clear no tint 1994 dakota windshield?

[bmwjohn]

Hi:
at some point I want to replace my windshield with a completely clear windshield, everywhere I look it is "slightly tinted" or variable tint, etc. and vendors don't seem to understand what I want. Anybody know for sure if I can get this? Thanks!

 

[bdcardinal]

Unless it was a factory option it probably does not exist. Almost all windshields have a tint strip on the top and are a green tint on the rest of the glass. I remember Ford offering a non-tinted window for older F-Series trucks but the part was made obsolete and replaced by the tinted version.

 

[eljefino]

I had a total stripper dakota with zero options and even it had a tint up top.

IDK how they do part numbering but you could find a bottleneck that somehow, insanely, makes them all the same.

 

[Tegger]

Originally Posted By: bmwjohn
everywhere I look it is "slightly tinted" or variable tint

I think the issue is cost-control through parts-rationalization. In other words, there's only one configuration available now, and that being the one that will work in all cases.

You get the same thing with radiators: If there was originally a manual transmission version (single core, no cooler) and an automatic transmission version (dual core, with cooler), now only the automatic version will be available, since it will do for both applications.

When you're making hundreds of thousands of a part for a production line, and you want to have different price-points for marketing purposes for new-sale, it makes sense to have clear and tinted windshields. But supplying the aftermarket involves comparatively tiny quantities, so parts-differentiation makes little sense once original-run stocks are gone.

Years ago I used to do lots of work with Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers to the automakers, and we ran into this sort of thing all the time.