Model Changes by Year

 

How many Glassics were made?

As the Annex evolved over the years, I have made charts, and then lost them, or could not find them myself on the website, so as of 2012, there are TWO charts that are as accurate as we can hope for now.

A general chart on  the HISTORY page, which gives the general quantity by generation, and the total quantity built (as best we can tell).

A chart by year, below on this page, using the low and high VINS of cars that have been "found" -- there are no quantities on this chart, because we don't know which side of the year break the missing gaps would fall.

 

TIMELINE -- Click or scroll down for the yearly changes to the Glassic cars, and company events.

Categorized by year, we can build a record of changes to the cars. Please add and correct entries as you observe them by comparing your car to pictures of others. If you see a feature on a newer or older model than the chart reflects, please share that info with me, GlassicAnnex@aol.com to help close in on the actual year of the change. Items in BOLD are ones where it looks like the actual first / last year for the feature has been identified

 

   Four Generations of Glassics 

In an interview with Joel (who is Joel?) in mid-2009, he explained that
Glassic went through  four generations , or four main designs - not including
minor parts modifications and upgrades that happened throughout.

1st Generation

International Frame, 4 cyl, mostly standard trans.

Second Generation

Custom made frame, Ford 302, mostly auto transmission.

Third Generation

Replicars, Coil springs, power steering, brakes, air conditioning

Fourth Generation

Suspension changes wider wheel stance.

First Generation:

 The International Scout based Glassics.

The first generation began with the first Glassic in 1966 (#101) through 1971.

The front and rear suspension, and the frame, for that matter, came from Scouts.

Second Generation:

 The early Ford-engined Glassics, which used a Tube Axle from Minneapolis Auto Specialties, and Econoline spindles and brakes.

The second generation began in 1972 through 1974 and some of the first Replicars, when the company re-formed in 1976-1977,


car 689 --Front end - Taken from under the driver's side front fender, looking toward the back of the car.


Car 838, the McWreck. Rear suspension, taken from the driver's side.

 

Third Generation:

 The Replicars which used a Pinto cross member and Pinto / Mustang II spindles and disk brakes.

Began sometime in 1977 through ?? we don't know, but likely 1979 or 1980.


Car 1254 - looking up, under the driver's side front wheel

– the rear suspension was a Trailing arm, fabricated piece.


Car 1254 - Car front is to the left, the coil spring is to the rear of the back axle, the trailing arm is partially painted black
at the left side of the picture -- the very old shock absorber is in front of the axle.

 

Fourth Generation:

 The fabricated front cross member 2 1/2 inches wider than generation 3, and a Fairmont rack.

The fourth generation began in 1979 or 1980 through the end of production in 1981.

The "fabricated" cross member was based on the Pinto cross member.

 

 The rear suspension was also changed for generation 4 to a 4-bar, using a Fairmont rear axle, which was wider and went with the wider front end – all of which made the wheels sit further out in the fender wells.


Car 1505 -Front of the car is to the right --  taken under the passenger side running board, looking toward the driver's side rear wheel. Coil is in front of the rear axle.

The changes to Fairmont parts was since Mustang II was not being continued, and parts were not going to be available for newer cars.

 

 

 

Serial numbers - these are the lowest and highest numbers  that I have evidence of. As new information comes in, I will close the gaps.
chart updated9/2012
These numbers will not match the production quantities
on the history page since there are gaps in the known VIN's
so we don't know which year they were made.

Year

Low VIN

High VIN

Generation

1966

101

183

1

1967

185

271

1

1968

  ?

?

1

1969

  303

327

1

1970

329

384

1

1971

398

433

1

1972

507

646

2

1973

655

914

2

1974

918

1211

2

1975

  none that we know of   -

1976

 Transition between
Glassic & Replicars

First "Replicars"
 VIN number 1001

making for some duplication
of VIN numbers of
1974 and 1976-77's

1017

2

1977

1033

  1121

2,3

1978

1123

1297

3

1979

1299

1450

3-4?

1980

1453

1480

3-4?

1981

1483

1509

4

The above ranges need to be taken as "approximate" since
some cars are registered as years that don't match their
VIN sequence. Possibly some cars were assigned VINs when
ordered, but titled the next year when delivered to the customer.

 

TIMELINE

1963 Prototype car built see the prototype webpage
1964 Oct. 1964 Company was incorporated in Florida
1966 First year of production

From early (undated) literature: 93.4 hp slant 4, 150 hp available at extra cost
wheelbase 100" gas tank capacity 16 gal. 4-wheel drive avail. at extra cost
3-speed standard. 4speed avail at extra cost. Cooling system 12.6 qts. Weight 2420 lbs

Oil capacity 4 quarts.

Colors available Flag red, jet black, snow white.

Cars had headlights attached to fenders -- no light bar.

1967 From other (also undated) literature Items in RED differ on the two brochures -Engine: International 4-152 4cylinder. Gross BHP: 93.4 @ 4400rpm. 12volt 32 amp alternator. Cooling system 11.6 quart capacity. Radiator frontal area 300 sq-inches.
Semi-elliptic steel leaf springs. Tires: 7.35x15 4-pr. Brakes: Hydraulic, single-cylinder, double piston front and rear. Size 9x2" front and rear. Total lining area 137 sq ".

Steering: S-12 gear with 17" steering wheel.

Rear axle RA-4 2300-lib capacity. Hypoid single-reduction, 8 1/2" ring gear. Semi-floating, induction hardened shafts. Three piece cast iron housing. Ration 3.73, 1.27 or 4.88 to 1

Transmission: T-13 3-speed synchromesh, direct. Ratios 3.34, 1.85, 1.0-- 4.53 reverse.

Clutch: 10" 6-spring single-plate. Hydraulic control, vibration dampener.

Fuel tank 17 1/2 gallon aluminum. Total car weight 2310 lbs.

Quoted in literature "Parts and service for the complete chasis (radiator, engine, transmission, differential, brakes, wheels and frame) available at all International Harvester Scout dealers."

1967 Christmas Catalog for Abercrombie and Fitch featured special "Abercrombie Runabouts" Glassics, although a bill of sale on the site shows a sale in April of 1967. See the Abercrombie info page

1968  
1969  
1970 Start of the transition to the Ford V-8 engine
1971 V-8 Ford engined cars produced this year, but a number of cars with International engines have also been reported as showing a manufacture date in 1971
1972 Ford V-8 showing on all cars made this year-- about 400 cars with the International drive train had been produced

Automatic transmission introduced

Solid, one piece bumpers

Model A style tail lights

Gas filler ON the rear pad

Car called Glassic at this time

Budweiser Special Edition sold this year. (see Flyer)

October, 1972 -- Company sold to Parker-West

1973 Model A style two bar bumper

Auto transmission shifter on the floor

Leaf springs front and rear

One piece hood top

Windshield wipers at top of windshield

Phaeton gas filler on rear luggage platform

a March 1974 Hemmings ad claimed for the 1973 cars "original suggested retail $8300"

1974  
1975 no cars located yet -few were produced the first half of the year, and none the second half due to bankruptsy of the company.
1976

see article on
manufacture
date confusion.

Rebirth of the company as Replicars. No cars sold this year, although a few 1976's may appear with a 1977 manufacture date.

The first few Replicars had SMOOTH side panels on the hood, that is, no louvers. -- see 1976 specifications here

The earliest Replicars had the Phaeton gas filler on the SIDE of the rear hump.

1977 First Replicars --

Gas filler moved from the side of the rear hump to the rear fender.

Body modifications began including wider doors (corrected 4/2009 - the doors appear NOT to have been changed in width from the earlier to later years), longer hood, longer wheelbase

Windshield wipers on bottom of windshield

Front leaf springs, air conditioning Later in 1977 cars appeared with Coil spring s in front.

VW tail lights and parking lights

Top of hood is split with hinge

Drum brakes - front and rear.

Car called Replicars at this time

In Feb. 2008 I asked Joel to help me identify how you could tell the difference between the different year Replicars. (If there was no VIN tag, of course).  Here is his reply - remember, this is 30 years after the fact.
Glassics all had tube axles with the Ford engines and 5 lug wheels - Econoline spindles, drum brakes, and probably a Maverick rear axle (5 lug)
 
Replicars early on had the same...w/ 3" x 4" tubing chassis and leaf springs all around
 
First Replicar change was to Pinto (Mustang II) front cross member w/ coil springs, disc brakes, & a Mustang II rack -- and a fabricated swing arm coil spring rear suspension, disc front, drum rear, and 4 lug wheels w/ 2" x 3" tubing chassis, and about 2" more wheelbase to get the front tires under the crown of the front fenders..
 
Later Replicar change was to the welded front cross member (21/2" wider track), Mustang II front end "monkey motion" w/ disc brakes, & a Fairmont rack --- 4 bar rear suspension w/ coil springs & drum brakes, probably out of a Fairmont...
 
When this happened is anyone's guess..  We didn't keep records of this. Once I figure out what those changes  LOOK like, we can try to zero-in on when the change occurred by comparing with known VIN cars.
1978 Coil springs front and rear - Mustang rear end with the perches for the leaf springs cut off and coil springs mounted

Disc brakes in front, drum brakes in rear

Phaeton gas filler on passenger fender

Auto transmission shifter on the column (Granada steering column)

1979 Somewhere between 1979 and 1980, front and rear suspension changed. See Generation Four above.
1980  
1981 Last year of production - Last known car (#1508) produced 12/30/81
Car # 1509 reported in in 12/2012, with a production date of 10/10/81 - not surprising since VINS have appeared out of order before - possibly when the car was ordered, not finished.