Wanted to get opinions on ways to fab up the rear quarter windows on a hardtop chopped 1940 Mercury. Working on my Merc and fabing up Matranga style window frames out of 3/4 stainless. Trying to iron out the details on having the rear quarter windows slide out which is a common custom technique. Trying to see what is the most effective way to get this to work. Should it be fabbed that the whole stainless window frame slides out or should the frame be mounted to the car so that just the window inside slides out and the frame remains? I am thinking the former. Any tips, tricks from those who have come before me and laid the ground work? Would love to see and hear ways in which you guys have accomplished this look. Just some pics of the window frames in place. This is the beginning stages of mocked of the stainless channel 20170113_155742_resized by fryguy posted Mar 1, 2017 at 7:02 PM This is a couple of pics of the full window frames fabbed and installed in the car. 20170223_173915_resized by fryguy posted Mar 1, 2017 at 7:02 PM 20170223_173924_resized by fryguy posted Mar 1, 2017 at 7:02 PM Here is a close up of the rear quarter window that I am trying to determine how to setup the slide out rear quarters 20170228_214035_resized by fryguy posted Mar 1, 2017 at 7:02 PM
No idea on how they did it back in the day and I don't quite see how you are doing the door glass as it does not seem separate from the wind wing frame. If the stainless frame on the door rolls down with the glass, then the quarter glass and frame should both slide out, for the full hardtop look. If the door glass frame is fixed as it is in the picture, the glass should slide out and the frame remain.
I see what what you mean by the door glass. The way its mocked now the door frame is static and the window rolls down. There is a divider between the wing window and the main door window. Its setup now that I have the window glass rolling down while the frame stays. I see how this should translate to just the glass sliding out of the frame in the rear. It seems a lot of stress just on the rear quarter glass. I am going off of pictures of previous cars as I have not been able to locate any threads that detail this. The setup is similar to what is in the Hirohata Merc but the 49-51 mercs rear quarters are a different size than the 39-40 merc. Hoping somebody can chime in as to what they have done on their custom. I do like the look of having the whole window frame and glass rolling down inside the door channel which would translate to a smoother hardtop look IMHO. Hopefully others have some advice as to their experience in setting it up this way.
Many, many years ago (1961) I was asked to check out a prewar Cadillac convertible the town was going to auction off. The REALLY neat feature was that the vent window disappeared (yes) when the door window was rolled down. It may have had 2 positions - side window down, and then vent window down, which smoothed out the appearance of the Cad from the side. Coupled with this, you might use a 1955 or 1956 Ford hardtop rear window regulator which (on the down cycle), first pulls the window rearward, and then retracts it downward. This configuration would have just the top channel remaining in place and provide a really slick appearance with the window(s) down. Admittedly, it involves some research and engineering but would be well worth the effort. Spectators saying, "How'd he do THAT!"
I don't believe the Matranga or the Hirohata Mercs rear quarter windows slid out. My old Merc's quqrter windows slid out but did not have the Matranga style window frames. Mick
Doing some more digging and talking to other customizers I think I may it figured out. Not a whole lot of info on here about this so hopefully this will help others in the future. In talking with Kevan Sledge, Rob Radcliffe and Drew Bland I was able to find the info I was looking for. In the Matranga 40 and the Hirohata Merc both utilized the window frames as a static part of the door frame. The stainless divider between the wing window and the main door window would slide down with the glass as well. The door glass being affixed to the divider as vertical track to keep the glass from moving, wobbling and stressing which would ultimately lead to cracking. Here are a few pics of the Matranga Mercury that show different angles and it does appear the frame is a part of the door and only the window would roll down Looking at Kevan's 40 it also shows the same look as just the glass window slides down. On the rear window it was also determined that the rear window frame stays fixed in place and only the window glass slides out. Its harder finding photographic evidence of the rear windows sliding out. In discussion, having the stainless window frame slide down with the window itself would give the car a true hardtop look but it would be more of a contemporary look as opposed as a classic early custom look. OZ Kustoms' Slither is a perfect example of that. Beautiful custom in that can stand by itself. Slither has the stainless(Chromed steel, brass?) as part of the window that rolls down creating that cool hardtop look.
Another thought, if you continue with the fixed door frame design; do you really need the quarter window glass to be removable?
This is how I done it to a 40 Plymouth, just two screws hold it in place , we preferred to keep the wind window and the door frame static as we felt it looked more period , hope this helps . Beautiful chop by the way Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Sounds like you're talking to the right guys, and it looks like you're doing a helluva nice job in general. On Gene Winfield's '41 coupe, the frame rolls down with the window, and the rear window frame slides out attached to the glass. I think this makes for a cleaner look.
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