What better way to get that shattered glass appearance than with shattered glass? Here’s how to do it.
To model a broken windshield, I first remove the door-vent glass (if any) from the part. If the windshield has a runner that connects it to the rear window, I cut it in half, leaving enough to provide a handle for the windshield. Use a sharp knife or razor saw for these tasks.
For the replacement windshield glass, I use cellphone screen protectors. Any will do — they are thin glass. You can pick them up for almost nothing if you shop the clearance items for older phones at big-box stores.
Attach the kit windshield to the cellphone screen protector with masking tape. Using a heavy pair of scissors, cut the cellphone protector along the edge of the windshield, fracturing the glass naturally. Important: Leave the film screen protector in place.
Now, I carefully shape the newly made windshield to the kit part’s contours. Expect more cracks to appear. I also trim and work the edges to get the new windshield as close to the kit part for the best possible fit. When I’m close, I remove the tape and test-fit.
After test-fitting and final trimming, the windshield is ready to be glued in. Superglue is the way to go. I prefer Loctite 242 or 454, but any medium or medium-thick viscosity superglue will work. Do not use a thin superglue because it runs too easily. Work slowly.
When you’re finished, you can expect your windshield to look something like this. It looks real and adds detail to your junker model. And it’s real glass! Be careful to apply only enough superglue to hold the part — you don’t want to fog the glass.