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installing power windows %^$#@%&^*

7K views 11 replies 6 participants last post by  panhead1961 
#1 · (Edited)
ok...so I got this Outlaw Performance body and frame. It's an older car late 90s but never put together or on the road. I got a specialty PW kit that came with the car but were not installed...yep thats right.. now I got to try to get them in the doors ///ain't gonna happen. Called Outlaw, seems my best bet is to remove the door skins to get em in..... Damn I picked a bad time to stop drinking.:drunk:
Any ideas? Thinking about a drag car strap to let em up and down...:confused:
Not anything towards Outlaw Performance! They have been great trying to help me. The windows are normally installed before the door goes together. AGAIN NOT Outlaw Performance's fault... LOVE their bodies! Like I said this is an old car and 4 owners, hard to tell what has been done to it over the years. Harry ..the tech guy at OP is the best!!
 
#3 ·
You did not say which Outlaw body you have but on my 34 I took the window and window mechanisms completely out of the doors when I painted the car. Now going back together was not easy but it was accomplished. On my 34 the window mechanisms were bolted to a portion of the inner door panel that was removable by taking out about a dozen screws.

Vince
 
#6 ·
You may have to open the inner door panels up some to get glass in. I have SPW in my Willys and it was a real trick to get them in and out. The best way I found was to unbolt the front and rear window channels and assemble them as you reinstall the mechanics. It's not easy. I'd hate to have to fix broken glass. it would be at least an all day job.
 
#7 ·
Post some photos, opening up the hole that the channels go into a little big while still leaving it small enough for the window frame to cover it may make all the difference in the world.

Forgive me for my ignorance I don't know these bodies at all, never worked on one in my life. But if it is your typical fiberglass body around the windows opening on the inside is a bit smaller than it was originally on the steel car. It's only understandable that it would be, the fiberglass is thicker than the metal right off the bat, then the body maker let's a little more fiberglass hang off on the edges and wham you have a tighter hole for the glass and channel to go thru and being it was VERY tight when it was steel, it is REALLY tight now and the glass can't even fit thru.

Like I said, I have not done this particular project, but just looking at it like any other problem of the kind my first question of my self is, "How was it installed at the factory". In 1934 how did they install the door glass in one of these bodies? They stuck it down thru the hole from the inside that's how. So what is different about this Outlaw body that is preventing this? THAT is what I would be looking at.

Now, being chopped makes a HUGE difference in installing the door glass, and even with a stock steel body some modifying to the whole could even be needed, so with the extra challenges of a "new" fiberglass body I can only imagine. But if the hole can be modified in some way to get that window in, and that modification is covered by the inside window frame, what the hay? :D

Also, putting the glass in on most of these old cars is a challenge, it is a friggin puzzle that has to be figured out, with the channel, without the channel, with the door latch installed, without it, it can be a crazy bare even with a stone stock car. I assume we are talking one piece windows, sticking them straight down is probably out, most often they need to be stuck into the door face down then after it's in the door rock it down in the back into position sticking the front lower corner and upper rear corner into the channel.

Like I said, I don't know these bodies but just thought I would toss out there some general ideas that may be of help.

Brian
 
#8 ·
Your last paragraph says it all.

I also would weld nuts on the latches as it will be nearly impossible to get a wrench up in there without cutting an ugly hole.

I TIG welded nuts on mine the very first time I took them out. there are 3 flat head hes socket screws that hold each latch on. You may also find that hooking up the 'down' or actuating rod will help installing the latches. I did this before instaqlling the PW. I made small right angle bellcranks mounted on 1/4-20 screws and tucked the actuating rods in close to the inside of the door. These come off at the bellcrank to install the PW.

good luck on a tough project.

Wait untill you get to the wipers!!!!
 
#9 · (Edited)
Got in to it a little today.I got the window in there for a test fit. Got it in the track on a few test strips of felt channel. I may be able to make it work but wow it's gonna take some time. I am having one hell of a time getting the u channel down in the door and in place without bending it all up. I was going to use the one with the little chrome beads but skaruuuu that. I am going with solid black. May need to cut a couple of 4 inch round access holes in the fiberglass. Plus looks like I may be missing a few parts form the SPW kit...geeze. Going to have to put the door poppers in there too while I'm at it. Don't have them yet, any suggestions on which one to buy?


 
#10 ·
re: door poppers

Here is a little help along the door popper thing.

I put some cool ones in before I had the solenoids installed. I installed the door seals and checked that the doors opened easily and the seals really sealed.

Then Installing the solenoids I found that the 30# ones I thought would easily actuate the latches didn't do anything. The seals and poppers caused too much friction in the latches. I did everything I could to make things smooth but no luck at all. I finally got some 60# monsters that do work however they are noisy to say the least and just barely open the doors. I had to remove the poppers as they put too much load on the latches. The seals were more than enough and I used very soft "D" shaped seals. I have very narrow edges on the doors so only 3/8 seals really work.

After 4 years and a lot of miles I still have to push in on the door while operating the FOB to get the lateches to release. I had a problem with the first set of 60# solenoids sticking and not operating at all. It turned out that there were some oversized washers installed on the rods that caught onthe inside edge of the solenoid. Pure luck allowed me to fish a wire in and grab the interior handle twice before I figured out what was wrong.

I've been locked out of the car at least a half a dozen times. Each time it gets more frustrating. I have to leave a window open an inch or so to provide working room for a wire. I have to keep a wire in the trunk for this. Yes I do have an emergency cable to open the doors but trying to crawl under the car to get at it when it is pouring rain and pitch dark out id not fun.

In the end look around....do you see any American cars that come from the factory with shaved door handles??? It really is a safety device. Should you be incapacitated from a crash, how does someone get the door open to help you??? Break the glass is the only option. A suicide door is even worse with a mechanical latch pin. Think about it.

I won't put shaved handles on again.
 
#11 ·
My thing on any mod, does it REALLY add to the look, the over all look? Personally, this is me personally, I don't think shaving handles on any pre-1950 car adds a damn thing to the looks. They are boxy, covered in all kinds of lines going every direction, the over all look isn't improved one bit. Take a 50 Ford or Chevy, whole different ball game. Shaved handles and frenched lights, you are shaving off the ONLY things that aren't flowing with the rest of the lines of the car. And on a 69 Camaro, DON'T GET IT sorry, it isn't a custom, it makes no sense what so ever to me.

On the 30's cars, the handles are one of the very cool features like the lights hanging out, like the vertical windshield, like the running boards, they ADD to the cars character they don't take away from it.

Just my opinion.

Brian
 
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