Biil, my experience has been the same as yours. Seems like my original
windshield was ond heck of a lot harder/tougher. The replacement seems
to lack that toughness.

John Rodgers
88 GL Driver

Bill Marshall wrote:
> I'll toss my 2 cents into the kitty...
>
> I had my windshield replaced about a year ago. Original 1985 windshield had
> pitting you wouldn't believe -- if driving into the sunset, it was opaque.
> Poor neighborhood kids running and screaming, oncoming cars honking, driving
> with my head out the window, etc.  Got a new windshield and the next day, a
> small rock put a nice set of 3 gouges right in my line of site.  Not
> chips/bullseyes, just gouges.  I've wondered the same thing, is this glass
> just softer?  I've taken bigger hits on my old windshield with no marks.  For
> that matter, I took a foot-long chunk of truck tire tread square in middle at
> highway speed, with no ill effects.
>
> Maybe it is softer.  New regulations?  Cheap glass?  More safe?  I'd like to
> hear from a glass engineer what the various differences in glass are.
>
> Bill Marshall
> 85 GL Tiico "Pandora's Box"
> Bradenton FL
>