Windshield with blue shade band

[iancorado]

Does anyone have or had any experience with a windshield with the built in blue tint at the top? It's technical term is band shade. There's a company in NJ that sells them, it looks like it'd be a different sort of look.

[Bruce]

I have one in one of my cars.

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[iancorado]

Would you recommend getting a windshield with it? Most water cooled cars I've owned had the band at the top. It seems that not to many beetles have them. It's definitely a different look, sort of 80's retro. But it looks good and practical. I'm replacing the front windshield seal on my 65ish frankenbeetle, the one currently in it is some aftermarket windshield that may be to small. The WCM seal I bought does not want to stay on. I believe that the aftermarket glass is normally to big and sometimes they trim a little off, in my case they may have trimmed a little to much. So I'm in search of replacment windshield, a local guy has one for $50 and I'm willing to give that one a try. I'm kicking myself because I just sold a 68 body with a lot of parts still on it, including the windshield, for $250.

[KTPhil]

Most cars have a steep rake to the windshield, and the tinted band avoids some sun glare. The bug has a nearly vertical windshield and so does not need the band as much.

It still can help, though, especially since the sun visors leave large gaps. I had a short band applied (inside, mylar type) for that purpose years ago when I commuted into the sun both ways.

For the same reason, my dad had a small patch of mylar between the visors (not all the way across). I see many new cars, rather than using tint, often have the "perforated look" of black opaque dots in that area, I suspect for the same reason.

[Erik G]

[Bruce]

[carcrazed]

I have one on my '65 and find it more annoying than helpful. On my larger cars, it does provide some relief when driving into the sun due to the larger area. Since you are sitting almost on top of the windshield in the bug, it kind of hinders your view. IMO, not worth it.
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1965 Herbie Replica. 1776cc dual Kads.
1961 Beetle 33,000 Original Miles

"Just When you think you are getting ahead, you're always wrong."

[slalombuggy]

I had the top 6" of my '57s windshield tinted. Much nicer driving when the sun is low.

brad

[79SuperVert]

I'm torn about the band that a previous Florida owner added across the top of my 62's windshield. At first I wanted to remove it, but it seemed a lot of work to try to do, so I left it alone.

It does help on very sunny days, and it really doesn't obstruct the view because I can see through it. On balance, though, I probably would not add one if it was up to me, because I prefer a completely unobstructed view, and because I don't really like the look of the car's windshield with it.

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Central Jersey VW Society

Wanted: Art Collins VW (Savannah, Georgia) items - license plate surrounds and other items. Also ivory "AM", "FM" and "SW" buttons for a US Blaupunkt Frankfurt.