We discuss creature comforts quite a bit in this here magazine, so much so that I have to admit we may come off as prima donnas. But there’s good reason for that, and simply put, it’s because the more comfortable our trucks are, the more likely we are to use ’em. If I can hop in my ’68, crank the A/C and stereo, and blast down the highway to run an errand, the wife’s car is staying in the driveway! That’s how I like it and I’m pretty sure the majority of you feel the same. It’s just too darn fun to drive an old truck, and frankly, I want to do it as often as possible.
But while having air conditioning in your truck sure makes it nice, what’s the point if all that cold air is escaping through the floor, roof, or firewall due to poor insulation. So you gotta make sure the cab’s sealed up nice and tight to keep the cool air in and the hot air and road noise out. A nicely insulated cab and a good A/C system go hand in hand, but one of the most overlooked modifications when it comes to cab comfort is tinted glass.
Angel Diaz makes the installation of the film look simple, but those in the know, know better; it all comes down to technique in order to install the film without bubbles or visible parting lines. Once the outside of the glass is thoroughly cleaned using a combination of baby shampoo and water, Angel applies the backside of the film to the glass.
I’ve been toying with the idea of tinting the glass on the ’68 ever since I started driving it regularly. I’ll tell you, heading east in the afternoon with the sun blazing through that big back window behind you can really heat things up fast, regardless of the A/C’s power. The only thing stopping me was the fact that I figured you had to go dark with the tint to get any kind of heat and UV protection. Well, as is the case 99 percent of the time, I was wrong and 3M had just the product to solve my redneck problem.
The newest tint, or “automotive window film” as it’s known in the industry, that is truly groundbreaking for those of us who don’t want that über-dark limo tint, but would love to have some heat and UV protection inside the cab of our truck is 3M’s Crystalline Automotive Window film. Featuring a proprietary, multilayer optical film technology that combines over 200 layers in a film thinner than a Post-it note, this unique technology enables it to repel more heat than darker films.
An X-Acto knife is then used...
An X-Acto knife is then used to trim the film to shape.
Available as transparent as 70-percent VLT (69 percent of visible light transmitted through the glass) it blocks 99.9 percent UV rays, provides 50 percent solar heat reduction, and 97 percent infrared rejection. Simply put, the end result is a slightly smoked or gray glass surface and an incredibly cooler cab interior. Not to mention the glare reduction and protection it provides that expensive upholstery from the harsh sun provided by the UV rejection. Ever jumped in a truck in the middle of summer and burned the back or your legs on a scalding vinyl seat? This will keep that seat and the steering wheel at a tolerable temperature all summer long. But if a little color is more your speed, 3M does offer their Crystalline tint in three darker shades, with 40-percent VLT being the darkest.
The trimmed film is then removed...
The trimmed film is then removed and ready to be applied permanently.
The inside of the glass must...
The inside of the glass must be perfectly clean and free of any debris before the film is installed as any imperfections will show right through. Angel uses a razor blade to clean the glass along with the same cleaning solution used on the front side of the glass.
Once the surface is nice and...
Once the surface is nice and clean, the film can be peeled from the backing and applied to the glass. Careful use of a plastic scraper gets any air bubbles trapped between the glass and the film worked free.
And the result is a perfectly...
And the result is a perfectly clear window that will block 99.9 percent UV light, transmit half the solar heat into the cab, and add 22 percent more glare reduction than the stock sheet of glass.
Though most vintage trucks...
Though most vintage trucks don’t have much in the way of compound glass behind the A-pillars, there are a few instances where it becomes necessary to heat up the film to get it to shrink to fit the glass. This is accomplished very carefully using a heat gun.
The 3M logo screened onto...
The 3M logo screened onto the Crystalline film ensures that the real deal has been used.
|
VLT |
UV Rejection |
Solar Energy Rejection |
| 1/4-inch clear |
89% |
38% |
19% |
| Crystalline 40 |
39% |
99.9% |
60% |
| Crystalline 70 |
69% |
99.9% |
50% |
| FX Premium 5 |
6% |
99% |
45% |
| FX Premium 30 |
35% |
99% |
38% |
| FX Premium 55 |
58% |
99% |
32% |
Here’s a quick comparison between a single 1/4-inch pane of glass and that same pane of glass treated to two of the company’s latest offerings, FX Premium and Crystalline automotive window film.
VLT (or visible light transmitted)
The percentage of visible light that
passes directly through the filmed
glass. The higher the number, the
lighter the film.
UV Rejection
The percentage of ultraviolet light that
is repelled by filmed glass. Ultraviolet
light contributes to sunburn and other
harmful skin conditions from the
sun and to the fading of fabrics and
leather.
Solar Energy Rejected
The percentage of total solar energy
rejected by filmed glass. The higher
this value, the less solar heat energy
is transmitted by the glass.
With the side glass lowered...
With the side glass lowered halfway, you can see the slight difference that the Crystalline 70 yields in the visible light spectrum.
This front and rear shot shows...
This front and rear shot shows the difference between the windshield, which is untreated, aftermarket glass, versus the Crystalline 70 on the side and back glass. I’m not a fan of tinted glass (other than the factory ’50s green tint) on classic trucks, but the smoked look of the 70 really looks nice.
This front and rear shot shows...
This front and rear shot shows the difference between the windshield, which is untreated, aftermarket glass, versus the Crystalline 70 on the side and back glass. I’m not a fan of tinted glass (other than the factory ’50s green tint) on classic trucks, but the smoked look of the 70 really looks nice.
Keep in mind, however, that the law changes from state to state as far as how dark one can go. Most states allow up to 70 percent VLT on the front door glass, while any darkness can be used for the rear doors and back glass. That makes using the Crystalline 70 on both doors and that big window out back perfectly legal on old trucks, and that’s just what I did. After talking with the folks at 3M regarding the product that was available and most logical for the vintage truck crowd, they turned me on to Ryan Tounsley and his company Protective Film Solutions. Ryan educated me further in all aspects of the automotive window film world and I have to admit I was quite impressed by the vast options available to automobile enthusiasts.
We decided to go with the Crystalline 70 film on the side glass and back window for the ’68 to keep the appearance relatively original, with a slight tint. A lot of our old trucks had “tinted” glass from the factory, be it slightly green or smoked, and I found that the Crystalline actually accentuated the factory tint nicely. But it’s really the end results in the creature comfort category that had us impressed. The following weekend after Angel Diaz tinted the truck, I headed out to Anaheim, California, for the F-100 West Coast Nationals.
It was a pretty warm day and the sun was beating down on us unmercifully on the ride out and back. Usually, at highway speeds at this time of year, I’d have the A/C cranked up full blast, but with the new window treatment, I could actually turn it down quite a bit and still be comfortable. That was enough to make me a believer, but the radiant heat that used to be present coming through the glass is also remarkably lower, making the truck truly comfortable driving down the highway even when the sun is beating straight through the glass.
So if you’re suffering from the summertime blues thanks to sweltering temperatures inside and outside of your classic truck, take a ride to your local 3M-certified installer and see for yourself the difference a little tint job’ll do!
I decided to put my temperature gun to the test before and after the truck got tinted. Pretty impressive results and the numbers speak for themselves. Here are the results:
Ambient outside temp: 73
|
Before |
After |
| Dash Temp: |
132 |
118 |
| Seat Temp: |
148 |
116 |
| Ambient Inside Temp: |
91 |
79 |