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Hingeless Quarter Windows


Logical1

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Hey all, Well my rear quarter windows have had REALLY beaten up hinges and have been rattling around when I drive the dime, Annoying! I looked into putting new ones in and thought to myself, I'm NEVER going to open those damn things and for general sound proofing and sealing it would be cool to remove the hinges and permanently seal them shut. However I wanted to be able to open them if I ever need to replace my headliner or any other work I might not foresee. Being the crazy tinker I am, I set about inspecting and devising a plan to remove the hinges, seal them tight but still be able to undo them. I'm not quite sure this is a how to but it turned out pretty damn nice!

 

1. I tried to remove the hinge completely from the window itself but part of the hinge is in the main window seal, Yuck:

 

Window1.jpg

 

2. I decided to leave the hinge part in the window but remove the rest of the mechanism:

Window3.jpg

Window4.jpg

 

3. I noticed a funny little plastic stopper on the body, thought to myself: hey there is a perfect spot to tie up into the window from the body and removed it:

Window2.jpg

Window8.jpg

 

4. Then I fabbed up a slim piece of UHMW to slide into the bottom of the window channel. I made it the width of inside the channel and bent back the very corner of the window with a pair of pliers over a thick rag so I could push the UHMW into the channel. (make sure your material is a nice tight fit so it doesn't come loose) Tapped it in there with a small hammer and piece of 3/8" steel rod:

Window5.jpg

Window6.jpg

Window7.jpg

 

5. Tap that bad boy in there till it is in place with the old screw holes on the body. Then have somebody push the window shut for you reach up into the body panel and mark the UHMW with something so you can tap/pre-drill out some holes. Drill your holes (I also drilled out the body frame holes a bit)

 

Window9.jpg

 

Bend you window channel back into shape (Same thing, Pliers over cloth) Push the window shut and screw up into your material. VIOLA! Both my quarter windows are sealed nice and tight, and silent :) I'm sure you could use other material for your window channel piece, aluminum or even wood! I have access to the UHMW and it near indestructible So I went with that. I will eventually use a dremel to remove the remaining hinge in the window frame (unless someone knows a trick to get into the frame without going crazy!) I like the nice clean look and it cost the right Ratsun price: Free! ;)

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:thumbup:

 

(unless someone knows a trick to get into the frame without going crazy!) I like the nice clean look and it cost the right Ratsun price: Free! ;)

 

time is money!

 

trick :confused:

1) remove the screws holding the frame together, seperate and remove seal and glass.

2) unscrew the latch mount.

3) spend ~2 hours :cursing: because you cant reuse the craked seal and another is $200(in pairs) for aftermarket.

 

new or quality used latches are avail too.

 

 

i open mine every drive :cool:

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