Posted by MS  4/20/2015 9:12 PM | #1 |
Ever since I owned my fastback (since 1992) I had never properly aligned the door glass. I knew there was a nut that could be loosened at the bottom of the rear track that was designed to be able to tilt the window inward or outward. Every time I tries to adjust it, there just wasn't any movement so I just figured that was the way it was.
Well it turns out there is a design defect that is fixable.
The captive nut that is supposed to be able to slide in the slot (horizontally at the bottom end of the vertical glass track) gets where it cannot slide. Whenever the nut is tightened, it deforms the slot as well as the two little edges that fold over the sides of the slot. I learned real fast to NOT try to open up those little edges. They break right off. Some work with a hammer to realign the metal, and with a hand file to widen the slot and smooth the edges, plus a little lubrication now lets the captive nut and stud slide easily back and forth.
So, if you are ever reinstalling the window tracks in a 65/66 (might be same in others - don't know) be sure to do a little prep work to be sure everything works as it should. And do not tighten it down very tight until you are SURE you have the glass at the right tilt. Once tightened again, it might not want to move again.
In case anyone is unclear on installing window glass, you remove the fuzzies from the beltline area of the door. Install the wing window frame and align it to the A-pillar. Slide the glass into the door, front lower edge of the glass first, through the wide slot at the rear of the door, by the exterior handle. Once the lower glass metal frame is in the slot, then the glass will feed easily into the door. (SEE UPDATE BELOW - CHANGED MY MIND ON THE ORDER OF ASSEMBLY) Then raise the glass upward and slide this rear vertical track in the door and into position. Be sure you have removed the lower rubber stop in the center of the door bottom. That lets the glass go down low enough so you can install the new fuzzy beltline strips. Be sure to straighten the flanges where the fuzzies snap in place, and remember there is a small screw at the rear of the fuzzy. If you do not straighten the flanges, you will get a window glass that goes up all but about the last 1/2" of travel. That is the point at where the door glass lower metal frame interferes with the fuzzy's flange at the top of the door.
Hope this helps! Having a track adjustment that actually will let you adjust it is a big help in getting the glass properly aligned.
Last edited by MustangSteve (5/21/2015 10:30 AM)
Money you enjoy wasting is NOT wasted money... unless your wife finds out.
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Posted by darren 4/22/2015 7:02 AM | #2 |
Thorough wtire-up, MS.
Well done.
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Posted by MS 5/21/2015 10:28 AM | #3 |
UPDATE to glass installation.
After working on this again, I have determined or figured out it is a whole lot easier to get the glass in the door if you do not have the vent window and front glass run installed first.
So, after fiddling with the assembly process, I would suggest THIS:
Starting with bare door, slide the window glass in from the wide slot at the rear of the door, then position the glass in the bottom of the door WITHOUT the rubber stop in the bottom center.
Next, slide the rear track into position and bolt it loosely into place. Note: Leave the door handle rods off until after you do rear track. You cannot get the flanges of that track past the rods. Install door handle and rods AFTER the track is in place.
NOW, slide the front vent window frame vertically into position, being careful to get the glass in the channel as you go. Be sure you have several layers of masking tape on the painted edges of the door.
While it is possible to get the glass in the door with the vent window in place, I have found t eliminates alot of fighting with the glass if you just put it in there first.
Once the vent window frame is bolted loosely into place, the top adjuster can be used to tilt the vent window frame in/out to get proper fit. On my car, there is virtually no front-back adjustment of the vent frame. It fits where it fits and cannot be moved. Be sure the lower horizontal edge of the vent window frame is parallel to the top of the door ior it will look obviously OFF.
The lower window track adjustment should be left loose until everything else is adjusted. All it does is make sure the track has the proper curvature to fit the glass.
This may be different than I have done it before, and it is probably different than how an expert might do it, but I believe in figuring things out for myself and doing them how they work best for me. So, here it is!
Almost forgot... The fuzzies. remember I said to leave the rubber stop at the glass bottom out? That is so the glass goes down far enough for the fuzzies to be snapped in place. If yours are like mine, when they were removed from the doors, the slots get chewed up in the door. Be sure to take some flat pliers BEFORE you insert the glass, and flatten all of them out real neat so the fuzzies can fit flat and snap into place cleanly. If they are not straightened and cleaned up, the clips might not catch and it looks terrible with a loose fuzzy!
Once the fuzzies and the regulators (or power window motors) are installed, then you can put the rubber stops in the bottom of the door. I used a little grease on mine to help get them to go in that slot.
First things last... Be sure to put masking tape - several layers, on all the sharp edges of the door access holes where you will be sticking your arms in there to do stuff. It will sure lessen the scratches and cuts all over your arms. Do this first, not half way through the job as I did.
Hope this helps someone!
Money you enjoy wasting is NOT wasted money... unless your wife finds out.
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Posted by tbrooks 6/15/2016 7:44 PM | #4 |
Thanks MS, for this write up. I have two '66 coupes and the door glasses will not go up high enough to get tight on the weather strip. I'm hoping this will enable me to adjust the windows so they don't leak every time I wash the cars.
Thanks again.
TB
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Posted by Chaplin 6/07/2020 5:44 PM | #5 |
MS wrote:
UPDATE to glass installation.
After working on this again, I have determined or figured out it is a whole lot easier to get the glass in the door if you do not have the vent window and front glass run installed first.
So, after fiddling with the assembly process, I would suggest THIS:
Starting with bare door, slide the window glass in from the wide slot at the rear of the door, then position the glass in the bottom of the door WITHOUT the rubber stop in the bottom center.
Next, slide the rear track into position and bolt it loosely into place. Note: Leave the door handle rods off until after you do rear track. You cannot get the flanges of that track past the rods. Install door handle and rods AFTER the track is in place.
NOW, slide the front vent window frame vertically into position, being careful to get the glass in the channel as you go. Be sure you have several layers of masking tape on the painted edges of the door.
While it is possible to get the glass in the door with the vent window in place, I have found t eliminates alot of fighting with the glass if you just put it in there first.
Once the vent window frame is bolted loosely into place, the top adjuster can be used to tilt the vent window frame in/out to get proper fit. On my car, there is virtually no front-back adjustment of the vent frame. It fits where it fits and cannot be moved. Be sure the lower horizontal edge of the vent window frame is parallel to the top of the door ior it will look obviously OFF.
The lower window track adjustment should be left loose until everything else is adjusted. All it does is make sure the track has the proper curvature to fit the glass.
This may be different than I have done it before, and it is probably different than how an expert might do it, but I believe in figuring things out for myself and doing them how they work best for me. So, here it is!
Almost forgot... The fuzzies. remember I said to leave the rubber stop at the glass bottom out? That is so the glass goes down far enough for the fuzzies to be snapped in place. If yours are like mine, when they were removed from the doors, the slots get chewed up in the door. Be sure to take some flat pliers BEFORE you insert the glass, and flatten all of them out real neat so the fuzzies can fit flat and snap into place cleanly. If they are not straightened and cleaned up, the clips might not catch and it looks terrible with a loose fuzzy!
Once the fuzzies and the regulators (or power window motors) are installed, then you can put the rubber stops in the bottom of the door. I used a little grease on mine to help get them to go in that slot.
First things last... Be sure to put masking tape - several layers, on all the sharp edges of the door access holes where you will be sticking your arms in there to do stuff. It will sure lessen the scratches and cuts all over your arms. Do this first, not half way through the job as I did.
Hope this helps someone!
Thanks for this write up. I'm going to be doing this in the next week or two once my vent windows arrive, so this is very helpful.
One question, though. Above you said you were starting with a door. Do you mean truly bare, like no regulators installed yet either?
If so, at what point do you install the regulators?
Thanks!
