INSTALLING DOOR WINDOW CHANNEL

[Guest OLBUICKS]

Restoring the doors on my 38, and was wondering if I used JB Weld to glue my window channels in place instead of small screws.. I see so many old cars with door glass cracked because of the screws. Any any one used this method? Also where can I get the door seal clips? Thanks

[jpage]

I would never recommend glueing window channel into your doors. Most channel is designed to be held in with clips or a compression fit under garnish mouldings. Some channels must be installed after the glass is installed. Make sure you are using the correct channel for your car. GM used a stainless beaded flexible channel starting around '33. Clips for that are still available and also the small "button" clips for the door weatherstrip are also available from Restoration Specialties in PA (814-467-9842). Staples and clips are also available for the beltstrips(fuzzies) and they carry all the channel material.

[Guest Grant Magrath]

Chev's of the 40's (Chevs of the 40's the The World's Most Complete Supplier of 1937-54 Chevrolet Restoration Parts and Street Rod Parts for your Car and Truck) is another option for those clips that hold the window channel in place (and the door seal clips). Used them on my old 39 Chevy. Had to make the staples that held the clips in place. Not too difficult, just a bit fiddly. For the coupe, my father opted to use a type of silicone RTV to hold the channel in place. Worked great.

Cheers

Grant

[egor]

The glass fits pretty loosely in the channels on a '38. It's unlikely the screws will cause cracking, IF the glass is properly aligned. Those tiny screws are difficult to handle, but trying to get the channel to form perfectly to the frame without them would be no picnic, either. My take is to stick with the screws.

[Restorer32]

We have used tiny stainless "pop" rivets on occasion to install window channel. Touch them with a dab of flat black paint and they diasppear. We make the staples from stainless welding wire.

[Guest OLBUICKS]

Got it done... kind of a tough job, but the main thing I was careful of making sure the glass was in the right positition in the lift channel so it would not be too far left or right and rub the sides. I installed the glass in position before the final setting and aligned the glass where I wanted it and marked it with masking tape, and a marker. I talked to a local glass shop in town and he said, not to totally glue it in but use a couple layers of friction tape and glue, so if I ever needed to take it apart the tape will let the window come out of the channel much easier. I did have to use a couple of screw on the channel, but I took some of the clothe out of the extra chanel and cut some small peices and glued it over the screw heads, you can't even tell that they are covered. One door done and one to go..