The Ford Barn

56servi · 05-31-2014, 07:59 PM

1931 S/W Fordor

Had all new window glass made for car after garage fire. Old glass was delaminated & cracked. New glass was cut using old glass as pattern with warning it might not be right.
Front door glass fits fine. Back door & rear 1/4 windows seem to be too tight in channel making it hard to roll up & down.
I measured the opening in doors and the width of the glass.

Rear door opening (metal to metal, no channel) 24 3/4. Glass is 24 1/4
1/4 window opening (metal to metal, no channel) 15 3/4. Glass is 15 1/4
I have new window channel.

Does anyone know the correct glass width or the clearance needed between the opening & glass.

Tom Wesenberg · 05-31-2014, 08:26 PM

I'm confused.
Don't you have the channels in place if you are having trouble rolling the windows up?
I would measure the distance from the insides of the channels.

Is the glass rounded at the upper and lower corners, so it doesn't bite into the felt channels?

jw hash · 05-31-2014, 10:15 PM

I`m with Tom about rounding the corners. take it one more step roll the window half way up, get a hold of the glass and see if you can slide it back and forth in the door. if it is to long you will not be able to move it. if it is to tight take it out and find a glass shop and have them sand down the front or back edge of the 1/8" to 3/16".

56servi · 06-01-2014, 06:35 AM

I did have the glass in with the window channels installed. On the back door I couldn't get the glass & channels to go into the opening. I had the channel bent out at the top to get the glass started, and then tried to push it into the opening as I rolled the window down. After I got the glass below the top of the opening I couldn't get it to push in. I removed the glass & channel to take the measurements.

I guess I am looking for how much space (gap) should be between the glass & the inside of the channel for proper window operation. As always, I am not sure the new window channel is the same thickness as the old channel I removed. My old channel was glued in from top to bottom so it was damaged when I had to pull it out.

KGBnut · 06-01-2014, 06:38 AM

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Make that three on the rounding of the corners. I have had that exact problem. I took my glass back out, and used a fine sanding disk to put about a 1/4" radius on each corner. (Careful, it is easy to chip. Do the bottom corners first, where it doesn't show.) I then polished it up with a little Crocus cloth.

However, I then found it still bound up. Turns out that the little bit of time that it had the sharp corners it had cut in and balled up sections of the channel felt. I had to go in and pluck out those balls with needle nosed pliers.

I then dusted the channels with a little graphite and all has been good.

05-31-2014, 07:59 PM	#1
56servi Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Commerce Twp, Mi Posts: 143	Window Glass Width 1931 S/W Fordor Had all new window glass made for car after garage fire. Old glass was delaminated & cracked. New glass was cut using old glass as pattern with warning it might not be right. Front door glass fits fine. Back door & rear 1/4 windows seem to be too tight in channel making it hard to roll up & down. I measured the opening in doors and the width of the glass. Rear door opening (metal to metal, no channel) 24 3/4. Glass is 24 1/4 1/4 window opening (metal to metal, no channel) 15 3/4. Glass is 15 1/4 I have new window channel. Does anyone know the correct glass width or the clearance needed between the opening & glass.

05-31-2014, 08:26 PM	#2
Tom Wesenberg Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mpls, MN Posts: 27,582	Re: Window Glass Width I'm confused. Don't you have the channels in place if you are having trouble rolling the windows up? I would measure the distance from the insides of the channels. Is the glass rounded at the upper and lower corners, so it doesn't bite into the felt channels?

05-31-2014, 10:15 PM	#3
jw hash Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Auburn Washington Posts: 2,552	Re: Window Glass Width I`m with Tom about rounding the corners. take it one more step roll the window half way up, get a hold of the glass and see if you can slide it back and forth in the door. if it is to long you will not be able to move it. if it is to tight take it out and find a glass shop and have them sand down the front or back edge of the 1/8" to 3/16".

06-01-2014, 06:35 AM	#4
56servi Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Commerce Twp, Mi Posts: 143	Re: Window Glass Width I did have the glass in with the window channels installed. On the back door I couldn't get the glass & channels to go into the opening. I had the channel bent out at the top to get the glass started, and then tried to push it into the opening as I rolled the window down. After I got the glass below the top of the opening I couldn't get it to push in. I removed the glass & channel to take the measurements. I guess I am looking for how much space (gap) should be between the glass & the inside of the channel for proper window operation. As always, I am not sure the new window channel is the same thickness as the old channel I removed. My old channel was glued in from top to bottom so it was damaged when I had to pull it out.

06-01-2014, 06:38 AM	#5
KGBnut Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Southwestern Connecticut Posts: 934	Re: Window Glass Width Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Make that three on the rounding of the corners. I have had that exact problem. I took my glass back out, and used a fine sanding disk to put about a 1/4" radius on each corner. (Careful, it is easy to chip. Do the bottom corners first, where it doesn't show.) I then polished it up with a little Crocus cloth. However, I then found it still bound up. Turns out that the little bit of time that it had the sharp corners it had cut in and balled up sections of the channel felt. I had to go in and pluck out those balls with needle nosed pliers. I then dusted the channels with a little graphite and all has been good. __________________ Style beats speed any day, and with a lot fewer tickets.