Changing door wing windows and frames

Hi gents,

I have to swap out the door wing windows on the old 80 project truck (and it has Bricknose doors, but I don’t think it matters). I’ll have to pull the inner door panel obviously, but will I have to remove the main window as well? I assume yes? I’ll be swapping the whole frame with the window guide.

Is there a how-to on this anywhere, or any tips or advice?

Rembrant wrote

Hi gents,

I have to swap out the door wing windows on the old 80 project truck (and it has Bricknose doors, but I don’t think it matters). I’ll have to pull the inner door panel obviously, but will I have to remove the main window as well? I assume yes? I’ll be swapping the whole frame with the window guide.

Is there a how-to on this anywhere, or any tips or advice?

I've seen the door glass replaced without pulling the vent window so I would assume it possible. However, pulling the glass is really easy, so I'd just pull it. I just recently replaced all my door glass seals, this to include the vent window seals. I also put in New glass......very easy job.

I agree on removing the main window.
http://www.garysgaragemahal.com/vent-windows.html

Ahh, OK...so you remove the rear window track first? I have to order some window seals, so I best get them moving so I can get at this and get it done. Thanks guys.

One of the videos I looked at while waiting for my new seals showed how to do the vent windows - you may want to search that out.  I don't remember what or where.  Didn't seem too hard though.  I just didn't do my vent windows.  

I did this job recently, probably should have taken some pictures, but my memory is that the vent window frame extends down into the door and the back side of it forms the channel the main glass runs in. So if you don't remove the main glass first, it might fall down, or actually fall over, towards the front of the door. The bottom of it would still be caught in the regulator mechanism, but it might flop. Best to remove it first I think.

Yeah, unbolt it and then just drop it and move it to the back of the door out of the way.

Pete - you're right. You could leave the main window in there and move it out of the way but would risk damage.

My doors I gutted as part of the rebuild so I did not have the main glass in place when going back together.
I did install the vents first then the main glass.


Just be careful as there are different vent window frames and main glass that go with them so I found out.
Just match up the good with the bad to make sure they are the same, both on how long and how wide the divider is.

Mine were apart for almost 4 years and other than having the wrong vent frames that would not fit into the doors, thats when I found the different sizes on the frames, it was pretty easy going back together.

I also replaced all the rubber seals and felt guides.
Dave ----

So you're saying the wider vent window divider of a Brick house door does matter?

There are two screws on the sloped edge of the door and one down inside the door that holds the bottom of the track IIRC.

Nothing different about how they install, right?

Cory, be mindful of the little tab below the vent window pivot that holds the inner and outer skins together.
Both of mine have been tacked so many times there's nothing left to fix.

Seems you have plenty of instructions on removing/installing frames, I would suggest spray silicone for all the rubber and felt; makes things slip together without fighting you and glass to operate smoothly.  I am an amateur though so your mileage may vary...

ArdWrknTrk wrote

So you're saying the wider vent window divider of a Brick house door does matter?

It sure does, I think the Bricknose window is even smaller (narrower) than the Bullnose window iirc.

Right.
Didn't we go through this?
I remember taking a bunch of photos with my tape measure.  

I was questioning Dave about whether it made a difference in installation or removal.
Not that the difference exists (we all know it does)

ArdWrknTrk wrote

Right.
Didn't we go through this?
I remember taking a bunch of photos with my tape measure.  

I was questioning Dave about whether it made a difference in installation or removal.
Not that the difference exists (we all know it does)

It is also longer and could not get them to I stall.
I don't remember just why now but I could not use them.

I also have pictures of the differences on my web site.
Dave. ----

Maybe we need to document this, once and for all.  Dave, can you get me the pics and point me to the measurements?

Sorry just seen this and I am away for a few days will try when I get back home.
Dave  ----

80-86 Vent Windows and Door Glass are different than 87-96.

80-86 door glass is wider, and the frame/channel of the vent window is narrower

87-91 door glass is narrower, and the frame of the vent window is wider

92-96 door glass is the same as 87-91, but the vent window is notched at the front to clear the dash. The frame/channel of the vent window is just as wide as the 87-91 vent window.

If you try to put 87-96 door glass with an 80-86 vent window, the door glass will be loose in the channel and will not seal. If you try to put 80-86 door glass with an 87-96 vent window, it won't fit right and will be too tight in the channel, if you can get it in at all.

I don't understand why Dave had issues with a different year of vent window. I have mixed and matched 87-96 door glass and vent windows into 80-86 doors without issue, and have also put bullnose vent windows and glass into an aeronose door. They should swap around fine as long as you keep bullnose door glass with bullnose vent windows, or bricknose/aeronose glass with bricknose/aeronose vent windows.

I had the early (81)door glass and later (87>) vent frames so for 1 they would not work with the door glass I had.
2 the later vent frames were longer. Besides being wider, and I could not get they in my early doors.
I will post pictures of them when I get home Thursday.

The other thing was the early vent window seal did fit 100% in the later frame but think it would have worked if I had to use it.
The early rubber fit the early frames like a glove.
Dave. ----

FuzzFace2 wrote

I had the early (81)door glass and later (87>) vent frames so for 1 they would not work with the door glass I had.
2 the later vent frames were longer. Besides being wider, and I could not get they in my early doors.
I will post pictures of them when I get home Thursday.

The other thing was the early vent window seal did fit 100% in the later frame but think it would have worked if I had to use it.
The early rubber fit the early frames like a glove.
Dave. ----

Interesting. I remember you talking about the frame being longer. I had the bricknose vent windows in my 1980 for some time, and didn't have that issue.

I dont have any measurements but do have pictures.
This were the replacements I bought before I knew they were different, they are wide and longer then the 81's I pulled from the truck.

Here is the early thin frame on top of the later wide frame.

Here you can see how much longer the later frame I had is.

I dont think the bottoms rusted off to make them shorter?

The wing glass is the same between the 2 frames as I had to use the glass from the wider frames in the good thin frames I got later when I found this mess when putting the truck back together.

Now that I think of it I may still have the old thin frames and I am sure I have the wide frames I might be able to get measurements from if needed.
Dave ----

Those thin frames have definitely been modified, either by cancer or by somebody who didn't want cancer. I took a look at the thin frames I have in my doors and they are way longer than what you have. I remember them being long on my 1980 as well.