one-piece side glass for 49 to 55 trucks

[buddymander]

I've seen trucks like mine in magazines (1953), with one piece side glass, and was wondering if there's a place that sells this in a kit; so I don't have to make it.

[Roscomacaw]

Probably not hard to do, but I'm certain there's no "kit" out there. You hafta realize that Studebakers (cool as they are) aren't around in numbers anywhere NEAR those of Ford and Chebby trucks. Consequently, there's little made for them outside of parts for stock restorations. Vendors aren't gonna invest in making stuff for a vehicle they are gonna see alot of. Not much return for their engineering.
I drive a 57 Transtar and I can't imagine not having a wind wing but I'm old fashioned. I also get a kick outta surprizing folks by blowin' them away with the original Studebaker V8 in it.[}]

Miscreant at large.

[Sonny]

Yep, no kits out there, but it does have flat glass, which helps a LOT. Since you're gonna be building it yourself, I'd take a look at a mid-eighties Ford van and see if you can't adapt the front driver and passenger door window lift setup. It's VERY simple, (I've replaced my van windows), and as a bonus, they're flat glass, (it has a wing window but the channels are straight up and down), cheap, plentiful and an electrical window setup for the van is just as easy! Please let us know what you end up doing.

Sonny
http://RacingStudebakers.com

[buddymander]

I went to the junkyard today and got some volvo window channel and I think it might work good. Got some daihatsu sill strips for the inside and dodge truck for the outside. Gonna check out that ford van for power window conversion, since my mechanism is sorta sloppy. It looks like I'm gonna hafta move the doorstop and shave the inside of the hingeplate.

[DEEPNHOCK]

It's flat glass, so getting them made is easy.
First, make up a pattern out of cardboard (or better yet, a thin sheet of plywood or masonite)....
That way you can work out the bugs (like checking for upper door hinge clearance and window transmission linkage issues.
Then you can send out the pattern to a good glass company (like Phillips Glass) and they can gut you the glass you need from your own pattern.

I used Chevy Chevette window rubbers on a Hawk once. You could rip out all the old channel and just snap in the rubber runner from the Chevette. Looked stealthy as there was no chrome trim edge, and they sealed up great. Wonder if they can still be found?

Now, having said that, I can also add this.....
You will miss your wing windows at 70 mph with the windows open.
Even with a/c, you'll want to have them open from time to time, and the wind noise blowing in your ear get's old after a few miles.
Jeff[8D]


DEEPNHOCK@worldnet.att.net
'61 Hawk
'37 Coupe Express

[Roscomacaw]

That was my thinking, Jeff. Wind noise - wind drumming on your ear, no less.
If you're gonna drive around with the AC on 98% of the time, fine. But one thing about my C-cab that draws comment over and over is the lack of any vent window divider strip when the side windows are down. Everyone comments on how "cool" it looks.
Even non-gearheads find that fascinating. Of course, it IS a Studebaker!

Miscreant at large.