Aarrgh! crack in my windshield!

[BlackZR1]

Looking around the car with a flashlight and I notice this crack at the bottom driver's side corner of my original windshield. Almost invisible without the flashlight at the right angle.
I guess the good news is that it begins and ends at an edge so it won't travel but what would cause a crack at this location?

Thanks,
Roger

[secondchance]

Was the car jacked up recently? Possibly with the roof off?

[BlackZR1]

Was the car jacked up recently? Possibly with the roof off?

Yes, I've had it jacked up a dozen times over the last year. Plastic roof is always on. I'm usually careful to use 2 jacks at the front jack points (1 on each side) lifting a little at a time alternating each side until I can get my larger jack under the front cross member. I've heard the forum mention how jacking unequally can cause cracked windshields so I have been careful.

[BigJohn]

Been doing wheel stander starts?

[BlackZR1]

Been doing wheel stander starts?

Haha, I wish that was the cause!
I need a few more ponies for that.

What makes me mad is that I have taken great care not to lift either side unevenly for exactly this reason.

[BigJohn]

Haha, I wish that was the cause!
I need a few more ponies for that.

What makes me mad is that I have taken great care not to lift either side unevenly for exactly this reason.

Yeah a cracked windshield really sucks.
I have both tops; I leave my hardtop in all the time.

[Ryan Chappel]

I have never taken the top off....PO never took the top off....
When I first posted here, I mentioned that I understood there was a lot of flex and a potential windshield damage issue when jacking unevenly...
....I remember a difference of opinion among posters here..

[Blownrunner]

I thought that using the under the rocker stiffening bars help this? Installed them on mine and adjusted. Addressing the flexing body is a far better mod than any other for this car. On a brighter side, will insurance cover it? I have the classic car insurance and the windshield repair is 100% reimbursable. Then you can get one of those fancy hi-tech reproduction windshields for free.

[BlackZR1]

I thought that using the under the rocker stiffening bars help this? Installed them on mine and adjusted. Addressing the flexing body is a far better mod than any other for this car. On a brighter side, will insurance cover it? I have the classic car insurance and the windshield repair is 100% reimbursable. Then you can get one of those fancy hi-tech reproduction windshields for free.

You are probably correct about insurance coverage. The picture I posted was while shining a flashlight at just the right angle to make the crack visible. In normal lighting it is invisible unless you are looking for it very closely. It is also down in the corner in the dark tint framed area so I'm not going to worry about it. The glass is perfect in every other way, no other chips and no delamination. Plus I risk damaging the trim that others have cautioned about. It just really pi$$es me off that it occurred while I've been so careful about jacking the car up and down evenly.
I would think some of the uneven roads and driveways or changing a tire with the factory jack lifting a single front tire off the ground would have flexed the chassis more than anything I would have done.
I should probably put the hardtop on instead of the plastic one for some extra rigidity.

[tccrab]

I have never taken the top off....PO never took the top off....
When I first posted here, I mentioned that I understood there was a lot of flex and a potential windshield damage issue when jacking unevenly...
....I remember a difference of opinion among posters here..

I've driven "Girlfriend" with targa top out, jacked her up with the top out, and jacked her up with the top on.
I did leave the top on when I put her up on very tall jackstands when I replaced the transmission.
That being said, no cracks.
Heck, I don't have any delam either.
Go figure.

Having driven girlfriend with her top off, I can tell you that you don't want to go much past 125 or so.
I'll mess up your comb-over.
It gets really noisy and the buffeting is pretty severe. Rolling up the side windows helps, but doesn't cure it.

'Crabs

[onetinsoldier]

your insurance probably wont cover it unless it obstructs your vision ! dont call them, get a hammer ! a rock fell off a truck on the highway................! I saw a company on ebay that sells reproduction zr1 windshields , about 2600.00

[ZR1North]

Looking around the car with a flashlight and I notice this crack at the bottom driver's side corner of my original windshield. Almost invisible without the flashlight at the right angle.
I guess the good news is that it begins and ends at an edge so it won't travel but what would cause a crack at this location?

Thanks,
Roger

Roger,

If you are considering replacing the windshield, you might want to check with Rob DeMarco (founding member) who has an original ZR-1 windshield that I understand he'd be willing to part with. I am not displeased with the replacement I used from the aftermarket vendor mentioned earlier, but it isn't as good (obviously) as the original if you're considering replacement.

Bob

[BlackZR1]

your insurance probably wont cover it unless it obstructs your vision ! dont call them, get a hammer ! a rock fell off a truck on the highway................! I saw a company on ebay that sells reproduction zr1 windshields , about 2600.00

onetin, Good suggestion. If the damage was more visible I might go for it but I'm thinking I can live with it.

Roger,

If you are considering replacing the windshield, you might want to check with Rob DeMarco (founding member) who has an original ZR-1 windshield that I understand he'd be willing to part with. I am not displeased with the replacement I used from the aftermarket vendor mentioned earlier, but it isn't as good (obviously) as the original if you're considering replacement.

Bob

True, even if I don't replace now it would be great to have a spare standing by.

Thanks,
Roger

[onetinsoldier]

That's probably your best solution , I have had windshields replaced in two of my vettes and they just never seem to get it factory right again ! I had one person drill new holes in the pillars , water poured in , I had to remove the seal and weld the holes up and repaint the pillars ! So if you can live with it , leave it alone !

[spork2367]

Roger,

If you are considering replacing the windshield, you might want to check with Rob DeMarco (founding member) who has an original ZR-1 windshield that I understand he'd be willing to part with. I am not displeased with the replacement I used from the aftermarket vendor mentioned earlier, but it isn't as good (obviously) as the original if you're considering replacement.

Bob

How so? I've never seen one of the replacements in person, so I'm curious.

[ZR1North]

How so? I've never seen one of the replacements in person, so I'm curious.

It's a great fit, but the "radar cut-out" is much more pronounced than on the originals; one can definitely tell the difference between the two from a distance. That said, it DOES have the cut-out which you won't get on a regular C4 glass. If I had know Robert had an original, I would have definitely gone with it.

Since originals are nearly impossible to find, I'd personally opt for the ZR-1 replacement rather than the regular C4 windshield, but striking gold is finding an original.