The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Panels 'N Burbs sliding windows

I am to the point where I am ready to re-install the sliding windows in my 49 Sub. I have ordered the installation kit from American Classic. Any of you Sub guys out there ever done this and can give me some hints/advice? Also both of my door windows need to be replaced but I need to get the metal perimeter off. I think I can get them off OK but how are they held on? Is there some sort of adhesive? Thanks in advance for any advice. Weeds

Weeds,

You will need the following parts (American Classic Truck Parts #s) to complete the install of the Suburban side windows (four stationary windows and 4 sliding windows}:

1. WI800 1947-55 Glass rubbers and window channels (WI207 and WI142), sliding side rear windows, Suburban, set of 8 pieces

2. WI807 1947-55 Window seals, fixed side rear windows, Suburban, set of 4 pieces

3. Whiskers for the vertical stainless-steel channels on the fixed glass (is this on the stationary glass in 1949?). I got these from Restoration Specialties, Inc.

Do you have the 4 sliding window stop-clips that screw to the inner-body just below each window.

Do you have the pull clips that is used to push/pull the sliding windows (is it a 2-3" stainless-steel clip or part of the stainless steel vertical bar)?

Do you any window retainer strips/bars that screw into the window frame after the glass is in place, but before the interior garnish molding is installed? (I dimly recall that this strips were on my Suburban)

You will also need another pair of hands and a lot of patience.

The installation procedure is complex - I would be pleased to talk you through it over the phone, if/when you have all the parts in hand.

Tim

Tim, thanks for your offer of help over the phone. I am going to take you up on it but first I will inventory the installation kit when it arrives to see if I have everything necessary. When I took the windows out I saved every rusty piece. I need to replace 2 pieces of glass and I am having them cut off the old ones next week. I may not have the stop clips. I will have to drag all the old stuff out. I will let you know via E-Mail when I am ready. Again thanks much. Weeds

Good the thread I need..
I would like to understand the slider window assembly also.
So here goes:

1.) The first layer of pieces installed, is the fixed glass with U rubber around the glass (W1807) to seal outside. <I was thinking it should have silicone RTV along the outside and clamped till dry?

I hope that the solid piece (W1142) takes up the other half of the opening on the sliding side and seals to the outside <should it get silicone RTV along the outside?

2.) Then second layer installed against the first. The slider felt U-shape. with the push/pull glass piece <I'm still trying to understand how the felt U-shape(W1207) is held in place "screws" / "adhesive"?.

I have the metal stop-clips in the middle of the opening they're stiking up into the opening.

The pull clips used to push/pull the sliding windows is part of the stainless steel vertical bar glued to the moving piece of glass. mine has the Whiskers piece on the outside of that moving glass.

3.) The third layer window retainer strips/bars (shown behind the metal stop clip) that screw into the window frame. they're about 3/8" x 3/8" L shaped piece the length of the opening, these hold the interior garnish molding frame on, at the bottom. Is that it, does the interior molding garnish hold the two layers, as it sandwiches?

Comments please, I'm trying to figure this out too...

Thomas
edit1 = Thanks Tim

Thomas,

Your write-up is excellent. If you are willing to edit your post by numbering and and separating (with a space) each step, I will comment or add-to each step that you describe (if you are interested).

You have this figured out very nicely and your write-up will help Weeds and others..

Tim

Tim and Thomas, my window kit hasn't arrived yet and I am getting anxious. Weeds

Tim and Thomas, my window kit hasn't arrived yet and I am getting anxious. Weeds

Thomas,

1. You've got all of this right. The only two questions are (and I do not have definite answers):
- What type of sealer to use? Most likely black RTV is very good. I used weatherstrip cement. Just be sure to clean up quickly and carefully.
- Should you seal inside the u-rubber that goes around the glass? I did not but I now think it would have been a good idea.

2. This is the complex part - I will have to study my Suburban before filling this part in.

- Metal stop clips are fine as shown.

- The vertical bar on the sliding window also has the pull handle (mine is not like yours - I have see GMC clips like your on 50/51 GMC Suburbans, so I suspect that the set-up changed by 1954). Your vertical bar/pull-handle is a better design than mine.

Do you have the old whisker out of the vertical bar? It took me between 4-6 hours of work on each bar to safely remove the old whisker. The metal backing of the whisker had rust-fused to the stainless steel.

Do you have replacement whiskers?

3. I recall that these strips screw in at the bottom as you describe. And then the interior garnish molding screws on (as described by you).

I'll try to add to this post on Saturday.

One other question: have you checked to see if the drain holes/tubes are cleared (inside the sidewalls, under each window opening)?

Tim

My sliding window installation kit has arrived and It sure doesn't look like there is enough stuff to do all 4 sliders but we shall see. Tim and Thomas, are we ready? Weeds

I'm definitely following this as i'm not far behind you,Mr. Weeds. My side window weatherstrip "kits" are on the way from Jim Carter,I just hope I'm getting everything needed.
Thanks alot everyone,,Tim,,Thomas,,Weeds.

Tim & Thomas, are you guys going to do a step by step? I don't feel confident enough at this point to charge right into it and maybe screw it up. Weeds

Weeds,

Later today, I will try to post a step-by-step for Thomas's #3. We found that the toughest part was forming the window channels to both the openings and to the glass. We knew we were home-free after slowly and carefully developing a technique with the first window.

The reason I was hoping to do a telephone "step-by-step" with you (or, with Thomas) is because some of the parts are completely covered (not viewable) once everything is installed. We installed these parts about 4 years ago - the memory fails.

Words of advice (before thinking you understand what needs to be done):

- Before attempting to understand the instructions about how to do the install (and certainly before trying a dry fit), it is necessary to have ALL the parts on-hand. This includes not only the replacement parts from Jim Carter, etc, but also all the various parts that are not available as reproduction parts.

- Before starting the the final install, it is necessary to have all the parts cleaned, prepped, painted, and ready to install. For examples, the whiskers installed in the stainless vertical bars and the vertical bars installed on the sliding windows. (this might be obvious, but prepping all these parts took 5 times longer than I had predicted)

Tim

Tim, I will dig out all my stuff this afternoon and get it ready. Weeds

I'm watching this running thread also, THANKS guys! I'm a ways away from windows but I'm saving the info. and learning. I'm am interested in the Jim Carter kit, what it has and what it doesn't have to complete the sliding window install.

Buddy

Tim, Weeds and the others Joining in,
Sounds like Weeds is ahead on this. I'm still waiting for parts to arrive. I'm going to have to do the wiskers replacement, ordering the YM3

Tim: thanks for advise, keep it coming. I'll check my drain tubes!

Thomas - Dogs51Burb

What's this about a drain tube? Does my 59 need one?
My only comment is to be careful how much friction you generate on the glass when installing the rubber. I rubbed the glass a little too much and caused air bubbles down one window between the pains. It looks very strange.

check this out: here you go "drain tubes" they're inside the body.


-Thomas

Very nice, Thomas. I'll post more information about step 3 after Weeds and I check out a few things tomorrow.

Tim

Holy crap! I didn't have those when I replaced my windows. It makes perfect sense too. I was wondering if the TF Subs had them at all since they are so hard to find without rusted side panels. I'm wondering if I can install them without pulling the frames back out. Probably not.

I found this in Tim's 1954 truck manuals:
This page and the next. Installation # 9 to 15.

Thomas,

That Manual is kindly posted by Keith Hardy - we all benefit from his efforts to post old documents.

I thought I had seen a write-up and you have found it. However, it does not help much in explaining how to form the run channel, but it does show the locations of the two screws ("A" in the picture in the Manual) that hold the run channel in place. Those are the only screws for the run channel.

The instructions do not refer to the metal strip that is installed at the inside bottom of the glass after the run channel and sliding glass are installed.

Here is an attempt to explain how we formed the run channel:

Two people are needed.

1. Looking at the picture of the window in the post above, hold the rear end of the run channel in the widow frame such that the end of the channel is halfway between the screws, and the run channel is running forward (to the right of the picture). You could leave extra material on the left side of the run channel and trim it off later.

2. The run channel needs to be bent to form to the widow frame at the forward side. This is not so easy as it sounds, because you have quite a long length of run channel to work with.

3. As one person holds the rear of the run channel in place, the other person bends the channel downwards. To make the "perfect bend, place the sliding glass in the channel and push the glass forward, forming the channel to the forward shape of the glass. The top of the glass will be against the window frame and the bottom of the glass will be tilted inwards, because the rest of the run channel in pointed downwards (you might have to be there to understand this).

4. Now the run channel has to be formed around the bottom of the glass - the glass has to stay tilted out until you bed the run channel around the bottom of the glass and the glass can then be moved into the window frame.

5. Now the run channel can be routed to the bottom rear of the frame and bent upward - a lower bend upwards and then an upper bend forwards.

6. Where the ends of the run channel join together between the two attachment screws ("A" in the picture in the Manual), you might have to trim the ends).

Once you have the run channels formed, you may dry fit all the parts and then install and seal the glass and channels as described in the Manual.

My explanation above is terse - ask questions and I will add information and/or clarify.

Tim

Here is an alternate method for #3 and #4 above:

Place the sliding glass into the "closed position" in the window frame, and measure the length of the run channel from the rear of the sliding window to halfway between the two screws ("A" in Manual). Form the run channel around the sliding glass on a benchtop - using that measurement for how far into the channel the glass needs to be placed-and-held as you bend the run channel around the glass.

Wow nice thread guys! If any of you burb guys are looking for the 3-inch stainless sliding window handle heres a source for only 10 bucks each. Check this link out HERE I really don't know the earlier years but it almost a perfect match for 55-59 burbs. Its a lot of work to install these four windows sections but the payoff is great!

Be safe guys,
Pee-Wee.

I've been needing one of those handles. Thanks!

I opened my long awaited sliding window installation kit from American Classic and discovered that there was only enough run channel to do one window. Called them and talked to Adam explaining the situation. After holding for some time he came back and said they are sending me another full kit at no charge. Seems the packer did not realize that there should have been 4 pieces of run channel and not just one. He said to just keep the original kit. Good customer relations. I will order from them again. Tim, thanks for the phone call and I am going to attempt to do one window while waiting for the rest of my supplies to arrive.

Weeds

Tim, a couple of questions,

1. Are the sliders installed first?
2. Does the run channel butt against the flange of the window opening or is it in the
center?
3. Does the slider pass by the stationary on the outside or the inside?

Weeds

Weeds,
Thomas's post above runs throught the order-of-installation.

Specifically:

1. No, the stationary window goes in first (and it therefore becomes the "outside" of the two windows).

2. Thus, the run channel does not butt againts the "outside" flange of the window opening.

3. And thus, the sliding window go inside the run channel and slides past the outside stationary window on the inside (makes sense, because there would be much more wind noise if the slider was on the outside).

Tim

Are the drain tube one of the reasons these suburbans rust out so bad? Would it help to run the drain tubes to the bottom of the fender panel?

I assumed the tubes ran all the way through the body. I'm very surprised to see them so short. My 1st introduction to drain tubes came through our 2001 Caddy. The sunroof kept leaking. After digging through some forums I discovered the drain tubes where backed up. There are 2 tubes that run from the roof down the pillar and out the fender well. I'm going to do the same thing with my 59. I will run the tubes out the bottom. I'm about to start driving it all the time so rain will be a problem.

That looks very close to the mid 1952-1954 grab handle.
I have been working on Jim Carter to get the 1947- early 1952 lock tab (or stop clip) made.
Mike

Hello all,
While going through my photo file I ran across this scanned page that shows the procedure of installing the window section. This came out of a 55-59 GMC manual and thought I'd share it. So click HERE

I also found this one that shows an outside view my window section so click HERE this was taken at Boyd Coddington's Cruise Show last summer. In case you are wondering... Nessee & I took best of show. Boyd will be missed, R.I.P...

Be safe guys,
Pee-Wee.

Pee Wee, thanks for the installation link. I printed it out but it looks as though the TF burb sliders are different than the ADs in that the TF sliders have a frame assembly and the ADs do not. Nice burb by the way.

Weeds

I think one of the reasons the factory didn't run them to the bottom was that when the ends would get wet, they would attract dirt. Then they would eventually clog up. Just a theory though.

Started trying to put in the sliding windows. What a job. Started on the drivers side center window and put in the stationary pane. Used 3M weatherstrip cement on the rubber channel and it went in nice. Next put in the solid rubber filler strip, also went pretty good. Then came the hard part. Trying to form the felt lined run channel is really a bear. Tried forming it in place in the window opening. No luck. Next tried forming it on the bench around the glass which I think might work if my patience holds out. Took some pics and when I get one window completed I'll post them. The way it's going it might be quite a while. I'll keep plugging. Hope fully this truck will be done before I croak and I will actually get to drive it.

Weeds

Finally got the felt lined run channel formed for the drivers side middle slider. Thought I was over the hump but now no matter how hard I try I can't get the end channel with the handle on it to slide over the edge of the window. It seems like the setting rubber is too thick and it just will not go. I've got the channel good and clean and the glass is a new piece. Seems like I saw somewhere on this thread/site where someone said that the setting tape supplied with the kit was too thick. Was I seeing things? I need help.
Weeds

Weeds,

There are at least four thicknesses of glass-setting tape. I needed three thicknesses for the various windows on my Suburban.

Restoration Specialties

Page 32 - glass setting tape

Tape was not included in my kit (6 years ago). Nonetheless, I do not see how it is possible for a vendor to be sure of the correct tape thickness without knowing the glass thickness.

Tim

Tim, thanks for the reply, I ordered 1/32,3/64 and 1/16 from Restoration Specialties.These sliders are a real pain. Weeds

Today I worked from 8:30 until 5:15 on these %^$$#& sliding windows. After almost 9 hours of work I got one done. I thought forming the window channel was bad but everything after that was worse. The bottom edge of the inside garnish moulding is supposed to hook over an angle that is riveted to the sill. There is no way this can happen. The riveted angle ends up tight against the window channel and there is no room for the moulding to hook over it. Drilled out the rivets and bent the angle hoping to gain enough room for the moulding, riveted the angle back on to the sill and the moulding still doesn't fit. Did this twice. Finally said the hell with it, chucked the angle, drilled 3 holes in the bottom of the moulding and screwed it to the sill. How they did this in 1949 on a moving line beats me. Not looking forward to the other 3 windows. Somebody tell me what I am doing wrong. There has got to be an easier way. Weeds

Guys great thread on windows. The PO took out the sliders on my 49 burb and put one piece glass that will someday need replacing. I do have 4 of the stop clips which I will donate to anyone that needs them. The inside moulding that goes around the windows are missing on my burb. Does anyone know where that can be sourced or does anyone have a spare set they are willing to sell?

I'm at the start of installing my rear sliders. After reading the posts in this thread I think I'll make 2 cardboard patterns. I'll make one for the middle windows and one for the rear. Once I know the cardboard pattern is correct I'll transfer it to 1/4" or 1/8" plywood or paneling (this will be my run channel jig). I will mark the screw location on the final pattern. That way I'll know where to begin with my run channel. I will use these for bending and trimming the run channel prior to installing. I hope this helps. Where are you guys getting your beaded window seals (cat whiskers) for the eight (8) vertical SS window channels? This will make a super informative thread when completed. Thanks