Since its debut, the curved one-piece windshield has been providing a panoramic view for only select models in the Monaco lineup. However, beginning with model year 2006, the Panaview™ one-piece windshields will be offered as part of the standard package on all Class A models across the board.

Redesigning a motorhome to add a curved one-piece windshield back in the early 1990s was not an easy task.

“In addition to modifying the inside dash and overhead, we also had to change the chassis, front cap and bay doors,” said Ray Mehaffey, the man in charge of the curved one-piece windshield prototypes.

According to Mehaffey, these revisions required so many trips back and forth to the drawing board that by the time the scheduled unveiling rolled around at a pre-rally in Rawlins, Wyoming, there was only one model unit ready for display.

“The line waiting to get inside for a look stretched a quarter mile,” he recalls. “Everyone thought the windshield was so big and beautiful. It was a big hit.”

And has remained so until today, where all but one Monaco Coach Corporation Class A motorhome is equipped with a Panaview one-piece windshield standard. That sure is a lot of glass, and to find out where some of these windshields are coming from, I paid a visit to a local distributor — Coach Glass.

“We have the windshields shipped from Europe,” said Jamie Glazebrook, director of marketing. “That's where the real cutting edge technology is for auto and RV glass. From our warehouse in Eugene the windshields go to a few different places — the motorhome manufacturer, service repair shops and our three other full inventory warehouses located in Elkhart, Jacksonville and Phoenix.”

As you might imagine, these guys have packaging and freight down to a science. The windshield itself isn't incredibly heavy, just big and breakable. This means a lot of care and caution when handling, not to mention a good number of “This Side Up” stickers, which can sometimes be overlooked. “We use the ‘Tip N Tell,'” Glazebrook said. He held up a square label about the size of a playing card, designed to trap little beads on a sticky surface when the package is tipped up on end. Coach Glass places this detection device inside the packaging to help gauge how the windshield is handled during shipping.

I asked Glazebrook why he thinks curved one-piece windshields are such a hit with the RV crowd.

“Enhanced safety is one reason,” Glazebrook said. “The one-piece windshield removes obstructions to give the driver a better view.” He was referring to the elimination of the center strip and relocation of the windshield wipers that are now tucked out of sight on the bottom of the glass. “Appearance-wise, the windshield is curved instead of flat to give a smooth aerodynamic look to the front cap. Plus, when the motorhome is parked, it's like having a big picture window inside.”

Glazebrook went on to explain that the windshields themselves are constructed of three parts — two layers of glass and one layer polyvinyl (used to prevent shattering). To protect the integrity of the windshield, all glass is stored indoors and out of the weather until it is securely installed into the motorhome.

Ten years of living in the snow-covered Rockies and ten more in the flight path of gravel trucks has taught me a thing or two about rock chips in the windshield, so I asked Coach Glass to weigh in on the topic.

“Glass replacement is usually based on four things — hail, ice, snow and the AL-CAN Highway. That's where our full inventory warehouses come in handy, because we keep a complete inventory of parts,” Glazebrook said.

But what if a rock chip doesn't warrant a total windshield replacement, I wondered?

“Repair versus replace is a common question,” Glazebrook replied. “A longtime industry rule is that a crack the size of a quarter or less then two inches long can usually be repaired.” He handed me an informational booklet that stated that a rock chip is only suitable for repair if it is star shaped and not in the driver's line of vision. “When in doubt, cover the chip with clear tape to prevent water penetration and have the windshield checked out by an expert,” Glazebrook added.

My job when we are on the road is to clean the windshield at fuel stops. I was hoping that Glazebrook would be able to give me some insider advice on how to make this job easier — like maybe a spray that can magically just make all those bugs wash away. He shook his head. “Sorry. The best way to clean the windshield is the same as every other glass — with soap, water, glass cleaner and some elbow grease.”

Monaco has come a long way from single prototype curved one-piece windshields to offering them as standard features on all its Class A models across the board. Our windshields are our view to the outside world, and with Monaco Panaview one-piece windshields, the view just got better.

Coach Glass has expanded by adding a business that offers assistance to motorhome owners in windshield replacement wherever they happen to be. For more information on that service, contact RV Solutions at (888) 777-6778, or visit their website at www.rvglasssolutions.com.