For those of you with 68's..We need to dispel myths surrounding Bird glass.

If you have Bird Glass, What is the Fisher Body tag build date?

Lets see if we can figure this out.

My April coded 68 did not
My 3rd week December 68 does.

Lets keep this limited to only 68 owners and factual data. Please refrain from any other hijacks.

And if you have PHS, lets run down the option codes as well.

My 07D does (July)

Banshee, clue us ignorant and less educated 68 owners in to what we are looking for.

I have an original 68 bird, and it does have original glass. Whats the next step here? You referring to the etched bird in the glass?

The chassis build in two numbers followed by A,B,C,D or E. The chassis build is on the cowl tag on firewall, just to left of master cylinder just below "BODY" in BODY BY FISHER.

Okay, got it.

I do not have the etched bird glass.

John, read the first post!

"If you have Bird Glass, What is the Fisher Body tag build date?
Lets keep this limited to only 68 owners and factual data. Please refrain from any other hijacks. And if you have PHS, lets run down the option codes as well".

You did not post your cowl tag info!

09B LOR - no bird glass.
68-22667 346
256 K2

Custom trim option.

Banshee, I have a 68 and i have those fisher door sill plates, does this mean my body is by fisher?
sorry for posting here, i just have to know.

01D (week 4 Jan 68) no Bird glass. Custom interior.

(This was assembled a few years ago on the "List". I'll see if I saved the responses. It would be in my AOL mail on my old computer if I saved it. No date or option code correlation was found at that time. Hope you find one.)

07D with bird glass
Trim 59 - Verdoro green - black int. and black conv. top
options:
343 - 350cid
352 - auto trans
472 - console
501 - power steering
502 - power brakes
544 - power conv. top
551 - power windows
554 - custom trim
TMD - wsw F70x14 tires

Jordan, All Firebird bodies were built by Fisher Body. Your sill plates are part of the designation, your cowl tag reads year, make model, options (67 only) paint code, vinyl top code, interior trim code/color etc.

A local 1st Gen owner I know bought his RA Bird new in 12/67 and it has Bird glass. If you want I can email him for his exact build date.

I have the bird glass.

I'll give you the entire top row from the tag:

68 22637 LOR 13024 30D

The date on cowl tag is the first line. Example 04D,12C,01A

ok...I gotta confirm that.

When I lifted the data from the tag a while back, I did so by rubbing a pencil on a piece of paper held over the plate. I can't make out those 3 characters so I'll go out to the garage tomorrow.

I can say though that the build date would be before June 20, 1968 because I still have the original owner's manual and protecto-plate. That date appears on one of them.

If you know your car has non-original doors or glass, please be aware that entering the data from two different cars will taint the research.

What happens if Terry sends you cowl data on the eight '68 birds he has in the FL yard, then announces "none currently have any glass to speak of"?

Will that skew this research project? It looks to me like you are trying to call someones bluff on a fib. Why not be upfront about it if thats the case?

I've fibbed (exagerated) here once or twice and you've all called me on the carpet. Can't fib much here, thats what I like about this website!!

John, no joke here. If you read the post..if you have a 68 and Bird glass, post your cowl tag data.

IF YOU HAVE BIRD GLASS AND COWL TAG BUILD DATE FOR A 68 POST IT.

Not fishing here with extraneous posting. POST ONLY IF YOU OWN A 68 WITH BIRD GLASS.

I am not looking for rhetoric or what if's. The request is simple, direct and very serious.

Simple.

If there is a chance that a certain number of Birds are in a later date category, but most are within a certain period, and there are a few others scattered, I think I can make a solid determination on dates.

Again, I ask, those that only own a 68 WITH BIRD GLASS need reply.

If someone wants to create a post in regards to this one, please do so. I am trying to do some serious inquiring for the benefit of the board. So again, PLEASE excuse yourself if you do not have a 1968 Pontiac Firebird WITH bird glass.

Trying to not be a jerk..But the initial post clearly states that I am looking for 68 Firebird owners WITH bird glass and the cowl tag date for chassis build.

My Bird is from Dec 67, I'll have to check the actual code but it does have the "Bird Glass" and is the original glass. I'll check and post the actual data when I return home.

I searched for Bird Glass entries on the 1st Gen Registry and found 23 entrys with the box checked:
06B, 05C, 11C, 11E, 11E, 12A, 12B, 12C, 01B, 03C, 06D, 06C, 12C, 11C, 11D, 11E, 11E, 12A, 12A, 05D, 07A, 07D, 11C.

Jim,

You see that most are in the first run..earliest is 3rd week November. 15 within a 6 week run out of 23.
1 in January
1 in February
1 in March
1 in May
3 in June
2 in July

Now for the Van Nuys and Lordstown breakdown.

I say the early Birds were Lordstown Birds and the later May June and July were Van Nuys.

The Feb/March/April may be wildcards.

I had a 11C (3rd week of November at the Lordstown, Ohio plant)car. Still own the glass.

In the batch of 23, the first two LOS all others LOR

So was I close? I was only guessing. Lordstown close to where glass was manufactured.

First two were May and June.

I just tried a correlation with coupe vs convert and tinted vs std - no correlation

Lets break out the slide rulers and flow charts.

LOR vs LOS
Coupe vs convert.
tint vs no tint
Cowl tag dates

Not up on the option codes, but I am sure it would be fun to try and figure out. Not perfect but an effort.

Call me regarding "the registry". I have some disheartening information regarding..First hand reliable, not to be repeated.

I can and will create a database for this topic, to make patterns easy to detect.

I do not need or want VINs. Body tag info as above including plant code, plus string of billing history codes separated by commas (i.e. 342, 544, 712). Also whether PPG or LOF glass.

email to yellowbird@thefirstgensite.com.

I must have got Banshees curiosity piqued earlier lmao.
I climbed up in the attic to check whether its PPG or LOF but couldnt tell without a major re-organizing session lol. But it DOES look tinted, if that helps. Anyways, heres my info...

11C (3rd week of Nov)
ST 68-22437 LOR 13508
261 K-K

Yea, you got me thinking... The 68 is a 12C car with Bird Glass and I have always heard conflicting stories on where, when, why, how..regarding the glass.

As long as everyone provides accurate informationa and footnotes on door replacement, glass replacement or any other variable, the data would be a great reference.

After Vik told me that early 68 HO's may not have long branch manifolds until later on in production did I get to thinking about that and Bird glass.

Jim C sent me some good info that needs to be broken down.

I don't expect any ground breaking revelation out of this, but would be great to document and further the exploration of how our cars were built 40 years ago. The more we pry and obtain now, the easier it will be. Soon, these cars may be changed hands too many times to get any accurate information from.

Over the years and as lately as a year ago, I have been installing bird glass in many 1968 cars that never came with it...I see bird glass for sale real cheap and i buy it just in case I want to install it in other cars I might own...In fact one of the 68's I bought recently had bird glass in the car as the previous owner was going to do the same swap....Has anyone tried to find out how many "bird glass" cars have factory tinted glass as well ?

One brand of glass had a curved bottom (inside the door), this is the later style common with '69. Earlier glass has a flat bottom. I'm not sure which is which brand...but it can help in determining if glass was replaced at a later date.

Both my 68's have the bird glass, one coupe, one vert, unfortunaly I didn't see this post until this morning, no cowl info with me. But both are LOR I believe. I'm gone until the 19th after today. Maybe I'll remember to look it up when I get back.

My 68 as far as I know did not have bird glass, at least when I got it and assuming both windows were not replaced which is doubtfull. I have since installed bird glass however. Would it help the database for my date/#'s? I assume so and will post em when i get home.

If you find the glass codes it would be helpful. Car info in this case won't help, as the majority don't have bird glass.

Tom, I don't mean to throw a spanner in the works. I was told at the first T/A Nationals I attended, there use to be a gent that offered to etch the bird on the glass of your car for a nominal fee. He offered the 1st bird and the screaming chicken for the 2nd gen and up. I guess date codes on the glass would give a better picture of the info your after?

Who has bird glass handy, in a climate that is above freezing?

Take a spray bottle of water and mist the bird on both sides of the glass. Does it change its appearance? If so, etching. If not, silk screen. I do not believe the original was etched. I think it was marked with the same process as the date codes...silk screening.

Thats affirmative, Vik!

Not sure if this helps, but here is the PHS on one without the bird glass.
02C build.

http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t81/ramairone/Blue68FBBillingcard2.jpg


My father’s 68 has the bird glass. Too far away to look up any codes, but here is the PHS:

http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t81/ramairone/68BlackFBBillingCard2.jpg

Not sure if I did this like you wanted, I noticed no changes with the glass wet on mine.

Inside glass dry


Inside glass wet


Outside glass dry


Outside glass wet


The carpet is sparkly but I took the two dry pics then wet the glass and took the wet pics. Hope this helps.