The 1937 Plymouth opening windshield (luxury, auto, chip, buy)

[jetgraphics]

While watching an old movie from 1938, I saw a taxi with a hinged windshield, that could open for ventilation.
Turns out to be the 1937 Plymouth.

1937 Plymouth cars - the "luxury Plymouth"

What was the benefit for such a design?
What were its drawbacks?

[Electrician4you]

The benefit is you got ventilation as there was no AC in those cars.

The bad? Probably leaked after a while, most likely draft because you can't seal such a large window and probably unsafe.

[engineman]

Many cars had windshields that opened. There was no AC and heaters and defrosters were an optional accessory.

My friends father was a policeman and he told us that the patrol cars did not come with heaters. The cops would chip in and buy a heater from a junk yard and have a local gas station install it. The heaters were small and simple to install, without all the ductwork that is in modern cars. The Fed Govt made defrosters mandatory in 1968 and that is when heaters became standard equipment.

[duster1979]

Originally Posted by engineman

The Fed Govt made defrosters mandatory in 1968 and that is when heaters became standard equipment.

Heaters were standard equipment long before 1968.

[car54]

Originally Posted by duster1979

Heaters were standard equipment long before 1968.

I had a '64 Valiant with no (factory) heater. I rigged one up.

Classified car ads often stated "r&h" for radio and heater. You knew you were getting a loaded ride if it said r&h! LOL

Granted these were lower were rides, I'm sure 40s & 50s Caddies and other high dollar cars came with heaters, and maybe even A/C!

[duster1979]

Originally Posted by car54

I had a '64 Valiant with no (factory) heater. I rigged one up.

Sure it wasn't a '63? A heater with defroster was standard on the base Valiant beginning with the 1964 model year.

The 1964 Plymouth Valiants

[bagster]

You can lay the windshield down atop the hood on Jeep Wranglers. This is handy if you like the sound of wind rustling through your teeth.

[nightlysparrow]

Originally Posted by jetgraphics

While watching an old movie from 1938, I saw a taxi with a hinged windshield, that could open for ventilation. What were its drawbacks?

1) Decapitation in an accident, even less barrier than a usual windshield The so-called "glass necklace" effect
2) Auto glass in 1938 was neither tempered nor coated, so big panels in a hinged windshield made slicing risk worse
3) Road debris or hailstones hitting you directly in the face and eyes (no aerodynamic protection like with side windows)

[Retriever]

Originally Posted by nightlysparrow

1) Decapitation in an accident, even less barrier than a usual windshield The so-called "glass necklace" effect
2) Auto glass in 1938 was neither tempered nor coated, so big panels in a hinged windshield made slicing risk worse
3) Road debris or hailstones hitting you directly in the face and eyes (no aerodynamic protection like with side windows)

Yup!
That is all just part and parcel of The Good Old Days that some folks seem to yearn for, despite the reality that there was very little about that era that was actually good.

[car54]

Originally Posted by duster1979

Sure it wasn't a '63? A heater with defroster was standard on the base Valiant beginning with the 1964 model year.

The 1964 Plymouth Valiants

I guess it must have been a '63!