Windshield glass replacement

Cptkid570

Ensign
Joined
Oct 18, 2005
Messages
964
Hi everyone,

1996 Four Winns 240 Horizon. I need to replace the front port side window glass (it was broken out when I bought this boat). It's not an ordinary straight/flat piece of glass, it curves around at the end. I've attached a photo that more shows the starboard side so you can see what I'm talking about (it's the front, not the side glass).

My question: Do you think a glass shop can make this piece of glass eventhough it curves around? Or do I have to buy a replacement piece of glass from the dealer (it's around $350 from the dealer).

I spoke to one auto glass place and they said they couldn't make it. But I don't think they were a glass maker, just an installer.
 

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ziggy

Admiral
Joined
Jun 30, 2004
Messages
7,473
Re: Windshield glass replacement

i've seen a lot of folks getting grieved over getting windshield parts. if the part you need is available, i'd be getting it before it gets obsolete.
 

cribber

Lieutenant
Joined
May 29, 2008
Messages
1,338
Re: Windshield glass replacement

That's a complex piece of curved tempered glass. You'll be hard pressed to find a place that can make it but you never know until you ask around.
 

erikgreen

Captain
Joined
Jan 8, 2007
Messages
3,105
Re: Windshield glass replacement

A "real" glass shop can make it (most of the auto glass places out in the world only install prefab parts), but the cost will likely be more than the dealer.

Making a custom curve like that will require fabrication of a metal mold, followed by heating of the glass to temp and slumping it into that mold, plus the usual cutting, grinding, polishing.

For a '96 you might try salvage yards, ebay, etc... it's possible that similar boats the same model year or boats from adjacent years used the same windshield.

But if all that fails, buying it from the dealer might be cheapest.

Erik
 

ezmobee

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 26, 2007
Messages
23,767
Re: Windshield glass replacement

From what I've seen people have to pay and go through to get a boat windshield or part......spend the $350 and thank your lucky stars it was available!!!
 

Fu-Inator

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
May 15, 2008
Messages
81
Re: Windshield glass replacement

I had a similar problem with my bow hatch window. It broke out last fall while I was towing it down the highway (I think a semi-truck kicked up a rock). The class is rectangular with a slight bend and I could not find a place local to make a new one. I could replace it with plastic but that would scratch and yellow over time. After checking with 8-10 glass places, I ended up having to order it from a dealer. Of course I couldn?t just get the window; I had to buy the whole ?hatch? with frame and all.

$350ish total and I installed it myself.
 
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