"L" shaped liner vent window seal installation

[fh4ever]

on the '39 commander, I am trying to replace the "L" shaped liner or vent window seal.  This is the seal that goes on the leading edge of the door glass chrome trim.   It seems many models thru '64 used this type of seal for the vent window where it contacts the door glass...and I hope someone can give me installation pointers as I am having trouble replacing it.  The "L" liner  (or seal) has one leg shorter than the other and I assume the short leg goes to the channel side and the long leg fits under the rolled edge on the trim.   The long leg just seems to be a bit too long and I cannot push it down flush into the corner.  If I flip it over and put the long leg on the channel side, then it seems it overhangs the trim and the "bristles" now seem to be on the wrong side.  Is this just another example of poor quality that we have to work with?  or is there a better way to install it?   Here is the trim and the liner...and the catalog page of the liner.

 

  

 

 

 

here is what happens when I try to install it short leg to the channel side...I know...poor pic...but hopefully you understand...its like it is too long to lay flat.   I think the metal piece alone might fit, but wrap it in rubber and it just does not want to go in.  

 

 

and if I flip it over ...long side against the channel.....it's too short to fit under the rolled edge and it will extend beyond the channel trim almost an 1/8".  

 

 

So please...can anyone shed some light on this installation?    I am sure someone out there has installed these before.  

 

[Spinneyhill]

Is that the right fluffy L-shaped piece? It seems to me there should be no fluff but just perhaps a fabric wrap on the piece of soft metal that goes up under the turnover. It is 30 years since I did mine. I'll look later.

 

Later: mine fits under with no problem. I have a recollection I used a fluffy channel and cut one leg off it, but not sure if it was for this job. The chromed "h" shaped piece has tabs on the end that fold over the end of the fluffy lining.

Edited May 10, 2017 by Spinneyhill (see edit history)

[fh4ever]

thanks for the reply Spinneyhill,  I worked on it this afternoon and got it in....There was a rubber piece wrapped around the long leg on both sides and then fabric wrap around the same leg on top of the rubber piece....which equals to 4 thickness's of material.   It was so thick on the edge that it would never go under that lip.  So here is what I did... I unwrapped the fabric on the long leg and cut the rubber out from under it, then wrap the fabric back.  This way there is only fabric on both sides of the long leg.   It then went in the lip with just enough persuasion.

This is the L that SI sells for that model and year, whether it is correct or not.  I have no idea what the original looked like as mine turned to dust.  The new L had those fluffy fibers just like the window channel does.  It appears the vent window face will press against the fluff.   Now... if I went long leg towards the channel, the edge of the glass would be against the fluff which I dont think is correct.  The long leg had to go to the rolled lip the way I figure it.  At any rate, I got it and looks good.  Yes there was tabs, and I did fold them over top of the liner.

 

next, I already installed this chrome piece on the door glass, but I was not sure how much space to leave at the top...No matter how many pics you take during disassembly, you will always miss something...I took pics of everything in the door except the chrome pieces.  One was already off of the car and the other barely holding on.  So ...I left just enough space at the top that the door window channel will rest against the chrome when the window is rolled up.  That leaves about 1/8" gap between the bottom of the chrome channel and steel glass mounting channel on the bottom of the glass.  

Would you mind looking at the top of your chrome piece to see how it interacts with the window channel at the top?  and how much glass is exposed?   Is the glass exposed equal about the thickness of the door glass channel?  

here are a couple of pics of the chrome piece mounted on the glass...the bottom corner and the upper corner...pay no attention to the glass setting tape, i have not trimmed it yet.  

 

[Spinneyhill]

58 minutes ago, fh4ever said:

thanks for the reply Spinneyhill,  I worked on it this afternoon and got it in....There was a rubber piece wrapped around the long leg on both sides and then fabric wrap around the same leg on top of the rubber piece....which equals to 4 thickness's of material.   It was so thick on the edge that it would never go under that lip.  So here is what I did... I unwrapped the fabric on the long leg and cut the rubber out from under it, then wrap the fabric back.  This way there is only fabric on both sides of the long leg.   It then went in the lip with just enough persuasion.

Xclnt.

 

Would you mind looking at the top of your chrome piece to see how it interacts with the window channel at the top?  and how much glass is exposed?   Is the glass exposed equal about the thickness of the door glass channel? 

 

Before going outside, from memory (yes, it Is often unreliable) and my quick look at it earlier, I remember just making sure when the window was up, the edging just touched the top or left a tiny gap, barely discernible. It goes below the trim at the bottom so that end doesn't matter so much. That must mean it is down a little from the top, as you show, so the glass can go into the top channel. It is "easy" once you get it in place to slide it up or down a smidgeon to suit. Maybe...

[Spinneyhill]

I now see I have a little problem on mine. The windup window sits back a bit and can be tilted forward. The top of the chromed "h" piece comes up against the end of the vent window rubber, so it is not the top channel that is the control but the vent window rubber. The distance down from the top is pretty similar to what you show or a little more.

 

BTW, have you replaced the vent window rubber? None was available when I did mine so they are a bit hard etc..

 

Your posts are inspiring me to get back onto mine. Would you be able to post a photo of each side of your car looking along the line of the fender edges please? Mine taper and curve inwards slightly behind the wheels along the bottom edges and I am wondering if those edges should be parallel to the vehicle axis (wheel?) before curving away.

[fh4ever]

glad to inspire someone!!  Wife's not too inspired!.  I may have to take some time to get that new kitchen I  promised her! 

My vent window rubber is hard as a rock but intact.  I recall finding the vent window rubber last winter somewhere but it was about $250 USD.  I am not putting a lot $$ in this car, so I will not be touching that rubber if I can avoid it.   I should be able to replace the vent window glass without disturbing the rubber.   I understand the rear vent window rubber is not available at all and it too is intact but hard.  If you want, I can search my notes to see if I can find who had the vent window rubber. I did notice the vent window rubber might hit that chrome piece some but until I start putting the window trim and glass back in, I am not quite sure what will hit the window or chrome.   I hope to have the channel in one door tonight or tomorrow and start assembling the door back together to see how it all fits.

No problem getting pics... I should be able to get them tonight. 

 

        

[Spinneyhill]

Steele Rubber supply the vent window rubber, $185/pr. Thanks in advance for the pic's.

[fh4ever]

you're right, I believe it was Steele Rubber ...and less than I thought.  

I took several pics but lets start with these few...if I understand you...the right hand side on mine does bow inward more than the right at the bottom behind the wheel.  Let me know if you need more.  

 

 

[Spinneyhill]

Xclnt. Thank you. So the bottom edge of the front behind the wheel curves in towards the running board. How about the bottom edge of the rear fender behind the wheel?

 

I hadn't thought about the vertical shape but that is helpful too. Thank you.

 

Mine has home built running boards with straight sides that do not curve in at the front. It is a Coupe Express so all these parts are the same. I think mine came to NZ as a chassis-cab and was fitted with a flat deck. In the early '60s it was rebuilt. Jack put a well side deck on it and made wider running boards to fill some of the space towards the chassis behind the cab.

 

It looks like your future will include learning some body-work skills, as will mine?

 

[fh4ever]

it is interesting to note the running board rubber fills in the gap at the front fender.  

 

 

 

 

for the rear...

 

the left rear has small dent in the 10:00 o'clock position from the bumper...so it looks like it curves in more...

 

 

 

let me know if you need more.   Post a pic of yours, would love to see it.   As far as the body work goes, I would love to take it down to the metal and make it pristine again...then i realize how much i hate all that sanding.  I wont miss the sanding at all. 

[Spinneyhill]

That is xclnt. Thank you. They curve in much more quickly at the back than I expected. Mine has adapted '38 Commander rear mudguards = fenders.

 

Mine is very dirty and surrounded by stuff = hard to photograph. Here is one from before 1993 (when I took the front suspension out for overhaul and it hasn't run since).

 

[fh4ever]

so kool !!  You have one unique ride there!.   Paint and body seems to be in great shape.  I would love to have one of those.  I really like the 2 door models (business coupe and coupe express)  but this 4 door was like the one my grandfather had and the price was good, so I bought it in 1984.  I had it in storage until last year.  My goal (for now) is just to get it driving and on the road, then I will see if there is more I want to do with it.  

I can see your running board appears to stay the same width from front to rear.  Mine is 10.5" in the front and 7" wide in the rear. (but it is a 4 door)

[Spinneyhill]

Don't be fooled! It has had a frontal prang, not too hard but enough. The driver's (RH) door is not right at the bottom hinge, neither is the hinge (it doesn't open as far as it should). The cab seems to have come forward and has a broken mount at the left rear. I can't get the front panel gaps to line up properly; the cab needs to go back. You can see the uneven opening under the bonnet = hood, which is a result of this. The front bumper irons were all bent left before I straightened them. The paint is poor and 20 years ago I cleaned up the left rear fender (rust out, straightened etc) but never painted it. There is a little rust in the bottom front of the other rear mudguard and a few bubbles in the back of the cab at belt line and bottom.

[fh4ever]

but it is way more cool than a 4 door !  I like it !  I like that visor...it adds flavor to it.   

[Spinneyhill]

I like it too, because it is unusual. They were not made for tall people. There is no seat adjustment other than the bottom of the back being able to come forward (!) a few inches. While the visor is like a flat cap accessory, it restricts visibility out for me, a tall person.