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I hate adjusting side glass

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Old April 3rd, 2015 | 02:14 PM
  #1  
jensenracing77's Avatar
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From: Brazil Indiana
I hate adjusting side glass

I have never been any good at adjusting the side glass on these cars. My Rallye 350 was never right after I redone the car. Now that I am older and a little more patient I thought I could do it better. I was working on the passenger side of my W-30 and got the glass lined up very well. I was starting to wonder why I had so much problem in the past. Now I went to the driver side and I am having fits. I can't get it even close. Now I am taking the roof rail weatherstrip out and trying to relocate the channel and start over.

Does anyone have any pointers? Do you know an easy way to do this? I had an idea that if I loosen every adjustment up and hold the door window in the exact spot it belongs I could just tighten all the adjustment points and it be correct. Still did not work.
Old April 3rd, 2015 | 02:27 PM
  #2  
66-3X2 442's Avatar
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Now you know why I love post cars.
Old April 3rd, 2015 | 02:34 PM
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Eric, installing the side glasses is the thing I am looking forward to the least on mine. I had at least 10 hours on the convertible, and it is still not right.
Old April 3rd, 2015 | 03:16 PM
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Take the panels off front + back on the side you are working on. A lot depends on how close or far off they are. Start with the front window, loosen the upstops. Get the front height in the ballpark and near horizontal at the top. I like to put a 1" piece of masking tape at the front and rear of the window on the outside or inside, horizontal with the window seal at the bottom of the window. That way you can see what's going on a bit. Loosely snug upstops. Loosen bolts to move window forward to the A pillar. Push window to A pillar to try to get a decent seal. If the front window seals really bad, you can use a paint stick and get it behind the stainless that the A pillar seal lays on. You can tweek that stainless out a bit for a better seal. Naturally, you have the slight rotation to get the top horizontal + the tilt of the window in + out. I know you know this already. Never put a panel back on until you are 100% satisfied, and never one panel only. When one side is done...then you put the panels on. Same routine with the back, trying to get the chrome window edge parallel with the front edge and maybe 1/4" apart. Each adjustment on 1 window affects the other in some way. I do them from the inside only, but get out to open + close door to check. Tape only works on the front and seems to help me A LOT. Expect an hour a window on a good day, double or triple that for a 'vert No question 'verts are the worst. There really are no magic tricks to do it. It's all trial and error and understanding how the adjustments affect the window fit. I don't think even Houdini could do a great job on a 68-72 front window in under an hour.

Last edited by mrolds69; April 3rd, 2015 at 03:25 PM.
Old April 3rd, 2015 | 05:45 PM
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jensenracing77's Avatar
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Thanks for the info. I just can't understand how the line workes did it so fast. I know they did them by the thoudands so experience helps but still, They had to do them fast.
Old April 3rd, 2015 | 05:56 PM
  #6  
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The line workers had some advantages over you + I. 1st...most were dedicated to one job, so if you did it all day, every day, you would get better. 2nd...they had help, so if they got jammed up, they had someone right there to ask + bail them out. 3rd...they were taught what to do and we weren't. Finally...they had good parts to work with that made the job easier. Repro glass is thinner, and the curves and cuts of the glass are probaly not identical. Modern weatherstrip is harder, differently-shaped, and not as forgiving. But...even with modern stuff you can get good results. Honestly I'm not really sure how those guys kept up with the line speed either!
Old April 3rd, 2015 | 07:18 PM
  #7  
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Thanks for those instructions mrolds69. They will come in handy when I do the windows in mine too.

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Old April 3rd, 2015 | 08:09 PM
  #8  
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Originally Posted by mrolds69
The line workers had some advantages over you + I. 1st...most were dedicated to one job, so if you did it all day, every day, you would get better. 2nd...they had help, so if they got jammed up, they had someone right there to ask + bail them out. 3rd...they were taught what to do and we weren't. Finally...they had good parts to work with that made the job easier. Repro glass is thinner, and the curves and cuts of the glass are probaly not identical. Modern weatherstrip is harder, differently-shaped, and not as forgiving. But...even with modern stuff you can get good results. Honestly I'm not really sure how those guys kept up with the line speed either!
i didnt do the windows,but i can tell you,the people doing these types of jobs usually worked in pairs or threes. that way hey only had to do every other or every third car,it gave them time to do the job.
Old April 5th, 2015 | 07:36 AM
  #9  
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We are more critical with our restored cars than the line workers were with theirs. I can tell you that many new cars were in "Get Ready" for wind noise and water leaks.....warranty too after delivery. We had an older guy that adjusted doors to fix some of these complaints. His nickname was "Bam-Bam".......his favorite tool of choice was a ball peen hammer that he used to "adjust" the strikers. Sometimes, moving the door, NOT just the glass solved the problems.
Eric, just be glad your car is a hardtop and not a convertible!
Old April 5th, 2015 | 10:34 AM
  #10  
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Mak
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Originally Posted by Dave Siltman
just be glad your car is a hardtop and not a convertible!
I've been trying to get my rear windows adjusted right for about 2 weeks. Every time I get them right, they seem to drop about 1/2" the next time I use them. I'm thinking about trying adjusting them 1/2" high (with the top down), in hopes that they'll then drop to the proper height?
Old April 5th, 2015 | 03:32 PM
  #11  
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I have a convertible, it is not fun. I have spent several hours getting close enough. I am not going for perfect yet because I am sure I will have doors apart again before I am done.

Larry
Old April 5th, 2015 | 03:38 PM
  #12  
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From: Carrolllton Texas
Originally Posted by Mak
I've been trying to get my rear windows adjusted right for about 2 weeks. Every time I get them right, they seem to drop about 1/2" the next time I use them. I'm thinking about trying adjusting them 1/2" high (with the top down), in hopes that they'll then drop to the proper height?
I think I know that problem. Check and see if your plastic rollers (the one on the regulator arm as well as the ones that go along the up and down guide) are excessively worn.
Old April 5th, 2015 | 06:34 PM
  #13  
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Good timing on starting this thread Eric. I am getting ready to readjust mine now that the new top is on.

I think I know that problem. Check and see if your plastic rollers (the one on the regulator arm as well as the ones that go along the up and down guide) are excessively worn.

Joe, one of my windows was doing this as well. How do you know if it is excessively worn. Does it wear on the outer circumference?
Old April 6th, 2015 | 08:59 AM
  #14  
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From: Cuyahoga Falls,OH
After my Top frame was removed and painted and reinstalled with a New Top and frame rails i had to do mine and it was a PITA!!! But i did learn some tips that might help someone in the future. It was a weekend project with alot of
cussing and pulling the hair out "if you have any by chance" and yes alcohol.
When you get discouraged because you will, walk away, take a breather, take a drink!!

Leave the Top frame Molding rails alone.

I did mine with the top down and latched.You have to make sure top of window seats properly in frame rail molding when door is closed with window up and top down and latched

Have a helper to be your eyes on the outside of the car to check gaps after adjustments. I didn't have a helper and i was constantly in and out of the car
which took up alot of time,not to mention the 200 times window was rolled up and down

Loosen adjustment points,but keep snug enough to move glass so it will
stay in postion after moving

Adjust your door glass first and get it set
to 100% of your liking then set your Quarter glass after that.The Smaller piece of glass is easier to manipulate into position after door glass is set.
You have to pay attention though to your Quarter Glass molding Gaps and how it lines up to vertical part of the door glass.I just tried to keep a consistent gap no matter what width it was.This at least worked for me

If you do get your door glass set, slide your door panel back on to make sure when u roll up your window(do this slowly)that it is not pressing to hard againest the window wipe fuzzies on the panel. you could scratch your glass from the staples that secure the fuzzies,because i didThere is 2 adjustments for the door panel however on top of the door.

Pillar molding can be adjusted slightly also!! I kept ending up with void were the very tip or rounded part of the door glass wouldn't seal when rolled up where the top meets the Flat part by the latch receptacle.You can loosen pillar molding and strectch and re-tighten.

I would defintely say do this on a warm day or in a heated garage. And also, believe me, YOU WILL LEARN through trail and error what adjustment does what after you have done it several hundred times

Hope this might help someone, cause i felt like i was still venting from last fall when i did my glass
Old April 7th, 2015 | 05:58 PM
  #15  
Bunser's Avatar
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Next time you go to an Olds car show, look around and see if you can find a close to perfect window adjustment done. You might see a couple that are close but never any that are perfect. Get them real close and start on something else, cause nobody will notice anyway.
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