Body / Glass: Rear side glass on 1953 Starliner

[alstude3]

:I have removed the rear side glass on my 1953
commander Starliner to replace the gaskets. After many hours, I got
it back together, but it lacks about 3 inches going to the top. I have tried
to see what is holding it, buy cannot.

Can anyone tell me the problem?

Thanks,
Bill

[sweetolbob]

:I have removed the rear side glass on my 1953
commander Starliner to replace the gaskets. After many hours, I got
it back together, but it lacks about 3 inches going to the top. I have tried
to see what is holding it, buy cannot.

Can anyone tell me the problem?

Thanks,
Bill

IIRC, The channel that the window rides in is lined with a felt/weather striping material. If any of that has loosened and gathered into the channel it will cause what you are experiencing.

If that's the problem, it can be removed but replacement material is limited to either Velco or light weight outdoor carpet from the local big box store.

Secondly, the adjusting procedure is a major PITA so I hope you have a manual to help. I can't remember exactly what I did to make mine fit but I seem to recall that I had a gap but smaller than yours to adjust and it took some doing.

Bob

[studegary]

That mechanism was cost reduced by 50 cents. That led to the marginal unit that the cars were built with. Of course, one dollar per car adds up to a lot of money (as a percentage of the cost to build a 1953 Starliner).

[Jeff_H]

Is the window frame actually seem to be hitting something "solid" before it gets to the top or as Bob suggusts getting stuck on wadded up felt from the channel sides. I'd assume you had it out to replace the felt material?

My experience with these things is it is vital that the loop shaped pc on the back side of the frame is free to rub along the rear surface of the felt lined guides. There was originally a strip of about 1/4" thick felt glued to the back inside of the sheet metal guides and if that is missing the window will get caught on the rivet heads that hold the 2 halves of the channel together. When I relined the ones in my car, I initially used pop rivets inserted from the outside to put back together and didnt put that felt strip in. Big mistake. The window frame caught on the rivets protruding inward and I had to pull the frame forward while cranking or else it would get stuck on each one.

I had to tear it all apart again and then used a pc of brake line to insert pop rivet in from the inside and smack with a small hammer on the outside to mushroom them. Then snake the proper feld in there and glue in place. But, once back together and adjusted it works.

The other problem spot could be the adjustments so that when it gets near to the top and is supposed to start moving forward, the guide on the window frame doesnt like up with a pin sticking out of the regulator (going off memory here and maybe the other way around) so it jams up on that.

After reading the shop manual about 20 times, then read the helpful hints about 20 more times that one of the forum members wrote up that I think is posted in the tech area of the main SDC site.

http://studebakerdriversclub.com/tech_quarterwindowinstall.asp

[kurtruk]

IIRC, The channel that the window rides in is lined with a felt/weather striping material. If any of that has loosened and gathered into the channel it will cause what you are experiencing.

If that's the problem, it can be removed but replacement material is limited to either Velco or light weight outdoor carpet from the local big box store.

Secondly, the adjusting procedure is a major PITA so I hope you have a manual to help. I can't remember exactly what I did to make mine fit but I seem to recall that I had a gap but smaller than yours to adjust and it took some doing.

Bob

I have genuine mohair channel liner (replacement).

[ralt12]

Adjusting passenger/driver door main glass is a treat as well.

[alstude3]

Thanks for all your help. I read my manual again, and also your 3 pages of instructions, and worked
almost all day, but still no luck. Maybe I'm a little slow, but I think the person that designed that
rear quarter window had a few problems also. Oh well, will try again tomorrow.

[5brown1]

Keep us posted on how it goes. I am going to get to tackle the same job soon so will be looking for tips.

[alstude3]

I'll keep you posted, but you may not want to here what I have to say! If I had it to do over and the window was working well, I would find some other
way to replace the window seal or leave it be. This has been the most difficult part of this entire restoration. So when I'm completed, you may see me driving
around with three side glasses.

Bill

[ralt12]

If it makes you feel any better, replacing the inner rubber seal on the cars with rear quarter windows, will add to your vocabulary in new ways as well. Getting the glass in and out of the one-piece stainless frame without breaking the glass (or yourself) raises the question--what were they thinking about when they designed this ??

[Jerry Forrester]

:I have removed the rear side glass on my 1953
commander Starliner to replace the gaskets. After many hours, I got
it back together, but it lacks about 3 inches going to the top. I have tried
to see what is holding it, buy cannot.

Can anyone tell me the problem?

Thanks,
Bill

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