The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Doors vent window rebuild

I'm using the rebuild tech tip by Houston 54.
I have a couple questions:
1. How do I know that the metal piece where the piviot rivit holds the two piece vent frame to the outer frame is at the correct angle?
2. Has anyone had a bad experience with the vendors that sell the rubber seal for the vent assembly?
should I just use Steele?

I'm working on a 53 3/4 ton

thanks
rolf

I used rubber parts from LMC when rebuilding the vent windows on my '53. Four months later the rubber was shot! It's cracked and split all the way around both windows. The rubber looks 50 years old. I am P.O.ed

I've already ordered Steele rubber to replace the LMC rubber around my windshield and will be replaceing the vent window rubber with Steele. You get what you pay for.

I bought vent window rubber seals, window felt & glass run kit, rivets and setting tool, plus window exterior moldings for my '54 from the Truck Shop. Installed Oct 2011. I am happy with the fit and quality.
> Vent parts
> Window parts

- Lonnie

thanks guys
rolf

Ditto on the Truck Shop. I just did mine at the tail end of last summer and it is still looking good.

ive done two of my trucks with materials from jim carter with no issues. i did a friends 56 gmc truck with steele and i didnt like the fit. he had some from another vendor and i tried one of them to see what the difference was. the fit with, i think was from classic parts was much nicer. so it was all done with the classic material. as for the differences steele was more flexible.

thanks
rolf

I bought some vent assembly rivets for my 53. I also bought the setting tool. I'm having trouble Installing rivets. Can someone tell me how to install the rivets on the vent window assembly. I can't figure out how to apply enough pressure to the head and there is no way to use a table.

I tried and I tried and I tried to use the tool and the rivets to attach my wing vent to the wing vent frame. It was a hopeless case. I could beat the rivets with a hammer on the vice and they would not "set". Using the tool was a joke.

I took one of the rivets to a local machine shop and had them built the same dimension as the rivet but leave/put a threaded end on it. Use stainless and get a self locking nut with the nylon in it and your good to go.

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r19/LutherParris/52Panel/wingventrivet004.jpg

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r19/LutherParris/52Panel/wingventrivet001.jpg

Not the best pictures in the world but you can get the idea. I do need to cut the ends off a little but all is well. I paid $20 for 10 of them but hey, no shipping and the guy lives a mile from my house!!

I just used a small machine screw and nylock. I do have a rivet squeezer around here somewhere but I've never looked to see if I could have used it. I got it for doing rivets on bicycle fenders.

I took a small drift and shaped it on the wheel till it was just slightly larger than the rivet and gently tapped some (once it's in place)to open it up first. It received the rivet drift much better and set much tighter than the earlier ones I did...FWIW

Silver53 -

Are you trying to set the rivets with the vent assembly in the door? The assembly must be removed.

I set the vent seal rivets and the pivot rivets in my '54 3104 exactly as Jay Barrington "Houston54" showed in his Tech Tip and photo.
> TECH TIP: Rebuild your vent windows

I had no problem. Set the rivets on the seal before you install the channel run. You must have a helper to hold the assembly while you set the rivets. Pad the 3/8" plate with tape to protect the paint on the vent frame. Buy extra rivets incase you screw up a few and an extra setting tool. I cut one of my setting tools shorter to help set the top rivet.

Jay Barrington:

"Step 5A - Installing Rivets

The vertical rubber strip that the new glass will seal against is installed next. When I purchased my new parts, I also purchased the replacement rivets and the rivet setting tool.

Having a helper for this step will make things easier.

As you can see in the image, I have a piece of 3/8" plate in the vise to act as a backing drift. I placed some black weather-stripping adhesive in the top and bottom corners to ensure a good seal. I then positioned the new rubber strip as shown. Your helper should hold the frame in place over the back drift, while you position the new rivet in the first hole using some needle nose pliers. Position the rivet setting tool over the rivet and hit it firmly with a hammer until the rivet is set. You do not have to hit it with great force to make this happen. Repeat for the other rivets.

As you will note, I protected the fresh paint with some blue tape during this step."

- Lonnie

I jumping on my vent window rebuild today and went to Jay's tech Tip for a refresher .

I saw that Jay put the rivets in from the track side and set on the wing side of the frame . Is there a specific reason for this other than ease of setting the rivets? I think it would be a "cleaner" look if the rivet were set in the backside where the window track would cover it up . Is there such a clearance issue that would prevent the rivet's being set this way ? I did my 66 this way and the windows rolled up and down just fine .
Dan