Re: Installation Front Quarter Window Popout for Squareback

[stans4@ix.netcom.com]

On 05/25/97 21:34:09 you wrote:
>
>
>Today, my hunt at Manassas, VA Bug Out show and I discovered a set of
>front quarter windows popout. I would like to know how do I install it on
>my car. What is the proper way to install? I wonder is there a rod or a
>pieces to hold the window since I noticed there are two hinges on the end
>of the window. 
>
>Any pointer would be appericated! Also what are the exact measurement to
>drill the three holes on the bar of squareback for the latches.
>
>
>-jk
>'73 sb
>'66 Westfalia
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>
You're going to have a time of it, since all the '73 SBs I've seen in the scrap yards didn't have the slots cut for the hinges.  On my '71, I just went through this process last year, still haven't gotten the last pieces fabricated for mine, but for what it's worth, I'll describe what I have on mine.  There's two hooks on the forward ends of the windows that are supposed to go into matching slots in the quarter window side of the door posts. The hooks are supposed to have some little black plastic boots, hope you have them, unobtainium otherwise.  The divider post just aft of the rear seat on the '71 has a depression just the right size under the headliner and insulation, mine had three holes drilled in it.  Unfortunately way too large for the holes in the body side of the hinge.  Not too sure what you'll have under yours, you'll have to move some material to see, best way is to remove the quarter window and peel back the headliner and insulation.  You'll have to remove the si!
!
de panels to get at the holes un
derneath the divider pillar to do what I did.  Since the holes were too big and no suitable nut-serts could be found, I went fishing around at the local hardware store to see what I could find.  What I found happened to be a perfect fit in the pillar, they are galvanized mounting plates for BX(armored flex)electrical cable, about $.45 each.  About 1/16" thick, they have prongs sticking out the back to smack into wood in walls over the top of the cable.  Rectangular, about 2" x 3" or so.  I scribed an X from corner to corner on the plate, drilled and tapped an 8-32 hole in the center, then drilled a hole about 3/32" or so right in the center of the triangle of holes on the pillar.  I then took out the large plastic plug at the top of the pillar, fished some string up the pillar to the top with a wire, tied the string around the plate's prongs and pulled it up the column.  One I got the center holes matched up, I put in an 8-32 screw to hold in in place.  I could then scribe the!
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 latch holes and let the plate b
ack down.  I center-punched each scribed circle, then made suitable holes for the hinge screws.  If you don't have them, locate some before you start, hole size depends on them.  I then fished the plates back up the pillar and secured them with the 8-32 screws and some lockwashers.  I then pulled the headliner over the top of the area and smoothed it out.  I then used a scribe to punch through the headliner to the holes underneath and mounted the latches.  I was able to get some suitable oval-head Phillips stainless steel sheetmetal screws at the local body shop trim supply place.  I would rather have had standard self-tapping machine screws, but you take what you can get.  I was missing the mounting screws for the latches, also one outer seal(good luck finding one if you need it) and a piece of the latch that's like a flatted bushing that sits right under the latch knob and provides some friction.  I was able to manufacture that out of some bronze bushing stock I got from a l!
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ocal building supply.  I also ha
d to re-rivit the hinge portion of a latch, so I really had to work to get this stuff installed.  I have a couple of more pieces to make, I got stopped by winter last fall before I could get them made up and installed.  The windows are in(no rattles), I just can't open them without the hooks falling out of the slots on the door posts.  What I have planned will take care of that, a couple of pieces of bar with notches for the hinge hooks inside the door posts fastened with screws through the holes already present.  I'll get to that one of these weekends, hopefully before real summer hits here, have been busy with pre-smog-check stuff.

I would suggest getting new rubber now for the thing, I think my dealer got mine last year from WCM.  I think it ran about $30 for both sides, inner and outer seals.  If you need some tips on how to put the seals on, email me.  Ditto slot locations.  I'd have to pull a window to measure, but that's OK, I'll be doing that soon anyway.  I hope you got the windlace that goes around the window rim in place of the old window seal, otherwise you'll have your headliner flapping in the breeze.  I think you can use the regular stuff like is used around the doors, probably can even cut down some Bug stuff to use.  I was lucky enough to get a set with mine.

Didn't mean to write a thesis, hope this helps.