Just wondering if any members have seen, or know if the 1968 Beaumonts were available with Soft Ray tinted side window glass? Would it have been an available factory optional item? It has been my understanding that it would be incredibly rare to see a Beaumont with factory installed air conditioning, which would typically include the Soft Ray tinted glass. Would the Soft Ray tinted glass have an option code that could be seen on the Vintage Vehicle Group information sheet? My 68 Beaumont Convertible has Soft Ray tinted glass, Canadian manufactured glass, with reasonably close dates.
Soft Ray would have been an option on any Canadian Pontiac/Beaumont/Acadian in the 60's according to any of the literature I've seen.
And I'm going to make a statement which many guys will call BS....... I believe Soft Ray was not included with air conditioning on any of these same vehicles, it was a separate option. I always hear people say that A/C did not come with clear glass but I believe that is wrong.
In about 1976 I purchased a 67 Parisienne 4 door hardtop at a salvage auction. It was a pretty plain car, as most Canadian cars were. 283, Powerglide, PS, PB, radio but the one odd thing, it had factory air conditioning. No Soft Ray glass, every window in the car with the exception of the windshield was clear.
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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars
I am sure there were exceptions with regard to the Soft Ray glass. Im thinking alot of folks generalize the air cars having Soft Ray glass as "typical". I was hoping to see or hear of other 68 Beaumont examples of this option factory installed. My build sheet does not physically identify this existing on my car. I wonder if others have seen this listed on their build sheets?
I am going to support you Carl, my understanding was that the Front windshield would be soft ray tinted glass with A/C but not the rest. I also understand that this likely change to all windows in the 70's.
I am sure there were exceptions with regard to the Soft Ray glass. Im thinking alot of folks generalize the air cars having Soft Ray glass as "typical". I was hoping to see or hear of other 68 Beaumont examples of this option factory installed. My build sheet does not physically identify this existing on my car. I wonder if others have seen this listed on their build sheets?
By your build sheet, do you mean you found the option tag in the interior of the car, or are you referring to GM documentation for your car?
Most of the cars listed in the registry here don't have a full option list shown but there is one other 68 Beaumont in the registry with A01 which is tinted glass.
my Vintage vehicle paperwork makes no mention of this option....nor does my data tag list A01 either...and nor does my convertible have air cond., but it does have the Soft Ray glass
-- Edited by BlackBeau on Saturday 10th of April 2021 11:57:10 PM
My LeMans has RPO A02 on GMVVS documents for tinted Windshield. RPO A01 is tinted all windows.
When a car is 50 years or older I think it is reasonable to expect that the windshield has been changed at some point.
I know that when I had windshields changed due to cracks I would always get clear ones replaced with Tinted. Insurance wouldn't pay for the tinted when the car came with clear but the incremental cost was usually peanuts which I gladly paid. I am sure I'm not the only person who did this.
-- Edited by 73SC on Sunday 11th of April 2021 12:47:07 AM
yes, indeed my convertible has a new windshield installed, and it is the tinted version. But my side window glass is clearly marked Soft Ray...with the canadian manufactured glass...not the LOF glass....with reasonably correct dates. ..and no indication of it on any documents or tags.
Soft Ray would have been an option on any Canadian Pontiac/Beaumont/Acadian in the 60's according to any of the literature I've seen.
And I'm going to make a statement which many guys will call BS....... I believe Soft Ray was not included with air conditioning on any of these same vehicles, it was a separate option. I always hear people say that A/C did not come with clear glass but I believe that is wrong.
In about 1976 I purchased a 67 Parisienne 4 door hardtop at a salvage auction. It was a pretty plain car, as most Canadian cars were. 283, Powerglide, PS, PB, radio but the one odd thing, it had factory air conditioning. No Soft Ray glass, every window in the car with the exception of the windshield was clear.
I always understood they were separate options. On any GM build sheets I've seen where a car had both AC and all tinted soft ray glass, both option codes were listed.
My US built 63 GP had AC and all clear glass except the windshield.
My US built 69 Chevy Kingswood had AC with ALL clear glass including the windshield.
yes, indeed my convertible has a new windshield installed, and it is the tinted version. But my side window glass is clearly marked Soft Ray...with the canadian manufactured glass...not the LOF glass....with reasonably correct dates. ..and no indication of it on any documents or tags.
Likely someone has added it? Or how long have you owned the car?
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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars
I sold a full set of convertible Canadian tint including the folding top glass that I took out of a Beaumont parts car so would expect others have done it over the years.
yes, indeed my convertible has a new windshield installed, and it is the tinted version. But my side window glass is clearly marked Soft Ray...with the canadian manufactured glass...not the LOF glass....with reasonably correct dates. ..and no indication of it on any documents or tags.
I'm thinking it could be possible that Soft Ray glass could have been installed at the factory by mistake, or to keep the line moving in the event that a particular piece of clear glass wasn't available when it came time to install it.
This sort of thing happened a fair amount back in the day. Never say never.
I purchased my fist new car in 1976 a Monte Carlo. The car was ordered fully loaded including an electric sun roof, air conditioning, power windows etc. When the car arrived I was a little disappointed because the side windows were clear and not soft ray tinted. The front windshield and rear window with both tinted. The dealer had made a mistake when ordering and explained they assumed when air conditioning was ordered that all glass would be soft ray. I only kept the car for a year because I hated the huge doors that were so heavy.
Another question about glass is when did GM change from Shade-Lite to Soft Ray.
I purchased my fist new car in 1976 a Monte Carlo. The car was ordered fully loaded including an electric sun roof, air conditioning, power windows etc. When the car arrived I was a little disappointed because the side windows were clear and not soft ray tinted. The front windshield and rear window with both tinted. The dealer had made a mistake when ordering and explained they assumed when air conditioning was ordered that all glass would be soft ray. I only kept the car for a year because I hated the huge doors that were so heavy.
Another question about glass is when did GM change from Shade-Lite to Soft Ray.
Al
The last Canadian built car I owned that had shade lite glass was a 66 Bel Air 2 door sedan with all tinted glass. Any Canadian car I owned with full tint after that year was soft ray (not that I had many such Canadian cars however). All my US cars had soft ray glass.
Another question about glass is when did GM change from Shade-Lite to Soft Ray.
Al
My understanding is Shade-Lite is a Canadian name.
I have a full set of Shade-Lite from a non-AC '64 Parisienne.
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Prince Edward Island
'64 Parisienne CS "barn find" - last on the road in '86 ... Owner Protection Plan booklet, original paint, original near-mint aqua interior, original aqua GM floor mats, original 283, factory posi, and original rust.
Another question about glass is when did GM change from Shade-Lite to Soft Ray.
Al
My understanding is Shade-Lite is a Canadian name.
I have a full set of Shade-Lite from a non-AC '64 Parisienne.
Curious - was that set of 64 Pontiac shade light glass harvested from a silver Parisienne in PEI? If so I think I know the car.
Nope, it wasn't silver. An Aztec Gold-like colour originally white.
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Prince Edward Island
'64 Parisienne CS "barn find" - last on the road in '86 ... Owner Protection Plan booklet, original paint, original near-mint aqua interior, original aqua GM floor mats, original 283, factory posi, and original rust.
