Where Have All The Glass Headlights Gone?

"Peter Monshizadeh" (practicalenthusiast) 08/17/2016 at 10:40 • Filed to: Mercedes-Benz, classics

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Are there any cars on sale today that still have them?

I have to assume it has something to do with pedestrian safety, or possibly to shave 5 pounds from the overall weight of a vehicle. Is it too lofty a claim to say that automotive build quality went down around the same time they stopped fitting glass headlights? Just a thought to ponder…

To me, Mercedes always seemed to have the best glass lenses - my favorites are from the W116 Mercedes. What are your favorite glass headlights?

jimz > Peter Monshizadeh 08/17/2016 at 10:48

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some work-spec versions of pickups and vans still use sealed-beam glass headlamps.

but that’s about it. headlamps have moved away from a Fresnel-style lens, in favor of a clear lens and optimizing the shape of the reflector.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Peter Monshizadeh 08/17/2016 at 10:53

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Or windows?

Hoccy > Peter Monshizadeh 08/17/2016 at 10:58

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I have a soft spot for these w123 headlights - especially if the trim between the lenses are painted black or dark grey.

Honeybunchesofgoats > Peter Monshizadeh 08/17/2016 at 10:59

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Glass headlights 4 life

Bourbon&JellyBeans > Peter Monshizadeh 08/17/2016 at 11:00

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I would think that plastic is also much easier to mold than to shape glass. It was easy enough when headlights were either circular, square, or sqircular. Headlights today are complex shapes.

As for favorites? I really like the S90 headlights.

EDIT: Whoops, just realized you said favorite glass headlights. Have my opinion for free anyway!

Peter Monshizadeh > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 08/17/2016 at 11:02

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I’m not up to date on my auto manufacturing practices...are windows not being made of glass now? I know they have a lamination so that they shatter resistant, but that’s about it.

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 08/17/2016 at 11:03

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Pretty sure those are still glass?

Peter Monshizadeh > Bourbon&JellyBeans 08/17/2016 at 11:03

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That’s a good point. Although I do like me some glass headlights that are complex shapes. Or better yet...have special tint added to the glass.

jimz > Peter Monshizadeh 08/17/2016 at 11:04

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the windshield is laminated safety glass; it’s two layers of plate glass with an inner layer of PVB to hold it together. The rest of them (side windows, moonroof, backlite) are tempered glass. Tempered glass is the stuff that “pops” into millions of little pebbles when it breaks.

BigBlock440 > Peter Monshizadeh 08/17/2016 at 11:05

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Sealed beams aren’t mandated anymore, and glass can’t be shaped (easily) in the ways many headlights are shaped these days.

jjhats > Peter Monshizadeh 08/17/2016 at 11:20

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Im of the minority that hates euro lamps on benzes. they just look dirty and blurry. the us lamps look like defined circles which ive come to love on classic cars.

Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig > Peter Monshizadeh 08/17/2016 at 11:34

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I miss glass headlights so much. I had a ‘90 Accord in 2011, and the glass headlights were as bright and clear as the day they were cast. My ‘98 Civic’s plastic headlights are immensely cloudy.

citrus > Peter Monshizadeh 08/17/2016 at 11:52

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My brother’s 2001 9-5 has glass foglamps,

Three have been broken just driving

Not a fan of glass

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Peter Monshizadeh 08/17/2016 at 11:57

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The newest car I’ve seen with them was my 2005 fiat panda, which they sold until 2011 with i assume the same lights.

404 - User No Longer Available > Peter Monshizadeh 08/17/2016 at 12:00

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Pedestrian crash standards made them go away. We’re not building Mustangs here.

Rainbow > Peter Monshizadeh 08/17/2016 at 12:04

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Utility vans and trucks still have sealed beams sometimes, right?

jasmits > Peter Monshizadeh 08/17/2016 at 12:27

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One of mine has a rock chip that's causing the reflective surface to corrode and become less reflective.. Never seen that with plastic. They're these nice Hella halogen housings that fit where the sealed beams went on my 4Runner. Oh well, I'll probably end up buying another.

FromCanadaWithLove > Peter Monshizadeh 08/17/2016 at 12:40

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My old Jetta (2011, long gone) had glass fog lights. A rogue stone from a transport truck hit the lens and broke the glass. It wasn’t tempered or laminated. I’m willin to bet, had they been plastic, there might not have been a mark (or at least it would be cracked, but not leave the bulb exposed)

TFSIVTEC drivesavolvo > Peter Monshizadeh 08/17/2016 at 12:40

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My 2001 Saab still used glass lenses, and they're not faded.

Ross Kraz > Bourbon&JellyBeans 08/17/2016 at 12:50

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+1 for “sqircular”

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > Peter Monshizadeh 08/17/2016 at 13:35

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I think the Ford Econoline was the last with sealed beam glass headlights, nobody has a face that is glass, plastic is lighter and cheaper and you can polish it up again anyway.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Peter Monshizadeh 08/17/2016 at 13:58

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My complaint is that modern cars have tiny little slits for windows.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > jimz 08/17/2016 at 13:58

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My complaint is that modern cars have gun slits for windows. Makes it hard to watch the world go by outside, which was one of the original pleasures of riding in a motor car.