Vent Window Rebuild

[biohazardbill]

Anyone have any suggestions on the best way to go about rebuilding one of these setups to make it pretty again? Was thinking powdercoating it.

Also what is the best way to replace the vent glass?

How the heck do you get it out of the channel?

[Lugnutz65]

Originally Posted by biohazardbill

Anyone have any suggestions on the best way to go about rebuilding one of these setups to make it pretty again? Was thinking powdercoating it.

Also what is the best way to replace the vent glass?

How the heck do you get it out of the channel?

Hah! I had one glass actually fall out of the channel and smash on the ground. The other one came out pretty easy. Remove the vent from the door. Place a wood block flat on the glass with the block edge against the frame and tap at different places. That should loosen it.

Beware of the vent rebuild kits. The rubber pieces made by Counterparts are not very correct, so check with the vendor and ask who makes their kits. Also, the economy kits will often come with a thin fuzzy tape for the window channel but it lets the window flop around. You will be much happier with the OEM style window channel insert.

I am living with what I bought but I'm not very happy with some of it. I bought my vent rebuild kit from Truck and Car Shop and it's made by Counterparts. The rubber that surrounds the vent frame does not seal up against the door metal and I had to find scraps of rubber to stuff into the gap so water doesn't pour inside the door at the bottom of the vent. I'll post a photo if I can find one. I did get very nice OEM style window channel inserts from Truck and Car Shop and those were great, but they were not made by Counterparts.

I researched a bit and found that Steele Rubber Products and SoffSeal both sell the vent rubber pieces but they are EXPENSIVE $$$$$. Maybe that's where I should have spent my money the first time.

[1963c-10]

Precision has nice gaskets for this application also. I used them on the 63 stepside window rebuild

[Lugnutz65]

Here is what the Counterparts vent seals look like installed. Notice how there is a large gap along the bottom edge. Rain will flow into the door with any gap that big. I used another piece of flexible rubber to fill the gap and I'm learning to live with it for now, but I don't like it one bit.

[cv65]

Originally Posted by Lugnutz65

Here is what the Counterparts vent seals look like installed. Notice how there is a large gap along the bottom edge. Rain will flow into the door with any gap that big. I used another piece of flexible rubber to fill the gap and I'm learning to live with it for now, but I don't like it one bit.

Hey LUGNUTZ65 dont feel bad I bought the counterparts also im dissatified to say the least,will change them once I get tired of cussing!

[Lugnutz65]

Originally Posted by cv65

Hey LUGNUTZ65 dont feel bad I bought the counterparts also im dissatified to say the least,will change them once I get tired of cussing!

I'll show you what I did once I take a few photos. I turned lemons into lemonade - sorta. The hood to cowl seal that many vendors sell is bent at a right angle, which is not correct and mine wouldn't even let my hood close properly. So I bought the correct hood to cowl seal from Soffseal. It lays back at the correct angle. It's on the left in the photos.

Anyway, I had the bad seal laying in a box and I grabbed it one day and folded it more at the bend and then cut it to the right length and stuffed it into the gap at the outer bottom vent seal. That rubber piece was junk to me but I used it to "sort of fix" the vent seal issue.

I'll take pics and post them tomorrow.

[gabe2000]

I used RTV silicone. i used a light grit sand paper to sand the section of the glass where the silicone is going be.

[Arekusu]

I rebuilt mine...


A few things to note. When powder coating since these pieces are going to be exposed to the sun all the time; ensure you get a coating that is UV resistant. It will prevent the coating from fading or turning colors over time. Motorcycle shops might not know what you're talking about but the big industrial powder coating guys know. The second thing. I got my small vent glass reinstalled buy a pro glass shop.. they weren't pro. To do it original style they use a tar style strip, put it in the vent window channel and you're done. Problem is the window channels for those vents are usually old and not as strong as they once were. So a lot of guys seem to want to put the glass in loose as not to bend or break anything using this type of install method. The glass is snug, but not tight in the channel. So my vent glass is also loose now after 2 years, and I can pull it out if I'm not careful. What I'd do if I do it again would be to utilize the 3M black window channel calk stuff. (3M 08609 Window-Weld). You'd fill the channel with the calking, put your glass in and let it dry. Of course removing any excess that squirts out after the glass is in before it dries. But if that window breaks, it may be a pain in the butt to clean the channel out again to reinstall new glass. Good luck with your rebuild.

Alex

[Arekusu]

Originally Posted by gabe2000

I used RTV silicone. i used a light grit sand paper to sand the section of the glass where the silicone is going be.

This style of install works, but I don't know if I'd 100% recommend it. RTV shrinks overtime and becomes brittle (which is also why I stopped using it in my cooling system, I had a huge failure and got sideways on the highway at 60mph). As in my other post I'd look into the 3M window weld.

3M 08609 Window-Weld

Amazon.com: 3M 08609 Window-Weld Super Fast...

Just pointing out the product made specifically for windows.

Alex

[Lugnutz65]

So I used a section of the junk piece of hood to cowl rubber that I showed in my earlier post. I folded it in half at the bend and stuffed it inside the gap. The rubber already has some spider cracks but is keeping the water out (for now). These photos show what it looks like.

[biohazardbill]

Thanks guys, the seals I actually ordered from steele as they have a good rep. Arekusu, thanks for that tip about the 3m. I was actually going to go to a local auto window shop and have them glue in the windows, might not have to do that now.

As far as rivets, what methods have you guys used. The set i bought will come with a punch but i see no way possible for that to get into the upper part of the window.

[Lugnutz65]

Originally Posted by biohazardbill

Thanks guys, the seals I actually ordered from steele as they have a good rep.

Please post photos of the Steele Rubber pieces as well as your finished rebuild. This kind of info is invaluable. It saves other people from buying inferior repop stuff.

Originally Posted by biohazardbill

As far as rivets, what methods have you guys used. The set i bought will come with a punch but i see no way possible for that to get into the upper part of the window.

It is possible to use the rivet set they supply. That's what I used. You must be creative and find a few tools that will support the rivet while you get ready to smack it with the spreader. An extra set of hands is often required.

[gabe2000]

Originally Posted by biohazardbill

Thanks guys, the seals I actually ordered from steele as they have a good rep. Arekusu, thanks for that tip about the 3m. I was actually going to go to a local auto window shop and have them glue in the windows, might not have to do that now.

As far as rivets, what methods have you guys used. The set i bought will come with a punch but i see no way possible for that to get into the upper part of the window.

When buy specific/professional parts and material, you must have the exact part number to avoid mistakes. There are so many similiar parts and alot of guys dont remember parts numbers after using them.

Also, RTV if use correctly as any material it works for me. RTV is originally use on engine where conditions exceed a window's conditions. All material wears out eventually.

Again preparation is key on material youre going to use.

[biohazardbill]

Originally Posted by Arekusu

This style of install works, but I don't know if I'd 100% recommend it. RTV shrinks overtime and becomes brittle (which is also why I stopped using it in my cooling system, I had a huge failure and got sideways on the highway at 60mph). As in my other post I'd look into the 3M window weld.

3M 08609 Window-Weld

Amazon.com: 3M 08609 Window-Weld Super Fast Urethane Black Cartridge - 10.5 fl oz.: Automotive


Just pointing out the product made specifically for windows.

Alex

Summit has it cheaper and its up the street... yay

http://www.summitracing.com/ga/parts/tes-08609

[racecougar]

We're dealing with this very issue currently while rebuilding/installing the vent windows in our '65. We had the same gap between the vent window and the outside of the door using weatherstripping from Classic Industries. After some choice four-letter adjectives, we settled on working the rubber seal to the outside so that it overlaps the edge of the window opening on the exterior of the door. It isn't 100% perfect, but it shouldn't allow a ton of water to cascade into the door every time the truck is washed.




As far as setting the glass into the frames goes, we used 3M Temflex friction tape. Add a layer at a time, test fitting the window into the frame after each layer is applied. Once you have a snug fit, add one more layer, then work the glass into the frame. A board cut to the correct profile ensures that the frame isn't distorted in the process.

[Metalaroundstone]

I used Precision brand vent window rubber and it also had the 1/8" gap between the rubber and the outside door frame. Also, the vent windows are very difficult to close with this new rubber. I also used Precision brand beaded window seals and the clips for installing them had such jagged edges they would not go into the slots without modification. The clips were also very brittle and two of them broke off during installation. Fortunetely I had my original seals to steal clips from. Lastly, the new pivot rivet does not fit tightly, allowing play in the hinge, which was not there with the 50 year old stainless pivot rivet that I had to drill out to rebuild the vent window.

Anyway, I am very dissatisfied with the rebuild. I really would like to know if the Steele brand vent rubber solves the gap issue.

[forestb]

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[88k5jimmy]

Has anybody used the Steele brand since last post? Also, has anybody investigated having the vent window not open, making it a solid non-operable piece of glass that utilizes a better seal and alleviates the issues with the seals not filling the gap between the vent window and door edge?

[forestb]

I used Steele Brand on my 62 and they did not fit right at all. I had to do a lot of trimming to get them to fit.

I had never used my vent windows before I go new seals and now that I stated using them I realized they are amazing for letting air in. I would never seal them off.

Originally Posted by 88k5jimmy

Has anybody used the Steele brand since last post? Also, has anybody investigated having the vent window not open, making it a solid non-operable piece of glass that utilizes a better seal and alleviates the issues with the seals not filling the gap between the vent window and door edge?

[88k5jimmy]

Originally Posted by forestb

I used Steele Brand on my 62 and they did not fit right at all. I had to do a lot of trimming to get them to fit.

I had never used my vent windows before I go new seals and now that I stated using them I realized they are amazing for letting air in. I would never seal them off.

Thanks for the feedback. I'm planning on adding a/c, thus sealing the vent windows off.

[rvrfoot]

I just got new ones.