Body / Glass: How to line the rear window pocket on Speedster

[mmagic]

The rear window pocket on the Speedster is lined with an almost fuzzy cloth. Around the edges it is crimped under the stainless trim.

Any suggestions on methods to replace this liner?

[StudeRich]

So you are talking about the Package Tray in the rear window? Speedsters had Diamond Pleated Vinyl on the rear shelf.
No Fuzz.

[mmagic]

NO, the crank-up rear side windows.

[mmagic]

NO, the crank-up rear side windows. I'm sure the cloth lining was to quiet rattles or I'd just leave it out or paint it.

[StudeRich]

OK, so that is the inside of the "C" Pillar in the Roof.

I wonder if Velcro comes in sheets that large? They lined the inside and the outside of the whole area to keep the window from rattling.

[mmagic]

My question is not so much what as how. The original was under the trim at the leading edge and I'd be concerned about the edge catching if not under the lip. To glue it in I'd be afraid it would stick everywhere in the process of inserting a new fabric.

[bezhawk]

You have to drill out the rivets holding the 2 halves together, and then glue in your replacement, then re-rivet the pieces together. It takes a really long punch with a magnetic tip to place the rivets so they don't protrude into the channel.

[mmagic]

Bez... Do you remove the stainless trim and put fabric under it too?

[Jeff_H]

The housings need to come out of the car. Drill out the rivets holding the 2 half-shells together.

Slightly pry up the crimped stainless trim edge with a wide scraper/putty knife. You can find a sort of velvet like black fabric at a fabric store. Glue that in and tuck under the edge of the trim and crimp it back down with a duck-bill pliers that you have taped the jaws so it wont gouge the stainless.

To put the shells back together, get some 3/16" brake like and clamp one end in a vice. Stick the nail end of a pop rivet in the other end and position the housing halves over it and feed it through. Then the rivet can be flattened with a small hammer. You will want to be able to pull out the nail from the outside so flattening technique is important. Move to the next and repeat.

It is critical there be a strip of 1/4" thick felt glued to the inside to cover up the rivet heads. Your old one may still be useable. That felt provides something for the rear edge of the window frame to slide on and without it, it will rub on the rivet heads and inside of the shell and possibly get stuck.

[sweetolbob]

MM

Jeff H helped me out a number of years ago. This is my original post asking a similar question. There are a number of other references in the post.

FYI - http://forum.studebakerdriversclub.c...ghlight=velcro

Between Brad and Jeff's advice, you'll be fine.

Bob

[Jeff_H]

I knew I had a reply to this topic in the past. Thanks for finding it Bob. I note however that the links I posted back then in 2008 don't work anymore ???

[mmagic]

Thanks,
Your collective advice is working. Halves of one piece separated and crimp channels are opened. Plan to throw them in the electrolysis barrel tomorrow for about 8 hours and give them a coat of epoxy rattle can paint just to seal up any rust... picked up a chunk of .09 (compressed) thick indoor outdoor carpet to use for liner. Opening = .75"; Window = .5" and two layers of .09" carpet allows for a little compression room.

Think I'll use self tapping flat head screws inside to out then grind them flat on the outside.

[Jeff_H]

Think I'll use self tapping flat head screws inside to out then grind them flat on the outside.

Make sure they are REALLY flat headed. You WILL need to make sure there is that thick felt covering up the heads regardless. The window frame rubs pretty hard on the inside of the shell when the window is going up/down and ANY bumps in there will cause it to hang up. Originally used pop rivets put in from the outside and then cut pcs of rubber weatherstrip (like for a storm door) and glued them in between the protruding rivets. That proved to be a huge mistake. The window frame pulled the rubber loose in no time and balled it up. Then the rear of the window got stuck on the rivets. I would have to pull the window forward while cranking it to get it up or down.

There was something else binding in the mechanism for the driver side that eventually stripped the gear so I had it apart to replace. That was when I did the inside out rivet trick as above and then got that felt back in there. It actually works now. I have on my back burner projects to pull apart the passenger side one and redo the rivets in that one too as it still sticks in the rivets and cannot be rolled up/down w/o lots of help.

[Jeff T.]

I wish I would have read/known about this years ago. I took the stainless window pockets on my 62 hardtop and glued the fuzzy part of Velcro to each side of the window channel without disassembling the stainless shell. The 3M trim cement held for nearly 20 years before giving out. Perhaps it will last longer this time around if I disassemble, crimp and glue

The Velcro is cheap enough, run down to a fabric store and buy around six foot of the 1 1/2 to two inch Velcro and rip down the middle.

Jeff T.

[mmagic]

3rd try on material... back to JOAnn's remnant pile and bought $5 of Upholstery velvet... measures about .05 to .06 thickness and looks almost like the original. That allows much more space than the I/O carpet would have. Using the I/O carpet for the screw pad.

Laid each shell piece on velvet and traced; placed under crimp edge along the large face and pounded down; gently folded back and applied heavy duty spray contact cement to both fabric and shell and smoothed it in letting it run slightly up the rivet fold; repeated on the narrow part of the shell; used new razor blade to remove excess up the rivet fold; inserted flat head self tap screws in rivet holes; used angle grinder to grind flush on outside; Cut I/O carpet strips to cover screw heads. Applied appliance epoxy to outside of shell and set on shelf for insert later.

Now you have me wondering if I'll be too thick on the screw heads... Oh well we'll soon find out !!