milky windshield glass

[pdp8]

I'm really noticing my B110 / 1200 coupe front windshield is particularly opaque in a light milk-glass sort of way.  I haven't noticed this in most of my old auto-glass.  The other windows are affected but don't seem as bad, though it might just be that I"m not looking through them as much.  Does anybody know if there is anything to be done?  If it's something in the glass itself or a film in the layering of laminate glass I guess I'm pretty sunk but I suppose there is some small chance it's surface oxidation of minerals in the glass which could be polished out.  I've tried various chemical cleaners with no success.  

[datzenmike]

Glass does not oxidize, but the plastic laminate between the glass nay be affected by age and ultra violet? I have some around the edge of my front glass. Sides and rear are not laminated and are fine.

 

Best to be sure so get some extra fine steel wool and polish the outside and inside in a 'foggy' area and see. Glass is much harder than steel so it won't scratch it but will remove anything stuck to it like bugs and debris. I even tried some cerium oxide from a rock and gem polishing store. It's exceedingly fine polishing abrasive and no luck. It did remove some fine scratches but took a long time and rubbing.

[thisismatt]

Steel most definitely can/will scratch glass.  Also steel wool will leave debris that will rust and stain.  

 

Most likely it is the laminated plastic.  It can start to separate/de-laminate and take on an opaque/milky look.  That's why you never see it happen on side glass, because they are not laminated.

[MikeRL411]

Definitely discoloration of the central plastic layer.  Most juristictions allow some discoloration or opaqueness in antique cars because of this known problem.  But ! When the problem interferes with driver safety, you will likely get a summons to replace the glass.  

[datzenmike]

Have to disagree. Glass is harder than steel wool. About 6-7 Mohs compared to under 5 for steel and near 4 for low carbon steel wool. If the steel is rusty you may scratch it or if the glass is not cleaned first and you grind road dust into the glass. As for rust after using, who wouldn't wash away and clean the glass after using?

 

I use it every year at the start of driving weather followed by several applications of Rain-X which fills microscopic scratches so water can't grip the glass and falls or is blown off.  

[grannyknot]

7 hours ago, datzenmike said:

I use it every year at the start of driving weather followed by several applications of Rain-X which fills microscopic scratches so water can't grip the glass and falls or is blown off.  

I've been doing exactly the same thing for decades now with no scratches, you just have to use #0000 steel wool, also I got lazy and now squirt a bunch of Rain-X into the washer bottle, works just as well.

[LS_Wagon]

Have you tried to polish it? The back window on my 69 Wagon looked terrible. It was stained with a white fog/haze from the inside. I tried all kinds of cleaner and nothing would seem to remove it. I then purchased a cheap glass polishing kit from amazon and made some progress. Sure it took about an hour but I’m happy. I will need to polish the rest of the window to get the stains out. 
 

 

 

 

This pic below shows the progress. You can now see through the worst part.

 

 

 

This is the kit I used.

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00AFAEE4I?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

 

 

Hope you can get the glass cleared out.

Edited February 23, 2020 by LS_Wagon