Why flip-up glass in windshield

Many cars and most trucks had it, air conditioning. I drove a 49 Brockway with the fold out windshield. The steel cab was framed in oak.

The folding windshield was originally for shipping. Making a more compact unit. I carried over into the civilian models be cause it was an easy way to attach the windshield it also allowed for greater visibility. And lower overall height. And most important MORE FUN.
 

I was talking fold out or tilt out windshields. Ford trucks had them at least to 1947. Chevy's and Pontiac had a crank handle on the dash to crank out the windshield.

Yes they save space when folded down over the hood but English sports cars had the same feature and I doubt it was to save space, more like wind in the face.

Many roadsters in the 30's and 40's had both the tilt out and fold down windshield.


Edited by ralf - 13 Feb. 2016 at 6:21pm

Well if its 100 degrees out and you want your top on so you don't bake, you can fold out the windshield so you get good air flow going through the cab or inside if a jeep. Kinda like wing windows, where you could point it at your face.

Does anyone else have trouble keeping thiers open?  The slightest bit of speed or a byumpo at low speed and mine wants to slam shut.  I have the thumb screws pretty well tight.  My springs are sill there.  Just seems like an aweful lot of weight for the arms to hold up?

If you have the lollipop style Walck's sells the starfish looking spring washer.

Willys-Overland carried over the MB's 2-part windshield for the CJ2A for one main reason: Cost. Even though W-O emerged from WWII flush with cash, company management kept its investment in the post-war Universal jeeps to a minimum -- larger headlamps, tailgate, T-90, timing gears being the main changes in the 1945-48 2A. Unfortunately the 2-part flip-up windshield they didn't change is a piece of junk. I inherited my 1947 2A from my dad who bought it new. He replaced the crappy original windshield with the far superior 3A windshield in the early 1950s because (in his words) "it sealed much better in winter, didn't rattle, worked better with a pair of vacuum wipers, and it was simply a much more robust structure overall. And, I liked the hinged vent."

Perhaps there were some specialized customers (including U.S. and overseas military) who requested that crappy hinged windshield. Or maybe W-O wanted to use up their stock of those Mickey Mouse "lolly pop" inner windshield adjusting arms that are supposed to keep the inner windshield open, but rarely do.

WeeWilly wrote: I like my "crappy"2a windshield lol