Buying a 1955 Chevrolet Restoration Glass Kit: Matching the Kit to Your Car
The short answer
Buy a glass kit listed for your car's exact body style, not just for "1955 Chevrolet." The windshield may be common to several 1955 passenger cars, but side and rear glass change with the body. A kit for a post sedan will not fit a hardtop, and neither will fit a wagon or convertible. Before ordering, confirm your body style, choose clear or tinted glass, decide whether you need original-style date codes and markings, and check whether seals and channels are included or sold separately.
One condition changes the answer completely. If your vehicle is a 1955 Chevrolet truck rather than a passenger car, you need truck glass. Chevrolet built two different 1955 truck designs, the First Series and the Second Series. Their glass is not interchangeable, so confirm which series you have before you shop.
Identify your body style first
The 1955 passenger line came in three trim series: One-Fifty, Two-Ten and Bel Air. Trim alone does not decide glass fit. The body style does. Body styles that affect glass include:
Two-door sedan (post); Four-door sedan (post); Two-door hardtop, sold as the Sport Coupe; Convertible; Two-door and four-door station wagons; Nomad two-door wagon; Sedan delivery
A post car has a fixed pillar between the front and rear side windows. A hardtop has no fixed pillar, and its door and quarter glass usually sit in different frames or channels. If you are unsure which body you have, check the body tag on the firewall. Your car may have been modified, so compare it with a known original of the same style before ordering.
Check what the kit actually includes
"Complete kit" means different things to different sellers. Ask for a piece-by-piece list. Depending on body style, it may include the windshield, back glass, door glass, vent (wing) glass and quarter glass, plus extra rear and side pieces on wagons. Some kits leave out vent glass or only include the larger pieces.
Also check whether door and vent glass come loose or already set in their frames or channels. Loose glass costs less to ship but takes more work to install.
Choose the glass type and finish
Clear or tinted: Factory tinted glass was an option, so either can suit the car. For an authentic restoration, match what the car originally had if you can document it. Date codes and markings: Judged or concours-level restorations may need glass with period-correct markings and date codes. A driver or restomod usually does not. Safety construction: The windshield should be laminated safety glass. Side and rear pieces vary by design. Confirm the construction of each piece with the seller.
Plan for seals and installation
New glass in old, hardened rubber often leaks or cracks during installation. Most restorers replace the windshield and rear glass weatherstrip, door and window seals, and the window channel or run felt at the same time. Find out whether the kit includes these parts. If it does not, order them for the same body style.
Windshields and back glass on cars of this era sit in rubber gaskets, and fitting them well takes practice. Many owners hire an auto glass shop that works on classic cars for those two pieces. Door and quarter glass usually go in during door and interior assembly.
Questions to settle before you order
Is the kit listed for my exact body style, and for a 1955 car rather than a 1956 or 1957? Which pieces are included, and is vent glass part of it? Is the glass clear or tinted, and does it carry date codes or original-style markings? Are seals, channels or frames included? How is the glass packed for shipping, and what happens if it arrives broken?
Information you will need to supply yourself
This guide does not include current prices, stock, part numbers or exact glass sizes. It also cannot confirm which pieces carry over between 1955, 1956 and 1957 Chevrolets. Get those details from the seller's fitment data for your body style. If it matters for your restoration, compare them with a factory parts or assembly manual.