Where to get new windshield glass
 

Hi all. New member looking for info on finding windshield glass for my SPF cobra. Seems like everyone I know that has one, has problem with cracking. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I believe if you own an SPF you have to buy the glass from them as they have a slightly different shape than most others.

Remember there are different windshields for various models. There was some changes made during the years. Some models are very difficult to replace.
Call Hillbank and they can help you

Mark

Hillbank. There are different types of windscreens, like mentioned above, and even with the right one it may have to be fitted to the car. I went through this on my car.

My CSX windshield glass came from Shell Valley. They sell the frame and standards or glass only. I got glass only and the change out took about 45 minutes total. The first 25 minutes was to disassemble everything because I wasn't sure how to remove the glass from the frame. I was warned of various methods of putting in the strip that included major adhesives and make it impossible to remove the glass from the frame, so I disassembled everything before ordering the glass. Assembly took about 20 minutes. Also note that on the bottom (cowling) portion of the frame there are two different sized screws - the side ones and bottom ones are different. Be sure to put them back where they came from or the screws can hit the glass and crack it.

I love the Cobra - it is simple elegance. Nothing complicated. True 65 technology.

I sell windshields and glass, but unfortunately SPF cars have their own type.

Dennis Oltoff has glass, or can install it he is in NC

What happened with Cobra windshields this week? There must be three or four different posts about glass :)

Can someone elaborate on the replacement sequence so we can not "reinvent" your mistakes. Everyone has said "the next time will go faster". Three friends currenty have broken windshields, mine last week. We are thinking of the Lexan MR10 route. Give us your guidence.

Rick....heres the quick version

Remove windwings and sun visors. Some not all cobras have a small bracket that attaches at the center bottom of the frame to the body. Remove the bracket screws that attach to the body.
At this point there are two screws on each side that hold the frame to the upright windshield supports . Remove all 4 screws.
Now the windshield frame can be removed from between the supports. If you have the center bracket still attached to the frame becareful not to scratch the body during removal....I remove the entire bracket...but not necessary.
Push the top of the windshield frame foward out of the brackets and lift up away fron the body.
At this point remove the center support rod if installed.

To remove the frame from the glass there are two 4mm screws on the lower corners that hold the lower frame to the upper frame that have to be removed.
You can try to pull lower frame gently away from the glass...you don't want to bend the frame...as it's chrome plated brass. If it doesn't more easily I use a small piece of wood against the frame and your favorite hammer. Sometime this causes the glass to break...depending if its glued in or just very stuborn. The same the goes for the upper frame.

When removing the frame sometimes the rubber gasket will come off with the glass...doesn't make a difference either way.

Now the fun starts...With the upper frame first. Some remove the gaskets and tape it to the new glass then push the gasket with the glass into the frame. I leave the gasket in the frame but pull it out about 1/4 inch all around and use dish soap on the inside of the gasket to help the glass slide in. Then the same for the lower frame.
Once the glass is in the frame I use a large clamp to hold upper and lower frame to the glasst in the center, then another clamp close to the corner you'll be working first...push corner together install 2 4mm screws. Now the other corner, use clamp to hold glass, push corner together and install 4mm screws.
Now reverse procedure of removal.


One quick note.....On the newer SPF's somehere around car # 2000 the support rod was not used and the glass is glued to the gasket in center of both upper and lower frames...glass removal is more difficult and the wood with hammer is the only way. Also a binding agent has to used to the glass/gasket to hold properly.

Granted im no expert but I've done a few.

Call finish line in FL. If not them, call SPF.

:D

Just remember that the screws on the side are ground to fit a spefic side. Too long and they can touch the glass and chip it. The rest is as Rick said, I watched the operation last year. Don't take the mounts off the car, just pry them out a little one side at a time.

Agreed. On the CSX frame the two right angle brackets have two different length screws. Make sure you separate them and put them back in the correct spots else they may touch the glass.

...also on my new windshield we did not replace the screws in the center bracket. Hillbank reccomended leaving them out so the window and frame would be able to move under hard acceleration (which cracked my first windshield) as the car flexes. So far so good with the screws left out.

Add me to the list of guys needing a windshield glass.-my second replacement in 17 years of owning my car. Where's the best deal?

Not sure where the best deal is, but since you have a Shell Valley you could go to the source.

http://www.shellvalley.com/Store/pro...sp?store=cobra

Finding a windshield for SPF 1988 was a complete nightmare for me. SPF and a few of their dealers where absolutely no help to me. I was told that a windshield for my car had finally come in at a Houston SPF dealer, trailered my car for 3 hours, and came to find that the windshield did not fit my car. I even talked to a guy named Barry I believe (think he is the SPF parts guru) and could never get my problem solved. The cracking got so bad that the car became undriveable to the point I thought the windshield was going to fall out on me while driving. Seeing that SPF had no interest in getting me a windshield, I installed a lexan windshield. The installer told me it looked like the glass windshield was installed incorrectly, and that the windshield frame was slightly bent. The glass was brand new when I bought the car and broke shortly after buying. It was installed my an SPF dealer out of Pheonix, and the windshield had "Shelby" written on it at the bottom middle. Anyway, this has been the most frustration part of owning my SPF, and anytime someone asks be about the car I always tell them about the windshields and all the problems that SPF seems to have with them. I was really dissapointed with the customer support in this respect.

Surprised....
 

Romm...did you go back to the SPF dealer that you bought the car from in the 1st place?

Your experience sounds so unlike any of the experiences I have personally had with SPF, a SPF dealer in Houston and the Australian SPF importer/distributor/dealer...

I'm surprised that your initial dealer did not simply take on the problem to solve for you??

Regards.....Paul

I bought the car used from a small semi-exotic car dealership in Pheonix. The dealer had a brand new windshield installed at an SPF dealer there (Anthem) right before I had the car shipped here in Louisiana (I still have the receipt). I did call that dealer and questioned them on the glass, since the windshield rattled badly. Nobody could explain why the glass had "Shelby" on the windshield (believe I have pictures of this), since talking to different SPF experts and dealers said that this was the incorrect glass. Anyways, I left my phone number and email with several different dealers (even the Barry guy), so they could let me know when they found out which windshield my car needed, and when I could get it installed. Never heard from them again, and here it has been over 2 years since I had the Lexan installed. Also, as I said in my earlier post, the guy who installed the Lexan said it looked like the windshield was slightly bent, but the Lexan works good in this scenario since it can flex much more than glass. It seems if I ever want to replace the glass, my best bet is buy the windshield frame with the glass already installed.

Heck, I was considering a Brock Coupe to add to the garage, but not after the way SPF handled this windshield situation.

I am considering adding an M400 Noble to the garage, but still I am a bit leary now having to deal with these type of small, niche type auto companies. The cars are built in the same place, and there is a good chance the dealer network is just like that of SPF. This windshield situation has left a really bad taste in my mouth.

Sounds like an issue with who you have chosen to contact. I would give Dennis Olthoff at Olthoff Racing a call. He can sort it out for you and his team provides outstanding customer service. Dennis is technical support for Superformance and you would be hard pressed to find someone who knows more about these cars.

I know there are many other quality dealers out there but I my personal experiences with this dealer have been outstanding.

Technical Support / Sales
Olthoff Racing
Contact: Dennis Olthoff
9850 Mooresville Road
Mount Ulla, NC 28125
PH: (704) 647-0284
Fax: (704) 647-9925
www.olthoffracing.com