Royale 8-48 Dietrich...

 

The European list would be much longer,  we must have been a lot taller in the U.S.     I couldn't come up with anything else really,   Judkins did a few on the lower side but it seems like more the side windows than the windshield. 

 

 

I love the Waterhouse Packard.   He wants a lot of money for it though.

[alsancle]

23 minutes ago, edinmass said:

How about a list of fantastic sedans............the list won’t be long..........

 

Look at you Mr Stopped Clock with a good idea twice a day.   I'll go start one.

[PFitz]

On 9/14/2020 at 7:02 PM, John_Mereness said:

There are a lot of 30's things out there with 5" windshield wiper blades 

 Yup.

 

And between the  underside of the  wiper motor and top of the steering wheel, only a 2-1/2 inch high  view looking straight ahead.  The owner refers to that windshield as, "the gun slit."

 

Paul

Edited September 20, 2020 by PFitz (see edit history)

[Walt G]

Derham bodied 1931 Franklin series 153. the car had 7 inches at center of the windshield. This was the car Derham exhibited at both the NY and Chicago custom body salons.

Vision out the front was great ( this photo taken in 1956) except when you were waiting for a traffic light and the first car in line - you had to lean over to see the light and I recall beeping the horn button with my chin, doing so on Rt. 20 heading east in central NY state trying to see the light. To replace the wiper blades I had to cut the ends off to make them short enough .

[PFitz]

And Derham set it in a cast bronze frame that took two people to put back in.😬

Same heavy cast bronze frame, but slightly taller in the wife's Series 153 Derham limo. 

 

Paul

[KURTRUK]

Looks to be about 7 inches.

[West Peterson]

This is probably the shortest windshield I've ever seen, other than on a radically customized hot rod.

Georges Irat

[West Peterson]

One has to wonder if it was shortened during restoration (not unheard of, unfortunately). It is ridiculously low.

[JACK M]

I doesn't look like the driver would be able to even get in it let alone drive it without the top down,

[Graham Man]

We keep talking windshield height but really on a production car it is about belt line, the overall height of the seating position has to stay constant (well unless you make the car horrible to drive)

 

 

The Graham shows this, the hood is high and the doors are tall, it is design not just a chop with no headroom.

 

 

 

[zeke01]

My 1933 Dodge coupe windshield measured nine inches tall at the center. It looks lower than that though. Who would have thought that smaller was better?

[KURTRUK]

On 9/14/2020 at 3:03 PM, alsancle said:

Mercedes solved the problem with 3 wipers.  The 320 Cab A might be less than 7 inches.

 

 

 

As did the MG Midget

 

 

[Str8-8-Dave]

10 hours ago, KURTRUK said:

As did the MG Midget

My brother had a 1963 Austin Healy Sprite which was the Austin Healy version of the midget.  As I recall the car was only 7 inches high but it was fast for a little car, 100mph @ 6,000 RPM according to Mr. Smiths...