1953 Cabriolet

[Jim Liberty]

Can you guys tell me if the rear window in a 1953 cabriolet is plastic or glass. .....................Jim.

[Alan Hall]

I believe that for a Reutter Cab it was plastic, 4 mm thick. Mounted in a wooden frame, held by rubber moulding. Frame was covered by the top material on the outside and on inside a headliner covered thin oval wood piece which screwed into the wooden frame. I think people often thought the thick plexi was glass. This was early '53, it may have changed to the larger thin plastic, sewn in window later in '53 or the change may have been made in '54. Perhaps James Davies knows when the change was made.

[Bil Brown]

Jim.....is your Cab Reutter?

[Jim Liberty]

Bill, it is a 1952 Glaser. The last to leave their facility. Finished by Reutter, but no records as the the state of finish when it left Glaser. CARDEX calls it a '53 due to the hold-up in completion. I have a 2mm. plastic piece, and made a 3/16" glass as well. ........Jim.

[Bil Brown]

Tom Birch and Brett Johnson were very helpful with the top plexi/alum frame assy. for 12328 here locally.

[James Davies]

If the top was finished by Reutter, perhaps it was a Reutter top. But of course the actual folding tops were completely different. So you need to compare yours to a 1953 Reutter top and see if they are the same. If so, then follow Alan's advice. If not, then it is likely a Gläser top, and likely you'll need to talk to Reinhold Plank or Tom Birch.