Need Help Replacing Door Glass in 1927 Coupe

[BLB27]

I have ordered new glass for the doors in my 1927 coupe and have purchased the medal channel that attaches the glass to the window regulator. The portion of the medal channel that will engage the regulator is 8.5 inches long as shown in the attached photo. The same part on my existing channel is 12 inches. Will this be a problem?

I understand the new medal channel is actually for the Model A, and that there is no new channel for the T.

[Scott_Conger]

there does not seem to be anything wrong with the original channel, based on this picture and the others you posted on another thread regarding replacing glass

Why are you replacing it, and regardless of reason, why replace it with the wrong part?

[jiminbartow]

Ditto. Replacing correct original parts with incorrect new parts is not good policy. From what I have seen of your T, I would guess that virtually every part is in good reusable condition. You should always try to reuse the original parts instead of replacing them with new parts. It is ashame to discard good original parts that have traveled through the decades with the car since they were installed by Ford workers on the assembly line in 1927. New is not always better. In the case of Model T’s, it is almost always worse when considering how well the original parts were made. Jim Patrick

[DanTreace]

Would be best to use original, as the lift bar length may be necessary. Plus your original has the rolled outer edge for the rubber rain seal, when the window is up, helps prevent water entering. Can just see the old hard remains of the original seal against the plate glass in your widow.

Believe the only rubber replacement is Model A closed car windshield seal, comes in shorter lengths but likely you have to trim a bit to fit. That seal must go in before the glass is fitted. You can check earlier posts by google ‘mtfca forum coupe window seal’

[Humblej]

Bruce,
The new glass channel you have is the wrong part. If you insist on buying a new part it needs to be for a 1928 Model A pickup door, not a Model A coupe/tudor door which is what you have. Throw it away and use your original glass channel.

Take your original glass with metal channel to Reflections Glass & Mirror in Ames Iowa, ph 515-296-2496. They will be able to take the old original channel off the glass, cut new safety glass, and reinstall the old channel on new glass. The rubber weatherstrip is not all that important, if you cannot get one, move forward without it. If you can get one it needs to go in at the same time the channel is installed on the new glass. I called Reflections Glass & Mirror and talked to them, they have the safety glass and can do the job for you.

Jeff

[jiminbartow]

Going forward, if a part is not broken, worn through, irretrievably bent, rusted through, or rotted you should re-use it, Rust is okay. Even if it is rusted through, it can be repaired with rust remover (I prefer Muriatic acid on steel only. Not on aluminum or cast iron), body filler, primer and paint. Except for some minor splits in a couple of slats that could have been repaired stronger than the wood with Titebond yellow wood glue, even the wood in your roof looked great to me and having originally been fitted by Ford woodworkers who made wooden roofs on the assembly line everyday for years, there is no way to duplicate the experience they brought to the table. Even the wood was better and harder back then having come from old growth forests instead of harvested soft, new growth wood. You seem to think that old is bad and new is good. Not! Always keep in mind that you have 95 year old car with original parts that are better made and much better fitting than the thin repro parts available today. You can prove this to yourself by holing an old part in one hand and a new part in the other. Having more steel, the old part will feel heavier and more solid. Try to keep it as original as possible. Best of all, using the original parts will save you a fortune. Jim Patrick

[John kuehn]

Going by your pic of the original channel it’s still in solid usable condition and just needs a good cleanup and repainting. It can be tempting to use “new” parts when restoring an old car when it’s not really necessary. I have 3 T’s and in my limited experience original parts that are still good are the best fitting parts.
It’s your car and if you can find a channel that’s new or a good original that’s fine too.

[Dan Hatch]

Is there a market for nos window channel? I have some nos windows for various cars with channel attached. Would be willing to break the glass and sell the channel if someone needs it. Dan

[Banjoe]

I just replaced the windows in our 1927 Tudor and used new channels with 8 1/2" regulator track. After everything was back in place, the regulator ran right off the end of the track due to it being shorter than original.

I had to cut the channels down to be able to shift them 1 1/2" towards the front. This relocates the regulator track and keeps the regulator arm trapped even when the window is at the bottom of its movement.

Not sure why the window channels come up short but both Lang's and Snyder's window channels have the same 8 1/2" regulator track length.

As wisely noted above, reusing the originals where possible is the very best option.

[John kuehn]

Since you haven’t used the reproduction window channel now would be a good time to call the source you bought it from and tell them the section that the roller goes in is to short. Others have had the same issue.
They can tell their supplier and hopefully that will correct the issue.

They will never know about the issue unless a 26-27 owner calls and tells them.

Lang’s has the bottom window channel listed in their catalog and the cat. no is not the same as yours.

Lang’s is 8020CH. I think yours is different.

But if you got it from Lang’s call and tell them about it. They have always been helpful to me.

[pron022020]

I am doing exactly what you are doing right now with my 27 coupe. I used my original channels and they cleaned up well with only a few pinholes in the driver side one. It doesn't affect the performace at all.

[BLB27]

I agree that it is best to use the original parts whenever possible. I bought new channels because I thought removing the original was going to be difficult, especially with the glass not being safety glass.

Could someone who has removed the old channels describe how it was done?

[Joe Bell]

Bruce,
I have taken a torch and heat the metal, wear safety glasses, the glass will fall out on its own, then sand blast and repaint the metal riser.

[Humblej]

Place an old piece of carpet on a table and lay the glass flat on the carpet. Take a piece of wood, 1x3 or so about a foot long, put one end against the channel and hit the other end of the wood with a rubber mallet a few times, go to the other end of the channel and do the same, go back and forth until it comes off, it will come off. Use a rubber mallet so if you slip you will not break the glass, wear safety glasses and leather gloves. Get a helper to hold the glass and it will go faster.

[pron022020]

The way we did ours was to take and clamp a piece of wood over the glass to a bench with the channel hanging off. Then you take a dolly and whack the channel off with a hammer going evenly on each side.

[BLB27]

Tyler, Could clarify for me the last sentence of your post? Thanks.

Bruce

[pron022020]

Take a flat dolly and lay it on the glass up against the channel. And then take a hammer and whack the dolly toward the channel to get the glass to slide out.

[jab35]

To me, the words 'hammer', 'whack' and 'glass' do not seem compatible in the same sentence.

[pron022020]

Hey it works! You are not hitting the glass with a hammer, just the dolly which is on the channel. The glass stays in place on the workbench with the c clamp and block of wood as mentioned before. Simply the best and safest way to get it out.

[BLB27]

Tyler, I got the channels off the glass. I did it your way, except I didn't need to clamp the glass to the work bench. Thanks for the help.

[pron022020]

Glsd I could be of assistance. Taught to me by an old timer.