Vent window restorers?

[too much stuff]

Looks like i have quite a few vent windows in my garage. Debating selling off a fair amount of them. My question, are people still getting them restored? or just buying them new and ready to go. I know roger koop isn't doing them anymore. Was hoping to sell a bunch at one time, but may pair them up if i have time. Thoughts?

[PbFut]

I could use a good chrome frame for the driver side. I polished through mine trying to get rid of some scratches. It was not too noticable till the fire. Not sure what did it, but the metel under the chrome that got exposed from over polishing rusted up pretty interestingly. Everything else, felt, rubber, window is fine.

[Getter-Done]

My guess is that people are buying them ready to go.

They don't (Move) sell in the swap meets like they use to.

That is just referring to the 2 swap meets that I have taken several sets to.

If we didn't live so far away, I would be interested in them.

Shipping would be a Deal breaker.

[Jason Banks]

The reproductions are no where near as good as restored originals...

The reproductions don't fit perfectly. Where the 3 small screws go into them in the door jam are hard to get lined up and when you can get them in, it seems they sit low in the door.

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

Shame Roger isn't doing that anymore, I hope his health OK. After a while we get old perhaps. There's a set of his vents in my, they're super, everything perfect.

Further evidence of talent and know-how losing to technology and Chinese junk. I'm going to have to learn exactly how to tune a carb. and pull-off choke very soon, because everyone I trusted with that are now gone.

[howzzzit]

Sent mine to Dr J's for a rebuild. He has several you tube videos for different vehicles. He did a fantastic job on my 72 wing windows. Been a few years. Look absolutely new.
Here's a link.

https://drjsrestorationrx.com/

[too much stuff]

Appreciate the comments and opinions. I am not looking to have any done for myself, just hoping there would be a market for them. If they are not broken or rusted i try to grab them. Some tinted, some not, some chrome, some not. Maybe i will dig through them and try to pair them up and see what i have.

[z10kl]

Guys, I thought they were pretty simple to rebuild. I had heard the horror stories.

[70STOVEBOLT]

Try this one:

https://www.prp.com/vent-program

I checked the price, and for a pair of chrome vents with grey glass, it is $530.00, which I thought was pretty inexpensive, since new aftermarket vent windows are over $300 apiece.

[zicc1835]

funny you ask I too have a few saved up and just ordered the parts to rebuild a pair for my GTA upgrade .... having purchased a set of aftermarkets previously fit but nothing like OEM im going to try to have some FUN and PATIENCE with this project

[LockDoc]

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If you are thinking about doing your own read this thread. Especially pay attention starting with post #29

https://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/...d.php?t=660294

This thread relates to a Suburbans but the wing vent repair and installation would be the same as a truck.
.

[zicc1835]

Originally Posted by LockDoc

-
If you are thinking about doing your own read this thread. Especially pay attention starting with post #29

https://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/...d.php?t=660294

This thread relates to a Suburbans but the wing vent repair and installation would be the same as a truck.
.

thank you very much for this Leon... already re ordered rubber and rivets from CP this all very valuable info here

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

Originally Posted by z10kl

Guys, I thought they were pretty simple to rebuild. I had heard the horror stories.

Probably. Nice thing about this old stuff is it's primarily easy once done. Took me a while to plan how to replace the metalized tape on my door panels last night. I was headed into the wrong direction, figured out a game plan after a night's, built my tape dispenser, and gave her a trial run. I was worried about it, but nah, it's going to be clean and easy - when I get to it

[dave6672]

Originally Posted by too much stuff

Appreciate the comments and opinions. I am not looking to have any done for myself, just hoping there would be a market for them. If they are not broken or rusted i try to grab them. Some tinted, some not, some chrome, some not. Maybe i will dig through them and try to pair them up and see what i have.

From posts I can recall, it seems that the 67 ones are in demand since they differ from the 68-72's.

[dmjlambert]

I suggest take a pair of them off the shelf at a time and remove just the rivets you need to take them apart, clean them up and paint them and put them back together with new rubber and rivets. It is not an expensive job. Then sell them as refurbished. You can grade them as restoration quality or driver quality depending on how it comes out. I think you would sell them and you'd be providing a good service. You can send some of the chrome pieces out for re-chroming, in batches to make some of the restoration quality sets. I don't recommend taking the rivets out that are at the base of the triangle, they are not necessary to take out and hard to re-rivet. And don't take the big pivot rivet out, also not necessary because the bracket with the pivot comes off with 2 of the smaller rivets.

[zicc1835]

Originally Posted by dmjlambert

I suggest take a pair of them off the shelf at a time and remove just the rivets you need to take them apart, clean them up and paint them and put them back together with new rubber and rivets. It is not an expensive job. Then sell them as refurbished. You can grade them as restoration quality or driver quality depending on how it comes out. I think you would sell them and you'd be providing a good service. You can send some of the chrome pieces out for re-chroming, in batches to make some of the restoration quality sets. I don't recommend taking the rivets out that are at the base of the triangle, they are not necessary to take out and hard to re-rivet. And don't take the big pivot rivet out, also not necessary because the bracket with the pivot comes off with 2 of the smaller rivets.

thank you more good info here ...I want to restore for my own use ....but if I get good at it who knows

[dmjlambert]

I worked with the rivet kit and rubber from GMC Pauls. The rivet kit came with a rivet punch to mushroom the rivets. I don't really like pop rivets so I did not consider using them. I did the passenger side first and learned my lessons there. Lessons:
1. It's necessary to have 3 hands for a small number of the steps, my wife helped me hold some pieces while putting back together.
2. I ordered a flat plate of steel about 4x8 inches by 1/4 thick from ebay or amazon. I wanted something very rigid to put in my vise, and I placed the long c-channel of the window assembly on it and used it to hold the heads of the rivets against the bottom of the c-channel while using the rivet punch to mushroom the rivet. I don't think I would have been able to do the job without that hunk of metal and vise, unless I were to buy the Corvette rivet tool https://www.ecklers.com/ca-corvette-...ool-34346.html If I were to do several of these windows I would buy that tool.
3. I could not get the rivets back in the base of the triangle (middle of the long c-channel) and hold something rigid like my metal plate against the head of the rivets while pounding with the rivet punch on the other side of the rivets, so I used small screws with nylock nuts for that one area. For the driver side I didn't take out those rivets and instead just took out the rivets at the top and at the pivot bracket. Much better.
4. After full assembly getting the window to shut and latch required a lot of pressure to close and latch. I pressed it shut with both hands and only after fully shut closed the latch. It takes patience but I decided to wait a couple weeks before trying opening the windows. Then the windows were fine from that point.
5. I used fine steel wool to clean up the rust from the chrome, and it's been years without the rust coming back. I just cleaned it up and waxed it.
6. When installing the rivets, I found the solid portion of the small rivets to be too tall for many of the places where the rivets are installed. When fully installed they didn't hold the metal together tight. If it were riveting thicker metal they would have been fine. I did some research and could not find a rivet with better dimensions. So I used a small drill bit and drilled the hollow part of the rivets a little bit deeper, so when they where installed they would mushroom a little bit more and hold the metal tighter.
7. I examined the main pivot rivet closely and could not come up with a reason for removing it although I had a replacement rivet in the kit. I thought it would be more difficult to mushroom the big rivet and have it come out looking good. So I skipped it and just drilled out the 2 small rivets that attach the hinge to the frame. So all the rivets I removed are not visible when the assembly is installed in the truck.

[slikside]

Great info! Subscribed.

[zicc1835]

took my first set apart yesterday