1st Gen Single Window Conversion (no vent window)

OK, I have a 1971 Chevy pick-up and I have seen this conversion for those trucks, but I was wondering if anyone has ever successfully removed the triangular vent window from the door on a 1st (or even 2nd) gen Nova, and converted the whole thing to a single pane of glass.

Since the glass is flat, I don't think it wouldn't be too big of an effort to get the glass the correct shape, and getting the tracks all figured out would just require the front track to be parallel to the rear one, etc. And the seals would be a little bit of a challenge, 1.) Getting the felts to look correct, and 2.) To get the A-pillar to seal; but I think they are achievable.

I have convertible, and happen to have the side glass out to rebuild it, and just think the clean look of no vent window is pretty cool, and figured some innovative person out there has thought of it before did...

Is this task virtually impossible, or has someone done it before?

Thanks,
Adrian

P.S. Here is a link to the Chevy Truck conversion:
http://www.brotherstrucks.com/prodinfo.asp?number=OPWK200%2DCL

I have good intentions of doing it to mine....I havent seen one done yet. Hoping for someone else to chime in :yes:

Todd

When i have my car apart from paint, looking at it with the doors on and no vents it looked kinda funny, like something was missing. JMO

It does seem pretty achieveable though to someone on a mission...

I considered doing this but I enjoy the vent windows while driving.You may need to put some sort of brace towards the middle of the door under the belt molding to insure it doesn't fold in if someone leans on the door.

Wayne from NNN did this on his Pro Street 64 longroof waaaaay back in 86'

I have mine done. I got rid of the vent windows. Granted I have a 66 sedan that I chopped 4 inches and laid the front glass back but still its the same. its pressty simple to do. I dont know how you would do yours since I have a full frame windows for felt and window seals. Go to a good glass shop and those places have so many options for felt and other stuff they can make work and look good.

Im in the middle of doing this on my 66. i also deleted the chrome trim that was on top of the door as well as shave the drip rails. still working on the glass template and power window motor mount. i'll take some pics and post later of what i have so far.

Im in the middle of doing this on my 66. i also deleted the chrome trim that was on top of the door as well as shave the drip rails. still working on the glass template and power window motor mount. i'll take some pics and post later of what i have so far.

Low66,

If you can share any pics and info as you get progress, it will be much appreciated.

I don't think this will be easy by any stretch, given all of the "custom" seals, regulator mounting, etc., but I think with some planning and creative thinking, it will be worth the effort, and give a totally workable conversion. :yes:

Why ruin one of the nicest features of older cars?

Why ruin one of the nicest features of older cars?

LOL, for only one reason - 'cause they wanna!:devil:

It's your car, build it your way.

Low66,

If you can share any pics and info as you get progress, it will be much appreciated.

I don't think this will be easy by any stretch, given all of the "custom" seals, regulator mounting, etc., but I think with some planning and creative thinking, it will be worth the effort, and give a totally workable conversion. :yes:

here's some pics of the door and trim
http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj73/lownova/DSC00099.jpg
http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj73/lownova/DSC00105.jpg
http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj73/lownova/DSC00094.jpg
http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj73/lownova/DSC00104.jpg
http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj73/lownova/DSC00106.jpg
http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj73/lownova/DSC00101.jpg
http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj73/lownova/DSC00102.jpg

I took mine off and ran it that way for a while but didn't think that it looked right, just an opinion.

Shane(Shane65) did the conversion on his '65. He said it made the door sheet metal kind of flimsy since you have to cut out the vent window mount that spans the window channel. He felt that you could remedy this by building a new inner structure to the door but I don't know if you want to get that deep into it.

John

I can see the door being pretty flexible after all of the forward guts are removed, and would likely need some bracing/reinforcement to be more like one would expect a "driver" car to behave like (as opposed to a show car).

I think that could be fixed with a little welding of a brace/bar along the inside of the outer lip, and maybe a small one on the inside lip; which shouldn't be too hard to do, and with some small welds shouldn't be too hard to bodywork out.

Again, I haven't undertaken any of this, and maybe oversimplifing some of it.

But seeing that other pioneers have gone down the path already, I'll be a little more confident that I can come up with a clean solution.

Thanks for all of the inputs, and keep it coming!
Adrian

i love the functionality of wing windows. Feel da breeze :cool:

i love the functionality of wing windows. Feel da breeze :cool:

I agree. They're a big reason my Nova will eventually be my daily driver. I hate driving down the freeway with the window down without a wing window - gale force wind directly into you face and ear. With a wing window - gentle breeze brushing your shoulder. Wonderful.

I like the way it looks without the vent window but the trick is to rework the window trim into the new larger window.Years ago when I replaced the window reg I had everything out of the door and thought it looked good but also reliezed it would be easy to rework the chrome trim around the window.

I like the way it looks without the vent window but the trick is to rework the window trim into the new larger window.Years ago when I replaced the window reg I had everything out of the door and thought it looked good but also reliezed it would be easy to rework the chrome trim around the window.
That's why i shaved all the window trim and the drip rails from the car. i like the way the basic body lines look without all the shiney bits and pieces.