Single piece door windows Options

[nsyr]

Anyone try this or know how to go about doing it. I think it would look really good having all one piece window compared to having the wing part.

[McMark]

The biggest issue I can see is the front guide. You'd have to adapt that from the current setup. Also, the lifting mechanism will no longer be centered under the new window so and cranking might be difficult without modifying the mechanism. It's totally do-able. Just not simple.

BTW, love the avatar!(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads/av-2073.jpg)

[Jeroen]

If you do a lot of windows down driving, you won't like it...

[boxstr]

I have been thinking about this for a longtime. Look at the VW bugs, they have the Calif look by getting rid of the wing windows. You can buy the complete kit.
I thought maybe you could use the existing window, chop the front guide off at the top of the door, retain the piece that you cut off and when you roll the window up you could slide it into place giving the stock window a guide to rest in.

CCLINGASFORGLASS

[ruddyboys]

Why didn't they make the vent window tilt out? I had an Old Mustang and loved having the vent window movable to let cool air in on a hot day.

[tod914]

Same reason they went to plastic interior components... saves money.

[nsyr]

Where would you be able to get the one piece glass that would fit? The mechanics of it is not a big deal, I know I could make it work.

[nsyr]

I got my avatar pic off the internet. It's the color I want to paint my teener. I also like the silver crest over the gold one. AND THIS IS MY 50TH POST, NO LONGER A NEWBIE (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smilie_pokal.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smilie_pokal.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smilie_pokal.gif)

[Cap'n Krusty]

I have been thinking about this for a longtime. Look at the VW bugs, they have the Calif look by getting rid of the wing windows. You can buy the complete kit.
I thought maybe you could use the existing window, chop the front guide off at the top of the door, retain the piece that you cut off and when you roll the window up you could slide it into place giving the stock window a guide to rest in.

CCLINGASFORGLASS

We used to do a lot of bug work a few years back. Those bug one piece window kits may look good, but they don't work worth a damn. Can you say "kludge" . They srick, they're hard to roll up and down, they get crooked, the felts come out of the doors, and they overload the mechanisms. Oh, they rattle. other than that, they're not too bad .............. The Cap'n

[neo914-6]

Where would you be able to get the one piece glass that would fit? The mechanics of it is not a big deal, I know I could make it work.

I've been working on this for my modern 914 project. It requires more bracing because there will be little glass left in the door when fully raised.

Basically the glass is the costly part to produce. By astronomical chance there may be an existing side glass that has the same dimensions needed but the likely solution is a custom manufactured piece. There should be some companies that will do small runs but it will still require a small fortune in tooling. Remember this is slightly curved glass. I designed some custom pieces 20 years ago for a bus company. All this could be feasible if a few hundred of these were manufactured. I'm not sure what kind of DOT or NHTSA approval it would require but again more money for testing than most are willing to invest. You could try the "for racing purposes only" waiver but it may be too obvious that racers use plastic or nets.

Another alternative is plexiglass or lexan which is a compromise in stiffness or scratch resistance. The shops that rake the windshield use plexiglass on their side windows. You would think they would invest in this idea since they are in the business of "styling".

Felix

[nsyr]

I remember seeing this done on a Falcon on Overhaulin, but I didn't get a chance to watch the whole show.

[boxstr]

On Overhaulin the glass guy put a line of powder that burned when lite with a match, he then snapped the glass off. I'm sure it will be on again.
CCLINGASFORGLASS

[rhodyguy]

don't forget the long squeegee and the metal chanel that holds it.

kevin

[neo914-6]

On Overhaulin the glass guy put a line of powder that burned when lite with a match, he then snapped the glass off

As I recall that was laminate glass but I could not find the details of the show on their site. The alcohol flash is used to soften the plastic center layer when breaking the scribed line. This plastic layer holds the glass when broken and is used primarily for windshields. Side glass is usually safety glass designed to shatter into lots of small pieces which makes it difficult to modify.
Felix

[DougC]

What I've thought of doing and is "sort of" along the same lines is to do a complete one piece Lexan glass window that doesn't roll up or down. Install it with external rivets along the perimeter holding it in place (see original GT40s). Then create a sliding section within it that you can open for fresh air (see '64 Ferrari 250LM). they used to do this out of Perspex I think. It's more "Hard Core" than what's being discussed here maybe but I think it'd be so cool. I wouldn't consider it unless the car was an airconditioned streetcar though. Thought about it for a long time, may try it one day. I wonder it the local authorities would notice or if they'd even care?

Doug C

[Root_Werks]

On the VW kits, they use the cable door stop. I think the 914 would need something similar? Rolling down a one piece window might run into the door stop. I bet it could be done. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sawzall-smiley.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smash.gif)

[neo914-6]

cable door stop

yes, this is one hurdle but there is also a metal section at the lower front of the door that may need to be cut out, take a look.
Felix

[r_towle]

lexan wont work for a movable window, it sratches way to easy.

Side windows are tempered glass...this glass is cut and shaped first, then tempered. It cannot be cut once tempered or it will shatter.

Overhaulin used laminated glass, like what is used in widshields. This is the common solution for making up side window glass that has some measure of safety and will not shatter on your shoulder.

Most glass manufacturers can make custom pieces provided you give them a buck.....common bucks are made from either sheet steel or aluminum.

If the buck has bracing, the glass can be heated and layed on the buck while hot to attain the correct shape.

cutting laminated glass is just like cutting regular glass,,,,cept its two sheets, so it must be scored on both sides of the glass, and...while you are breaking it, you must burn away the plastic sfaety coating in the middle.....thus the alchohol lit on fire to melt the plastic while you bend the cut piece off....can be tricky, but doable .

We played with a Pizza oven and some lexan for a bent rear window, got a thorough custom glass education during the research phase.

Rich