38 Series of Cars - plastic windows

I just bought a 38E Armstrong Sidfdely car. The windshield was loose and it separated for the car. I could remove it from the slot in the model. I began to wonder if it was a replacement screen. Any ideas as to how to tell?

Hi Bob, an original 38 series window can never be loose in my opinion. The shape inside is such that it cannot escape from the car's body without damaging either the window or the model. Moreover, the lower window's end should always protrude through the tiny rectangular hole in the model's base plate, which is not impossible, but very hard to realize with a replacement window. Kind regards, Jan Werner

I agree with Jan. The original windscreens are a tight fit, they will come out but it takes an effort. Also they have a more delicate rounded shape. The replacements are somewhat square cut. The early post war 38 series (pre-war as well I expect) have a thin silvered edge around the windscreen. This may have been due to using up some pre-war stock.

Following up on this. Here is my US Export version of the 38e Armstrong Siddeley. This has I am sure the original screen, it is held in at the baseplate, the corners are chamfered. Here is a 38a Frazer-Nash BMW, 1946 version with lacquered base and smooth hubs: This also has its original screen. However, the following is a later example with a replacement screen, note the sharp corners and somewhat oversized screen: There is a bit of experience required in detecting whether the screen has been replaced as some people will have made their own as recommended by Cecil Gibson so I suspect there is a wide variety of replacements out there. If it is really well done I guess it doesn't matter. The same also holds true for the later 100 series sports cars, the replacement screens do not seem to fit nearly as well or as securely as the originals.

Two different original screens for the no. 38c Lagonda Sports Coupe: The one on the left is an earlier example with black hubs, showing a screen with the obvious ridge around. However, it is not silvered. The one on the right is the later export version, with coloured hubs. I presume that these more flexible screens, which are frequently in a slight or serious bent down position nowadays, especially belong to these later models. Kind regards, Jan Werner

Thanks to everyone. Esepcially the pictures. They make it easier to see the rounded corners very the square corners on mine. I checked the screen and it does look a little wide for the car body. It does have the small component(very small section of the plastic screen) to insert into the slot on the base with a lots of luck to get it to be inserted but I am getting close. The windshield does look like it is formatted correctly to fit into the model. I have a Sunbeam-Talbot and if I look very close I can see the component in the base slot. Also if a look very close, I can see the rounded corners on its windshield. Bob

Greetings everyone! An old Thread going back almost 5 years, but having recently posted a picture of my 38e Armstrong Siddley on another Thread, I thought I would add the picture to this Thread and at the same time, hopefully generate current interest! As can be seen, the windscreen has a silver edge on all three sides. I received this model at the end of 1949, either Christmas or my birthday. I think later issues dispensed with the silver lining. (like most clouds no longer have a silver lining these days! :laugh: ) Kind regards Bruce (150) #563

Bruce-- Nice example of an early Armstrong-Siddley, with those wonderful early windscreens. I did not even know about those until just a few years ago when Jan originally posted his pictures. I personally don't think there is any comparison between the early, framed type and the later thin versions. The earlier ones also seem like they are slightly thicker, as they don't appear to bend nearly as much. Being from the states, we pretty much only see the thin ones here, as my 38 series are all later, export versions. Regards,Terry