Re: Removing rear vent window from '47 Clipper sedan

Posted by HH56 On 2013/12/30 23:01:13

I'm glad you reminded us this thread had never been answered. I didn't have an answer at the time because I hadn't tried it and apparently no one else did either. My apologies for forgetting the thread and I suppose it is too late now but here goes anyway.

I did take my complete window assemblies out a couple of weeks ago to have the vent wings and straight pieces chromed. Now I can tell you what I did -- which may or may not be the only or best way. If you or someone else has found another or better way I'd like to hear it too.

Followed the instructions in the SM to remove the complete assy and that went without too much drama -- although it was very tight clearance. I had to remove the outer belt weatherstrip to allow clearance for the bottom cross brace to pass thru the opening. To just remove the vent windows I believe can be done without removing the entire assy from the car -- but the lift mechanism/window has to be disconnected and all the mounting screws have to be removed to allow the assy to tilt out at the top and then to lift 3 or 4 inches to get to the vents bottom spring and nut.

The vent windows themselves came out of their mounts by removing the screws and bracket on top and the spring and nut assy on the bottom. My weatherstrip was hard as a rock so that did provide a bit of a challenge. Since it was going to be replaced anyway I just brute forced it and broke whatever chunk of rubber that interfered out of the way. Flexible rubber should be a little easier to work with.

Removing the glass from the frame was done by scoring along the rubber edges against the frame with a utility knife and then clamping glass in a vise between two blocks of wood. Carefully drove the frame off the glass with light hammer taps on another block of wood against the frame ends. Be gentle and work each side so as not to bend or distort the frame. 3 of them came off relatively quickly but the 4th was a P.I.A. I did manage to get all out without breaking any glass but since glass will also be replaced didn't much care if one did break. After the glass was out, drove the pin out of the handle with a 3/32 pin punch and removed it from the frame.

Disassembling and removing the straight piece from the channels was another story. The rivets have to be drilled out in several places. The cross brace is welded on so the one chrome side weld has to be cut loose. Again, since the flex and straight channels were going to be replaced there was not a lot of hesitation but do take note of how things go back in assy sequence. A combination of tubular and pop rivets should put everything back together but we shall see. The clearance being tight, not sure if the cross brace can be riveted back on or will have to be welded.

That's all I can say for now since the metal parts are at the chrome shop and new channel, rubber and glass is between here and there. The next saga will be getting it all back together and functioning. That should happen sometime next month when hopefully all parts meet up.