63HawkGT "Cat's whisker" replacement help

[starlightchamp]

Anyone replaced the felt strips along the window ledge. I think
they are called Cats whiskers and help reduce window rattle.
The manual doesn't show how to remove the old ones or how the
strips are attached. Do I need to remove the windows to do this replacement?
Mine are badly worn and the Hawk's window has a nuisance rattle.
NAPA doesn't carry the material.
...Dick

[41 Frank]

The catwhiskers can be replaced by removing the door panel and removing the stop that prevents the window from going down too far,than roll the window down past the whiskers and pry the whiskers loose. They are held to the door with little clips. You will have to purchase enough whisker material and new clips from a Stude vendor and cut material to size.Clips and whiskers are not available at your local parts house.

Frank van Doorn
1962 GT Hawk 4 speed
1963 Daytona Conv
1941 Champion R-2 Rod

[JDP]

There are two styles of clips used on GT Hawks, both available from Studebaker International and perhaps others. You do need to remove the door panel, take the glass off the rollers on the bottom of the doors and drop the glass down out of the way. ( Not my favorite task)

JDP/Maryland
63 R2 SuperHawk (Caesar)
spent to date $54664,75
64 R2 GT (Sid)
spent to date $62,439.30
63 Lark 2 door
51 Commander
39 Coupe express
39 Coupe express (rod)

[Dick Steinkamp]

quote:Originally posted by 41 Frank
You will have to purchase enough whisker material and new clips from a Stude vendor and cut material to size.

SI also sells whisker material "made up" to a specific Stude model. Quite a premium, but worth it IMHO.

[fpstude]

Dick, as I write this I'm filling out an order for '63 Hawk parts. Would you expand a little on the "made up" kits? Then one also orders Wndow Run clips per the photos in the next catalog section? Any shared experience in the installation is always appreciated. At this time the complete window assemblies are out of the car.

Perry
'23 Special Six,
'50 Business Champ,
'50 Starlight Champ,
'60 Lark droptop,
'63 GT R1

[Dick Steinkamp]

quote:Originally posted by fpstude

Dick, as I write this I'm filling out an order for '63 Hawk parts. Would you expand a little on the "made up" kits?

I don't think there are any kits. Page 40 or their current catalog, item 800507X12 are the made up cat whiskers for your Hawk...$50 for the 6 pieces.

[rockne10]

Channel and whiskers are still among the few things I buy in bulk from J C Whitney; cut them to length and flatten the end beads to fit behind the channel. You'll still need the clips from Stude vendors to attach them.

[Tom Bredehoft]

I've been trying to find to photograph a pair of pliars I made to crimp the new clips on the new 'catswhiskers'.

Take an old pair of slip-joint pliers and a 1/4 inch chain saw file. File a notch 1/4 in wide and about 5/16 deep on the end of one of the jaws. You might have to widen it a bit at the bottom. Use this tool to crimp the snap on the strip of fuzz. Location is critical so measure twice, crimp once. It might be possible to put the first one on, snap it in place, and crimp the next one with your arm inside the door. It's been too long since I had to do this.

[img=left]http://www.alink.com/personal/tbredehoft/Bothcars3.jpg[/img=left]
Tom Bredehoft
'53 Commander Coupe
'55 President State Sedan Project
'60 Lark VI (Now on the market)
'05 Legacy Ltd Wagon
All Indiana built cars

[starlightchamp]

Many thanks for all the help. I'll order the strips and clips today.----
but not looking foward to playing with the window regulator.

...Dick Curtis

[JDP]

Just roll the widow down, remove the two clips off the rollers and drop the window down. No need to mess with the regulator.

JDP/Maryland
63 R2 SuperHawk (Caesar)
spent to date $54664,75
64 R2 GT (Sid)
spent to date $62,439.30
63 Lark 2 door
51 Commander
39 Coupe express
39 Coupe express (rod)

[52hawk]

But as long as you're this far along,it would be a good time to pull the regulators out of the doors and clean & grease them. It's only 4 bolts,not hard at all to pull them out of door.

LaSalle,Il
61Hawk

[JDP]

No need to pull them, just reach up inside until you feel the gear teeth and remember where you felt them. Grab a handful of grease and spear it on the teeth, do the same for the roller tracks and any sliding parts. I find spray lithium grease is great for coating the tracks and such. I do it that way to avoid the extra work in removing the regulators.Once everything is lubed up, run the glass up and down a few times to make sure you've hit all the dry stuff.

JDP/Maryland
63 R2 SuperHawk (Caesar)
spent to date $54664,75
64 R2 GT (Sid)
spent to date $62,439.30
63 Lark 2 door
51 Commander
39 Coupe express
39 Coupe express (rod)

[Loy]

quote:Originally posted by JDP

I find spray lithium grease is great for coating the tracks and such.
JDP/Maryland

Go to a John Deere dealer and buy a can of Fluid Film. It works great on sticky windows. Better than anything else I've tried.


Loy Daniel

[Guest]

I've been putting the felt cat whiskers in my Studes for decades. But when it rains I know darn well that plenty of moisture is going by the outside whiskers and running down and rusting my doors from the inside, regardless of the drains. Does anyone make any kind of neoprene type cat whisker- that you can cut to size attach with the same clips?

[starlightchamp]

Successfully installed the cat whiskers yesterday thanks to the help. For future guys
that do this,be it known that the doors use the roundclips 1624X1 BUT the back windows
use the rectangular clips1882X1--at least on my 63 Hawk. I ended up gluing the rear side window felt strip in with 3M adhesive, Takes 28 of the round clips and 14 of rectangular.

1950 Champion Starlight
1963 Hawk GT
Santa Barbara
CA