Glass Window Tolerances

[Mark Gregory]

My 1931 Reo Royale Victoria was missing all the glass in the car except the windshield . I am in the process of rebuilding the wood in the doors . I am trying to make a template of the glass that slides in the window run channels . What should the tolerance spacing be on the edge of the door window glass and the rear quarter windows glass be ?  1/8 of an inch on the edge of each side of the window glass ? The window run channel is about 1/2 inch wide on each side .

Edited February 8, 2018 by Mark Gregory (see edit history)

[nickelroadster]

One eighth of an inch clearance sounds pretty loose but I suppose it depends on the type of pile lining on the inside.  I recently replace two side windows in a 1927 Marmon.  The car originally had 3/16" plate glass but I replaced it with 1/4" inch safety glass.  I replaced the window channel with channel from Restoration specialties.  The channel was made for both 3/16" and 1/4" glass.  With the 3/16" glass there was probably slightly less than 1/8" clearance.  With the 1/4" There was probably about 3/32" clearance.

The safety glass was available in 3/16" but was more expensive and had to be special ordered.  When I put an original window back in the channel, it seemed quite loose to me.  You might want to think about replacing the channel as the pile in the old channel could be pretty threadbare.  When I first installed the new glass it was a little tight but quickly loosened up without letting the window rattle around.  

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[jpage]

I would first buy the new channels so you have something to measure with. Temporarily install the channels and measure between the pads on the floor of the channels. The glass only has to have enough clearance as so not to bind on the pads. Make sure too, that the channels fit well so as not to present a pinch point.Before getting any glass cut, I would make a template from some smooth material like plexiglass or sanded 1/4 in. plywood to check for clearance and operation as flat glass is getting quite expensive. Restoration Specialties has several different channels available and they are listed by size in the catalog. They will also send samples for you to look at.