Window Channel

[Guest cbaker]

I am trying to replace the metal U channel that the door window glass fits into. I have a 1937 2 door sedan. I have tried all the usual sources....Bernbaum, Robert's, Pro Antiques, Restoration Specialties, E-bay and google. I actually bought a set for a 4 door, which are much shorter. Does anyone have another source or something else that has been used. The existing channel is so far gone that it can not be repaired. Thanks Charlie

[Machinist_Bill]

I will have the same work to do on my Coupe doors. I plan to use universal window channel depending on the thickness of the glass. (They come in various widths) You might have to be creative with attachment brackets but on a scale of 1-10 (10 being the easiest) I put it at a 5 plus 3 Beers a window.....

[Guest DodgeKCL]

The FORD repro outfits sell window channel in different lenghts at all the fleamarkets I go to. They usually have different types in the back of a small trailer in several large diameter cardboard 'mailing' tubes. I just buy what they have and cut it up. Who know what it's for. But it's correct for the 30s. I believe it comes in 6 foot lengths. They also sell the rubber 'bumper' that goes in the top of the window opening to seal the glass when it's all the way up. I cannot tell the difference from the dried out original Chrysler put in. I just pulled out the old and put a couple of blobs of clear RTV behind it,pushed in the new, crank up the glass to hold it in place for a day,and Bob's your uncle. Just like new. I also do not nail the vertical channels pieces in. I RTV them the same way. Get them all cut and tried and then roll up the window and leave it for a day 'til the RTV cures. You need a blob of RTV about the size of a dime about every 3" or so.

[Guest 1930]

I think he is reffering to the metal channel at the bottom of glass that it sits in, not the side whiskery pieces

[Machinist_Bill]

If that's true Jason he will still have to be creative. I have to get a chunk of aluminum and mill a slot down the length to hold the rubber U seal and glass and be further creative and mill a track for the crank rollers.

I need the same but fortunately I have the crank assemblies. This makes it easy to get the measurements for the track.

[jpage]

There are some repro channels on the market but they have no brackets and there's the rub! If you have good guide brackets they can be carefully removed from the old channels and rewelded to the new channel. Trouble is that some of the Dodge lower channels have a protruding rib along the bottom edge that holds the regulator arm guide. This rib is not present on the replacements and must be there for proper operation. You best choice is to hunt down some good originals. I was fortunate a while back to find some NOS channels for my '36 on E-bay and got all four for around $100.00,which I thought was very good! Surely someone has some extras! Good Hunting!

[Guest cbaker]

Thanks for the replies...yes I am talking about the metal channe.

[Guest cbaker]

Thanks...I am talking aboutbthe metal channel

[Guest DodgeKCL]

In that case it's just as easy. Just remove the old channel and weld on a new 'U' channel from the metal shop dept. in your local parts store. They sell lengths of steel and aluminum in all kinds of shapes,90 degree corner,flat,round (tubing). All in various sizes starting at 1/4"(outside dimension). Get a steel 'U' channel that has at least a 1/4" opening to take the glass and weld it on the arm. Make a 'bed' for the glass with a thin sheet of rubber sheeting and 'pot' the glass and the rubber in the channel with clear RTV silicone rubber. Potting means, smear the inside of the channel with RTV and slide the rubber sheet into the channel. Then put a line of RTV all the way along the 'floor' of the rubber and push the glass into the rubber channel. Wipe off the excess and in a day the glass is set. This is how a lot of modern glass is put into modern vehicles. I had a windshield replaced a couple of years back and this is pretty much how they did it. No one will ever see the finished job as it's out of sight below the garnish moulding. There are different grades of RTV. You must seek out the 'glue' version. Do not use the stuff that used as bathroom caulking. I'ts not 'strong' enough and will tear out quite easily. I use Permatex RTV clear that is meant to do this kind of job. Once cured it can not be torn or pulled off like bathroom cauking. But yes I'm talking about a close cousin of bathroom caulking. I buy it in 'gun cartridges' for $10 at the local car parts store. Lasts a long time in the cartridge and a 'toothpaste tube' is $6 for about a tenth of what's in the cartridge.

I use it all the time in my modern vehicles and antiques. Many spots on the old cars were put together with hot horse glue and I use RTV in those places. I just finished my headlights for the '35 and although I used NOS cork rings as original in the trough around the bucket just behind the glass lense,I used very small dabs of RTV to glue the cork in place. In this particular case I don't believe anything was used originally. But the RTV is waterproof and makes for a neater job. And if I blow a bulb it will be much easier to replace it as the cork will stay put while I remove the lense. Also where the wires exit the headlight and tail light buckets there is quite a gap for bugs and dust and water to get in. So I put a small line of RTV around the wire bundle to seal that. The buckets all have 1/8" drain holes in their bottoms which I leave. Also in the headlight 'doors' there are 'W' clips that hold the lense in place and like to slide around while the door and lense are being handled so I put a small dab of RTV on each leg of the W to hold it still. Also about 4 small dabs of RTV around the edge of the lense where it touches the door stops it from sliding around and fixes it in place once and for all.

I find using modern methods like this is much better than trying to duplicate what they did 80 or 100 years ago. The restoration will last almost indefinetly considering the amount of use our vehicles get year to year.

Edited March 26, 2012 by DodgeKCL (see edit history)