Can anyone give me some info on eliminating the vent windows on a 47 Ford Coupe? Besides liking the way it looks, I'm missing the chrome piece on the passenger side anyway. I know that obviously I have to have a new piece of window glass cut but what else? I haven't decided if I'm going with power windows or keeping the original roll ups. I suppose any info I get will help me decide on that issue. Thanks in advance!
really all you need to do is make a channel for the window to slide up and down in. as the window rolls down it needs the support from said channel to keep it from flopping in the wind. the original window regulator shoud still work even though your extending the window. if you have a cowl vent you should still get good air circulation. good luck.
I dont much about your car, but it was easy to do on the one in my avatar. It went like this for it. 1) cut out any material bridging the slot 2) make a channel for the front of glass 3) install felt channel 4) use the original roll down glass to start a templet and draw in wind wing shape and adjust templet to fit 5) have glass cut then install to stock regulator or add power if thats what you what. Thats the basics to it.
I do miss mine every now and then. But the look or affect I wanted out wayed that. I didn't care for the way the 1/4 glass was bigger then the front. Eventhough the opening in the door is the same the outcame is major. Also makes it seem as if I chopped it mildly to look more like a hard top.
I removed mine from my 47 Ford coupe last year. I used the NuRelics power windows. Nice stuff, just bolted into the stock window regulator holes. Underneath the vent window there is a metal tab that has to be cut out. Then a new channel has to be mounted in the front of the door as others have already said. I used MDF board from Home Depot to make the templates. Once they went up and down and fit great I took the templates to the glass shop and had the glass cut. It was no big deal. The first door took me a while to figure out, the second one was done in an hour!
I did mine the same way Johnny Gee out lined in his post a couple back up there, except a couple of extra additions. Step 6. weld cross brace back into door. Step 7. Hunt like a crazy person to replace the door glass and wind wings that I threw away when I got the brilliant idea to remove the vent wings. Step 8. Reinstall vent wings as the factory designed to complement the function of the cowl vent...
Great. Thank you for that info. Question though..... please bear with me as I'm new to all this. Where do I get the new channel? Or is this something I have to fabricate?
Leave the wings in ! I still love the wings ! I hated it when they did away with the wing vents . I wish they would bring them back ! Retro Jim
The couple that I have done over the years I have salvaged the channel out of other cars from wrecking yards. Doesn't matter what it is, as long as the channel is the right dimensions. Or you could makeit out of 14 or 16 ga. stock with a small break.
They do look good without the wings, but in the end you will regret doing it. The ventilation by far outweighs the looks. Just my thought!
i know you're not asking for opinions, but to me, especially on chopped cars, if it doesn't have the vent window, it just looks like the owner was too lazy to get the vent windows in, looks better with them.
Don't laugh but when I was doing the windows in my Dodge an old hot rodder gave me some of this to use and it worked great. The felt channel I used fit in it like it was made for it. I just ran it up to the bottom of the window and the felt fit in the door channel from there.
I totally agree!!! There is nothing like cruising in the summer with the windows rolled down and the wing windows open to devert the wind! I consider most any car with factory wing windows an "old car".
Go to swap meets, put up a wanted ad, find the missing wing parts and do it right. Nothing screams 'Street Rod' more than removing the wind wings, they are one of the coolest parts of that era car. Doc.
Wow....the general consensus seems to be to keep 'em. Honestly, that was the original plan 3 yrs ago when I first got the car. But I've yet to find that missing piece. That's why I decided to go the other route. Guess I'll keep looking. Anybody got a pass side vent wing for sale??
PM FlatTopBob here on the HAMB, he owns Owens Salvage and they may just have the parts you're looking for.
Thanks for the heads up ZMAN.....just spoke to Bob from Owens. He has one and is shipping it out on Thursday.