Having a new windshield but want the sun gate solar coating.

I was having some things done on my car at the body shop, and the windshield chip became a crack from the stress of removing the windshield. Long story short I need a replacement and that has been found and done at a decent price. However, is there any way to get the solar coating that the infamous Sungate ones had. ThankSS!

The factory "Sungate" process was not a coating but microscopic metal particles in the glass itself. This is how it filtered out infrared heat. The metal also affects some windshield mounted toll transponders.

The Sungate windows are no longer available. The only glass you can get is standard clear. As far as effectiveness of the Sungate window, the jury is still out on that. I have a 91 without it, and a 92 with it, and the interiors have about the same amount of UV damage. One of the issues with the Sungate glass is that it tends to delaminate around the edges, getting worse each year. My 92 is almost to where you can see it from the inside. All of the Sungate glass I have seen in the junk yards have had noticeable amounts of delamination.

I threw 38% tint on mine and it's awesome...but the auto headlight Twilight Sentinel always has the lights on now.

sadly no longer available, i heard there ws some solar glass replacements but with a green tint to them. Makes me a bit paranoid to drive my car as I'm always worried about the glass, my OCC has a perfect sungate no chips or delam, just a bit of hazing from the wipers.

You could polish out the hazing from the wipers. Just do it carefully.

I believe Eastwood has a polishing compound for that.

Rev Bob wrote:

The factory "Sungate" process was not a coating but microscopic metal particles in the glass itself. This is how it filtered out infrared heat. The metal also affects some windshield mounted toll transponders.  

I have read this before. Someplace I read there is a place on the windshield for toll transponders. Does anyone know if that is true, or where it is located?
thanks

Quote :

Someplace I read there is a place on the windshield for toll transponders

If so, it required the gift of prophesy on the part of GM. Even the latest (1996) Sungate windshields predate widespread use of toll transponders.

The only spot I have ever found in my wagons that works with an EZPass is holding it in my hand out the window; a royal PITA in cold and rainy weather. I've also had two external transponders, and neither one would get picked up more than about 60% of the time when mounted as directed above the front plate (ugly too... like a piece of spinach in your teeth).

Isurf wrote:

I have read this before. Someplace I read there is a place on the windshield for toll transponders. Does anyone know if that is true, or where it is located? thanks

Not on the B-Body Sungates as they are fully coated. You may be thinking of the ZR-1 Corvettes that did have an uncoated rectangle on the bottom left for "garage door openers" (read: radar detectors).

- J

nite shades translucent paint would help add a sun shade to the w/s. or get a eyebrow sticker off ebay.

didn't feel like making a thread just for this so as it's related I'll just post it here.

RIP to another original sungate windshield, mine has very little delam around the edges, but there is about a 4 inch crack starting at the bottom edge under the driver side wiper about a quarter inch from the wiper stop, went to safelit and they refused to even try to fix the crack as it goes to the edge so only options where to drive it as it was and hope it doesn't crack more or play it safe and get it replaced. so on Monday my 94 is getting a new windshield.

As to the coating, it does have an effect as I have transition lenses in my glasses and in my Pontiac or even my moms 03 century in the sun they darken but in my buick even being almost blinded by the sun in the morning there is almost no darkening of the lenses.

""As to the coating, it does have an effect as I have transition lenses in my glasses and in my Pontiac or even my moms 03 century in the sun they darken but in my buick even being almost blinded by the sun in the morning there is almost no darkening of the lenses.""

This is really interesting. The metal particles in the SunGate windshields block infrared. The Transition lenses react to ultraviolet.

I would think they would block UV, because that is what fades the dyes.

From a PPG document (Surface Finishing) from 1999.

""Sungate windshields are produced from two pieces of glass with a vinyl interlayer sandwiched between. The outer glass has a transparent metallic coating that reflects solar infrared heat while transmitting visible light. As a result, Sungate windshields reflect or absorb about 60 percent of the solar energy striking the glass.""

The coating is on the side of the glass against the vinyl layer.

The newer green windshields are fine. Put some heat reflecting clear film on the windshield if you want the heat block.

Does anyone know if there is a window film, like tint, but clear, for windshields, to block UV rays? Here is south florida it gets mighty hot inside mine, even with dark tint on all the side and rear glass.

When I had my wagon tinted the shop had signs on the wall for clear films. It was a 3M shop but I figure most every manufacturer has their own version.

Nearly ALL types of glass and most plastics (except for fluorocarbon plastics like Teflon) block most of the UV spectrum. The ozone layer blocks UVC from reaching the earth. Most of the remaining UVB in sunlight is blocked by most types of glass. (Note "most of the UV). More of the longer wavelength UVA is transmitted by normal glass. BUT, while UVB and UVA is more damaging to plastics than much of the visible spectrum, the shorter wavelengths in violet and blue do exactly the same damage. It just takes a higher intensity and longer time. The poison is in the dose. The intense heat inside the car is also an important factor in degrading plastics.

There is no magic plastic or glass or rub-on snake oil that will protect plastic inside a car for 24+ years in intense sunlight. The effect of a sungate windshield was trivial over long periods of time. Let them die.