BigKev, Now that you mention, I do remember about those door lock knobs. Thanks for the lead on where to get replacements.

Going to tackle this job as a winter project. Have copied your tips and photos of the vent window parts for reference when the time comes.

Again, can't THANK YOU enough!

Jim

Thanks BigKev for your help and photo's!! So glad I asked instead of blindly digging into the job. Way different than I guessed; installing gaskets in place. Looks like it is done on a work bench with the whole assembly out of the car. Thanks again neighbor. Jim

Does anyone have experience in taking out the front vent windows on a '53 Clipper Sedan? Tips? Advice? I have new rubber gasket seals to install (from Steele) and not sure how to begin. Pretty sure the windows have to come out. The old gaskets are still there but very hard and dried out. Thanks, Jim

Thanks for the reply. After I posted the question, I called Napa, they had a pair and I just finished installing them myself. I should have called them before starting this topic, but don't have much faith in antique car part assistance at the typical auto parts store these days; not that it's their fault either. Now I'll have to see if that was the banging metal sound I heard. That one shock was hanging inside the big spring unattached. Jim

I have a 4dr Sedan driver in nice mostly stock condition. Been hearing a quick constant metal banging sound from underneath on passenger side after car is very warmed up, say after at least half hour and I've come to a stop;, then for a little while after I get going again. I suspected muffler, but nothing is loose and muffler and pipes seem far enough away from the frame. Anyway, after I got under there noticed my front passenger shock is unattached at bottom. I better start with that problem. I'm thinking it's time for new ones and looking for suggestions on a type or brand that I could get at Napa or Auto Zone to install myself or could I go to my local Meineke, which I've used before on this car, to get decent shocks? Jim

btw, answer to Jim about my replacement switch. I simply ordered a new '53 Clipper headlight switch from Max Merritt Packard Parts in IN. They do an exchange credit, so when new switch arrives, you send them the old one. It's not cheap at $175. Hope this is what you were asking.

Hooray! Dash lights are back on but still not sure if my headlight switch is bad. Here's what happened... Last week, when I first pulled down my headlight switch with all wires attached, one of the black wire plugs pulled out and was hidden up there near the dash. It's wire is too short and not like all the others with lots of play. I made a diagram of the switch and all wire locations. Mind, I didn't know about that hidden plug wire yet. There were two open plugs on the headlight switch with no wire in them: one in the tail light Vee pair and one in the dash light vee pair. (on my car, the tail light wire is actually two wires going into one plug with a jumper to the dash light feed plug. This leaves its neighboring plug vacant) Anyway, Now that I discovered that dangling plug, I attached a jumper wire to it, connected my battery with headlight switch "on" and touched the unoccupied dash female plug and started to see smoke. Next, touched the unoccupied tail light plug and voila' the dash lights came "on". I'm puzzled, because the guidance I got said this was a way to bypass the rheostat but that unattached plug I found should really go in the dash plug where it was smoking.

I started a thread last week regarding my loss of headlights and tripping circuit breaker. Found the short and Headlights are working but dash lights are still dead. A replacement switch is on the way from Max Merritt, but in the meantime I would like to bypass the rheostat for dash lights and touch the "feed" plug to another connection to see them light up. Is this possible? Which plug would I relocate and to which place on the switch? What about ground? Does key have to be in the ignition "on" position?
Jim

Thanks for all your help!! I made progress today because of it. The 20amp fuse at the base of the dash cluster is good and I used a continuity tester on the three little box shaped circuit breakers (if that's what they are) at the bottom of the dash as well. All seem good. I guess it will be back to the headlight switch to check for connections and do a cleaning. Can't do anymore today, so sometime during the week. If no luck with that, may have to exchange the headlight switch. btw... my brain kicked in after I suspected bad bulbs and I simply put in a fresh one without luck, of course. Jim

Found it!! but now there's another problem. Did the thing you said with pulling tail light and dash wire from switch, then reconnecting one at a time. When I connected the tail light wire again, the breaker tripped. Took down the license light and saw the bare wire coming out of socket causing the short. Did a temporary insulation, reconnected all wires and turned on the switch. Even rubbed the dangling license bulb to bumper and it came on no problem but now my dash lights are dead. I know to turn the headlight stem back and forth, but they are all out. Wires on the switch are all back in the right places. I did replace all my dash bulbs with brighter halogen bulbs years ago. Does that have something to do with it? Did they fry for some reason? My PNHLR light is still working.