Windshields for a PD-4103

[thejumpsuitman]

Hello again folks,

I am having so much fun looking at buses that in a way, I am going to be sad when we actually settle on one.   

As many as I have looked at, I am starting to think again about the very first one I saw right down the road from me.  It was a '52 4103 absolutely ready to go...  Drive train, tires, interior, everything 100% on go--(well, except maybe the paint.)  It is owned by an older gentleman, a mechanic himself, who's son owns a diesel service center right next to the guy's house.  He did the conversion, and although it lacks some of the finer details, it is functional and well laid out. 

I almost feel silly about the one thing that killed it for me...  It was the fact that he modified the front to accept flat windshield glass.  It can probably be reversed, but that just turned me off.  I am sure some of you purists out there can relate.  He said he did it because the original windshields, which were hit be flying road debris in Alaska, were over $2,000 to replace. 

Is that right?  Are they that expensive?  Am I being silly to be turned off by his farmer engineering?  I wish I had taken pictures of it to show...  Maybe I'll go back to see it again. 

Also, I didn't really understand at the time, but the gentleman really touted the virtues of it's simplicity.  He said he really liked the 4103 because he knew he could fix just about anything on it himself, and that with his trips to Alaska, he didn't want to deal with air bags, etc. 

Thoughts on that?  how much ride-comfort is sacrificed with this model?  Is it that bad on leaf springs?  Also didn't really care for the walkway up the middle of the bus, but I guess it wasn't really all that bad.

Thanks,
Marc

[thejumpsuitman]

I should have done a search before posting... Or just read down a little.  I now see that the answer is yes, they are that expensive and rare.

Marc

[James77MCI8]

PM dallas. he owns a 4103. I owned one too. It was a solid bus. Some guy in NC bought it from me, but it had the original curved glass. They are expensive!