I'm sure the answer is in here some place but I'm not asking the right way in my searches. I'm getting ready to install the roll-up gl*** in my 37 Chevy Business Coupe. The gl*** to the regulator is pretty straight forward, I think...My real issue is the fuzzy strips that the gl*** rides against as it's rolled up and down. and the tracks themselves that keep the gl*** in position as they are rolled up and down. I have the kit from Steel Rubber, I think that's where they came from, they came new unwrapped when I bought the car. What holds all this stuff in place? Screws or clips? The Chev's of the 40's catalog and web site leave me wondering. I bought the 1937 GM Body Book but that's no help. Can anyone help with some photos and or instruction on what I need to get to hold these things in place? I included a pic of the car incase it helps Thanks!!!!!
If possible I use very short small diameter Phillips head screws. Get them at ace hardware. Been using them for years to hold the trim in place. Drill them clamped in place. Work from one end to the other. One screw at a time. Space the abou five inches apart. Be sure you get them set deep.
I use 1/8 inch alum pop rivets. They don't stick up too much and are pretty easy to bury down in the fuzzy. If they do happen to touch the gl***, the aluminum less likely to cause a scratch.
Thanks! I guess I was looking for something that was a special fastener. Drilling holes an adding screws or pop rivets is way easier than I thought! I'm on it
I glued mine in many years ago , I have seen lots of cracked gl*** from the gl*** bumping the screws or rivets . Best as I can remember the OEM stuff had tabs , that slid into the door from front to back , it was installed before vent wings went in . I don’t think one would ever locate the OEM style again , today .
I use black pop rivets, that way they do not show. https://www.amazon.com/ISPINNER-100...words=black+rivets&qid=1714047097&sr=8-3&th=1
GM a little later (1940 or so) attached the run channels with snap in clips and the belt weatherstrips with snap clips on the outer molding and stapled to the garnish molding on the inner ones. Restoration Specialties carries all those clips and run channels. May be able to use some of those for the earlier models.
A couple dabs of 3M urethane windshield adhesive on the channels, install them, roll the windows up and walk away for a day. As mentioned, screws or rivet heads can touch the gl*** and crack it.
Pop rivets gave me fits as I couldn't get the tip of the rivet gun into the bottom of the channel on the fuzzy channels. I went to Old Car Parts in Portland and they had bags of #4 flathead SS screws and I drilled and screwed each hole. Worked great and flushed in below the fuzzy stuff. I did use pop rivets for the fuzzy strips on all my garnish moldings, and they worked great there. Mine is a Sport coupe, so my 1/4 windows also slide and needed fuzzies and tracks for those to move in.
The window channel is pretty stiff you don’t need a lot of screws or rivets (I use rivets). The fuzzy strips on the door lip and window trim need a few more. With the trim off the door there is more room for a rivet gun nose.
I have 4 pieces of small fuzzy strips. I'm thinking there is a piece on the inside of the gl*** and one on the outside? Pop riveting or screwing them on the garnish molding side is ok but the door side? Glue??? or maybe drill through he inside of the door to the outside for a screw?
Ugh Just came back in from the garage. It's frustrating! Don't want to make a mistake. This stuff is so expensive.
I cut my whisker strips to length and used the SS #4 flathead screws to attach them to the lower window opening on my coupe. Need the window fully down, and the garnish molding off, and they still get drilled at a slight angle due to the drill bits for that size being so short. If I could have found a longer drill bit I could have drilled them at almost no angle. I taped the strips to the inside using duct tape to hold them at 3 places. I checked where the screws could be best and pre drilled the strips on the bench first so less chance of the drill walking. I put one screw on each end, and two in between, but I think even one between would be plenty.
Thanks! I started working on the vent window dividers last night. It took a while to figure them out as the previous owner took everything apart. That's my main problem I have nothing to work from it's all in a box apart. The next issue will be the window channel. It looks like it will bend to the shape of the window frame but doing it correctly the first time worries me that stuff is too expensive to make a mistake.
Carefully bend the window weather strip over the gl***. Work on a mat are blanket. The edges of the weather strip slides on itself . After you do one the other one is piece of cake.
Thanks! These are the kind of tips I need. It's like most everything you do. Once you've done it once it gets easier with more confidence. Been there many times with other stuff. My biggest to date was welding in the IFS. If I were to do it again it would take me the day to get it done and not a week! Thanks for all the pointers!!!
Be really carful with the rivets, as mentioned before if the hit the gl*** they will scratch or break it. Think about it as it wears the felt? If my memory is correct, GM used wire style fasteners on the belt moldings (whiskers) and used a clip only at the bottom of the window felt. Once you get the channel molding bent to the proper shape, roll the window up TIGHT, cut the channel so it just fits at the bottom and either screw it (below gl*** run) or if the original clip is still there fit it behind it. Once you are satisfied with the fit, pull the channel put some 3M trim adhesive on the channel run, roll the window back up tight, and let it set. Questions just ask.
I appreciate your help I'm going to win on this window install. The car has given me grief on just about everything through out this build but always win
I had a 37 Coupe years ago, straight axel, 4 speed, 350 Chevy, 58 olds rear. Had a lot of fun with it. the vent window divider channel should be two pieces, one is chrome it it holds the vent gl*** division bar seal, the other holds a solid channel that fits into the the division bar.
I spent yesterday figuring out how they went back together. I'm ok with them. I hope by next weekend I'll have side gl*** installed, then I'll start with what car to get bucket seats out of
I want to remove the rear shelf and turn that area over the gas tank into interior space. The seat backs need to flip forward for access. A console would be great. don't want any electric seat junk.
My 49 Buick used clips to hold the gl*** run channel in. I only had a few rusty broken ones, so I used urethane windshield glue on the channel. Put a bead on the back side of the channel and roll up the window, making sure the channel was in the correct position. Let it set overnight and done.
I'm slowly figuring it out by asking for help and making small mistakes along the way. My biggest problem is the previous owner took everything apart, misplaced most of the window parts and there are no traces of how things went together along with having to source regulator parts. Sometimes I sure wish there was someone close to me from the forum that's done this before that could pay me a visit. It's not the first debacle I've gotten into with this car
The channel material with fuzzy inside was the easiest part for my build. It came in about 8 ft. long straight pieces, but the backsides were multiple little slots to allow the strips to easily bend to the shape of my door openings for the gl***. I simply measured how much I needed to go down inside the doors, and then pushed it up into the area it needs to fit into, and drilled and screwed it in place. My car had nothing in place either, and just a pile of garnish moldings inside, plus two tracks for the sliding 1/4 windows. One 1/4 window garnish molding was for a fixed window coupe, so too big to even fit my 1/4 window, and not shaped for the knob that sits above the garnish to operate the slide. I had to section the garnish in 3 places and remove about 1" at each cut until it matched the good side that was correct. Then weld it back together and grind the welds. After that I cut the relief, and it was a match. Everything was new to me, so not sure I did it as they were originally, but it all works perfect. The entire weatherstrip and fuzzies for the wing windows was grueling, and took a very long time; longer than any other window work.
EVERYONE!!!! thanks for all the help ! I got the roll-up gl*** installed over the last 3 days. It was, looking back, easier than I was anticipating. The right side was the first side, It went well, the drivers side was a bit more involved. The reason being...I did not set the vent window gl*** well. It was not seated all the way into the vent window frame channel. tapeSo the division bar would not accept the vent window. All said the window would not roll up and the vent window would not close. My new question is I need to reset the gl*** into the vent window frame. I need to get some new gl*** setting tape. It comes in thicknesses...which thickness for a vent window??? Thanks!!!
I cheated as I fought my vent window gl*** and the setting tape. So I bought urethane caulk and I set mine in caulk. I started by cleaning the frames, and test fitting the gl*** into the frame. Then with the gl*** in place I masked the gl*** off on both sides to make sure no caulk would end up on the gl***. I then caulked the channel and pushed the gl*** into the channel. Once seated I wiped the excess caulk off, and then pulled the tape. Let them sit overnight so the caulk setup and they were done.
I found what is supposed to be the correct setting tape, 3/64" and ordered it from Cl***ic Industries. I read on one of the internet pages that Chev's of the 40's sells the wrong thickness setting tape. That would explain why I had so much trouble setting the gl***. I did get one on the money but the second one has created a problem that may have to be fixed with a new rubber seal. I cut it to fit my mistake before I found the problem with the vent gl***. Unfortunately you can only by the set at $250.00. I'm going to call Steele Rubber and ask if I can buy just the left side. Probably not but you never know. Thanks again for all the pointers and ***istance. The windows roll up and down great!!
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