[Stick]

I only have fragments of the 1/4 window upper channel (where the window seats when rolled up). Is there something that I can use to fabricate this piece, or am I in trouble? (See pic below).

[gtospieg]

Restoration Specialties (814)467-9842 part # Y620-72-WIN. This is exactly what you need and it was only $44 dollars plus shipping in Dec. of '14. It comes in a 6' length but they will cut it in half for shipping. You'll have to cut to the proper length when you get it and drill out the old rivets and add the button clips that go into the upper window channel.

[Stick]

That's a lifesaver. So you've used this piece and it worked out OK?

[gtospieg]

Yes it works perfectly...however you do need pieces of the original, like where it bolts to the body at the bottom inside the rear quarter and the original clips for up inside the channel

[Stick]

I have the lower bracket that bolts to the inside of the door, but none of the clips that go into the holes in the roof channel. I figured they might be some sort of press in "blind" clip, and you just drill a hole through the weatherstripping channel to screw it in. Is that correct?

[gtospieg]

It is possible that the fasteners are still stuck up in the channel. They actually have a round head and two tabs that are bent over to attach to the weather strip channel. Probably not reproduced...

[Stick]

Got my Y620-72-WIN in today. They didn't cut it in 1/2 (3 ft sections to save on shipping), despite my asking, but I'm going to call them about that.

Took a couple of pics in case it would help anyone in the future. Looks like a good part, so once it warms up around here, I'll get it installed.



I think I'm going to order a set of the X410 fasteners from the same place to see if they are close to the original clips.

http://stores.restorationspecialties...package-of-10/

If those don't work, I'll just glue the channel in place with some strips of rubber as a spacer.

I'm replacing the window felt too, and though I have a kit, the outside felt is only a 1/4 inch, which doesn't seem wide enough to sweep the window. I was thinking about ordering the M224XP (no SS bead), or the YM1635 (with bead); both are about 1/2" thick.

[gtospieg]

Those clips look very close to the originals...certainly close enough to work. Also...if you want the weatherstrip channel to look original you can tape it off and paint the stainless bead semi-gloss or flat black. When done you can't tell it's not original. Good luck

[Stick]

So, the update...

The Y620-72-WIN channel works great. Each side used a section about 27 & 3/4" long. I touched up the slots in the body channel with a dremel so they were an even diameter. I also elongated the slots a little bit so it gave me a little "slop" in the placement of the clips. I then made a template to show where the body holes were by sticking a piece of masking tape up in the body channel, punching out the holes, removing the tape and placing it on the new molding piece.

I used the X410 fasteners but I had to do a couple of things to make them work. The new channel has a solid "backbone", unlike the stock piece, so you have to drill holes in the new channel to feed the tab through. I drilled 1/8" holes in the new channel molding, then ground down the width of the tabs on the new clips to fit through. Also, I pre-bent in the clips from the existing 0.3" to 0.27" using some pliers. (I bought extra clips to experiment to ensure that still popped in & stuck correctly). I did bend the tabs going "outward" vs. the stock inward because that that method pulled the tab closer to the channel for me.

The M224XP 1/2" window felt doesn't work. It's too thick, so I ended up making a spacer to go behind the regular felt pieces everyone buys. I bought a roll of that black garden/lawn border plastic, and cut some strips to go between the felt and the belt-line molding. To make the thickness uniform I compressed it in a vice to around 0.16" (overall thickness with the felt was around 0.36"). I also had to grind divots where the felt tabs usually feed, so the piece would lay flush (I didn't want to mod the molding). Plus, I removed the tabs on the standard felt piece. Mounting it used three 5/8" #8 countersunk head (or whatever you call them) screws. There was some experimentation and labor involved. haha...

Just finished the first 1/4 window and it has a good seat in the channel and the felt wipes the window over the majority of its area. Maybe there's a better way to do all of this, but this is what I'm doing going forward on the remaining 3 windows.