Windshield rake angles

Cranky · Apr 18, 2020

Got to looking at my 66 Belvedere's windshield and thought it looked like it had a decent angle to it so I measured it. The car is sitting at pretty close to a stock ride height and the angle finder shows 40*. Only other vehicles here these days are my 95/96 Dakotas and a 97 2500. The stock ride height Dakota is right at 43* and the 2500 is 37*. The 3500 surprised me.

Darter6 · Apr 18, 2020

Way back when,I'm talkin' late 60's, It was said that the 63 B"body had the most aerodynamic windshield design for high speed.
Designers would go back and forth as far as function and style thru the years.

odcics2 · Apr 18, 2020

Side wrap has to also be considered.

The 68-70 B body windshield is better than the 71-74 B bodies.
They wrap around more!

Aeronet · Apr 18, 2020

Chrysler tested windshield rake angles on the '71 Charger and Road Runner. There is a lengthy article on the G-series ('71 model year) aero tests on AeroWarriors.com.
However, Chrysler didn't change the windshield rake angle from the '68 Chargers vs the '69 Daytonas. At least, I don't think they did.
It would be interesting to know if the '66 Plymouth rake angle is different from a '67's or a '68's. Richard Petty's '67 season took off once they re-skinned their '66 Belvedere with '67 sheet metal. Also, looking at Petty's '68 Road Runner at the '68 Daytona 500 it looks like windshield rake angle wasn't as important as trying to get a good angle on the rear window.

Cranky · Apr 18, 2020

Darter6 said:
Way back when,I'm talkin' late 60's, It was said that the 63 B"body had the most aerodynamic windshield design for high speed.
Designers would go back and forth as far as function and style thru the years.

In the more modern times making the glass flush and getting rid of the rain gutters was a couple of the better improvements for aero and wind noise.

Aeronet said:
It would be interesting to know if the '66 Plymouth rake angle is different from a '67's or a '68's. Richard Petty's '67 season took off once they re-skinned their '66 Belvedere with '67 sheet metal. Also, looking at Petty's '68 Road Runner at the '68 Daytona 500 it looks like windshield rake angle wasn't as important as trying to get a good angle on the rear window.

From what I understand, the 67 is the same as the 66 Belvederes. I also have some window and gutter trim from a 67 Coronet and it looks to be the same as the Belvedere.

YY1 · Apr 18, 2020

Are 66-70 2D HT windshields not all the same?

Cranky · Apr 18, 2020

YY1 said:
Are 66-70 2D HT windshields not all the same?

Not sure about the the 68-70.......but pretty sure the 66-67 are the same. Been years since checking but seems like I remember when I was looking for a new one for my 66, I was told a 67 is the same. Makes sense because those year cars are so similar.

1 Wild R/T · Apr 18, 2020

66 & 67 are more upright than 68-70, except convertibles.... 66-67 2 dr vent window assemblies will work on 68-70 vert....

If you install a 68-70 vent window assy on a 66-67 there will be a 1.25" gap at the top...

YY1 · Apr 18, 2020

The fastback glass and sheet metal on the 66/67 Charger made it too slippery and hard to keep the rear wheels down.

The buttresses on the 68/69 sucked in air and held it back.
The setback grill didn't help either.

I find it bizarre that gm repeated almost the same mistake with the early 80's monte carlo and had to build a special "aero" version with a different rear glass.

Aeronet · Apr 18, 2020

YY1 said:
The fastback glass and sheet metal on the 66/67 Charger made it too slippery and hard to keep the rear wheels down.

The buttresses on the 68/69 sucked in air and held it back.
The setback grill didn't help either.

I find it bizarre that gm repeated almost the same mistake with the early 80's monte carlo and had to build a special "aero" version with a different rear glass.

GM, always behind the times. Pityful, pityful.

Windshield rake angles

Cranky

Banned Henchman #27

Darter6

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odcics2

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Aeronet

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Cranky

Banned Henchman #27

YY1

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Cranky

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1 Wild R/T

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YY1

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Aeronet

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