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Windshield to Germany


Aztec62

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Try this guy to see if he can give you a quote on a good used one:

http://reattas.com/

 

Thank you Ron,

now I know why I was unable to find a Reatta on a junkyard when I was in Tuscaloosa, Alabama last December.

It seems like this guy has all the Reattas ever junked in the USA...

 

Have fun

Henning

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Not all of them, but a good number. I personally have junked three myself now, with a fourth due to be dismantled come spring. I have also helped Dave part out two others at his place in Wisconsin. So, I've had a hand in parting out five, with a sixth to come. Also Dave may be parting another one that I might be called on to assist with.

 

All the cars Dave and I have parted were junk; all were too far gone to justify restoration in the condition they were in. With current values still being low, and decent ones still being available to buy for only a few thousand dollars, restoring a badly rusted high mile unit with a trashed interior, cracked windshield and electrical problems simply makes no sense. Only two of mine had good windshields - both of which I saved along with all the other glass - and two had broken windshields that got crushed with the stripped body shells.

 

We are definitely closing in on the point where parts cars will be in short supply now, as many in poor condition have been culled in the past three years leaving mostly the better condition daily drivers and the garage queens as the majority of surviving stock. In fact, there are no Reattas in any condition for sale within 200 miles of me on Craigslist presently, and that has been the case for at least two months now. A few on eBay, and some Craigslist finds in other large cities but it is clear the marginal examples have largely gone to scrap now. The window of opportunity for easily scoring a parts car is closing as we speak, and I suspect in another couple of years they will be downright scarce.

 

Kevin

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There are 3 pretty worn out Reattas in the Madison Wi. Craigslist. There are also 3 Reattas in Gibson's yard, one that Kevin and I parted out and two that have been there for 5 years. I would go for the windshields on the other two, but that long in the weather?...

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Think of how many good Reattas might be scrapped if the company that makes windshields stops producing them. It might take a couple of years to have a big impact but eventually it might mean a lot of otherwise good cars would be scrapped because of a cracked windshield. I wonder how an insurance company would handle a claim if a new windshield couldn't be found?

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That is a very interesting question Ronnie about the insurance claim. Since there are still a few really low mileage Reatta's left out there. I know there are a few people here on the forum that have Haggerty insurance maybe they could let us know what there replacement amounts are for a claim.

 

I plan on going with Haggerty but not until I do a few more repairs on the low mileage Reatta, for right now it is uninsured and parked. I won't drive it until I insure it, I just start her up every so often and move her around the driveway etc.

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Believe me, I am very worried that Pilkington will stop making them in the foreseeable future. It was already a very low volume part for them, and with the survivor rate under 40% now and dropping, there will come a point where demand will drop enough that that will decide not to keep making them, leaving us with whatever remaining inventory exists at the time the decision to withdraw further support is made.

 

If they weren't so damned expensive, I'd stockpile a couple. But at nearly $2k a piece, that isn't happening. I do have a couple of good used ones I'm keeping unless I'm starving to death and need to sell them. If winter a chance to part anymore with good windshields, I'll keep them too. I already have a multitude of vent windows, a couple of good rear glass (including a NOS) and multiple pairs of side windows as well, so shouldn't have any problem with keeping good glass in mine for some time to come.

 

Dave, you should try to arrange to get the windshield s from the Gibson's cars that are still good, if at all possible. We have had long discussions on the other forum about other unobtanium parts, some of which we have found workarounds for, but windshields are a flat out deal breaker that will force the car off the road if you can't get a good one in the future. A pro glass guy definitely needs to do the removal. After watching a few being removed, I know I wouldn't want to do it even with the right tools.

 

I have a guy locally that works for a big glass outfit, I ask for him personally each time I part one out. He is an old time auto glass tech, worked on Reattas when they were new. If he retires, don't know who I'll get to do mine in the future. He does excellent work, and always gets a nice tip from me when done.

 

Kevin

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Kevin I know what you are saying but I am reluctant to do anything about them as they have been outside full time for about 5 years now. Also Gibson's for some reason just keeps lining the Rivs and Reattas up for me and never seem to crush them.

Wisconsin has a number of high volume Buick dealers especially in this area, so parts cars are still plentiful. And there is always the Black which has a replacement windshield in it, so I just don't feel any urgency.

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