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  • Vent windows

    Had a wonderful ride in the 55 today, great weather for it. I opened the vent window and found it much less useful than on some of my other cars. There is no provision to keep it in any one position. On my 37 Chevy there is a crank out mechanisim that opens / shuts and maintains the vent window in a desired position. I thought this a strange ommision on a mid-priced car and wonder if some of the historions in our group can discuss this and some of the other cost-reduction efforts by Studebaker.

    BTW, Solved problem using left hand to keep vent window open.

    Cheers
    Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain !

    http://sites.google.com/site/intrigu...tivehistories/

    (/url) https://goo.gl/photos/ABBDQLgZk9DyJGgr5

  • #2
    Sounds like during restoration the spring under the window either got loosened too much or left off. Left hand control should not be required.

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    • #3
      Like Tom B. said. The vent window should stay where you place it (by spring loaded friction).
      Gary L.
      Wappinger, NY

      SDC member since 1968
      Studebaker enthusiast much longer

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      • #4
        Is this the '55 hardtop "K" ?

        Either the lower pivot rod is broken (have seen many parts cars with broken ones) or the band clamp that holds the plastic bushing that rod inserts into is too loose. Unfortunately, fixing either problem is a big project.

        The T shaped rod is made of pot metal and tends to snap off where the "wings" branch off just where it comes out of the bottom of the glass frame. Fixing it requires finding a new rod and removing the glass/frame out of the door. But, that can be done w/o resorting to completely gutting out the door. If the band clamp is loose, you may need to gut the entire door out to get the full track assy out to assess the clamp and screws. There is not normally any access even with the interior upholstery panel removed. You might be able to get a REALLY short screwdriver inside the door if your arm is thin enough and reach that screw tho.

        I never could find unbroken vent window rods for several years of looking through old 'yards and finally found some NOS rods to rebuild the frames. The glass installer busted both of them Looking at the broken pot metal parts, it was easy to see why they are so delicate as the diecast pot metal has air pockets in it where those wings branch off making the part extra weak in that high stress location. I ended up making my own out of steel since I had access to a mill and a welder and grinder. And THOSE aren't going to break

        Jeff in ND

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        • #5
          Yeah, its usually the pivot rod that's broken. Studebaker International still had several pivot rods left a couple of years ago when I last had to replace one. Dan

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          • #6
            Originally posted by Jeff_H View Post
            Is this the '55 hardtop "K" ?....I never could find unbroken vent window rods for several years of looking through old 'yards and finally found some NOS rods to rebuild the frames....
            And yet, in Springfield, 2 vendors next to each other had a price war on 'em...1 for $20 for the whole vent window situation and the other guy, both sides for $20. I almost bought 'em and I don't even have a C or K.

            John

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            • #7
              You should be able to open the vent on the fender, and the vent window part way, and get a nice 'flow through' action, even with the main windows rolled up.
              I used to open the left fender vent, and the right window vent and suck the hot air off the firewall out the passenger window.

              But then there's the time I was driving back from the 1972(?) SDC IM in South Bend and it was 100+ degree's out.
              That's when I found out that 100+ mph, and 100+ degree's out, and the windows down will determine how good your headliner bows aren't...
              Jeff
              HTIH (Hope The Info Helps)

              Jeff


              Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please. Mark Twain



              Note: SDC# 070190 (and earlier...)

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              • #8
                Wow, I learned something here. Thanks for all the information. I just assumed that there was no mechanism to keep the vent window in a fixed position.

                Thanks again, Murray
                Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain !

                http://sites.google.com/site/intrigu...tivehistories/

                (/url) https://goo.gl/photos/ABBDQLgZk9DyJGgr5

                Comment


                • #9
                  Hope this helps:

                  For 1955, illustration item 2321-31 = part#303374, right window pivot and part#303375, left window pivot. Illustration item 2321-39 = part#295796, spring & bearing, lower pivot tension.

                  Brad Johnson,
                  SDC since 1975, ASC since 1990
                  Pine Grove Mills, Pa.
                  '33 Rockne 10, '51 Commander Starlight. '53 Commander Starlight
                  '56 Sky Hawk in process

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