Taking apart a door

mrsbojigger

Hi,

I am trying to take apart the front door of my '51 Commodore but don't know the method of doing it. I am preparing it for paint and rust stripping. I have removed all of the inner upholstery, all handles, locks, latches and all of the screws and bolts on the inside. The main window and wind wing window seems to be unmovable. Nothing budges. The outer stainless trim around the window is still in place but I don't know how to remove it without damaging it. Any of you fellas up to helping with what I should do next?

Peace,

Charles Fennen, Artist 

Uncle Josh

You should go to Alex's Body Manual on the HET website.  In short, to take out the roll down window, unscrew the winder mechanism and with the window down separate the mechanism from the horizontal track the window is fastened to.  Then lift the window up and inward, guiding it past the felt.

The wing bracket unbolts about a foot down inside the door.  There is also a screw at the very top accessed from the rear.  The rotation bracket has to be disconnected, then the wing can be eased out of the rubber holding it.

 

mrsbojigger

Thanks Uncle Josh,

I'll try that tomorrow. Right now the window itself is frozen in an up position and I have not been able to get it to roll down. It has many cracks in it and I'm afraid of cutting myself especially since i'm on Warfarin. I have used strapping tape holding all the glass chards together while it was on the car to keep the weather out. So first thing tomorrow is getting the window down without hurting myself.

Peace,

Charles Fennen, Artist

46HudsonPU

Hi Charles - Wow!  It has been a while since I've seen your 'handle'.

Looks like you've got quite a project there.

Hope you are doing well, good to hear from you.

mrsbojigger

Hi Rick,

I had checked in occasionally just to see what was happening here at the forum. No actual work on the Hudson for about 2 1/2 - 3 years.

I went out this morning and was able to get the window down so it disappeared from the window opening where I could see the X-mechanism that is engaged into the horizontal bar that the window is attached to. I understand that I need to have the bars of the X-mechanism out far enough to reach the place where it just pops out but I can't get it out far enough to do this.

C

Uncle Josh

I think you have to unbolt the mechanism to do get it out far enough, but it's been a year or so

mrsbojigger

Not following what you mean. Mechanism? I'm able to look inside but the X-mechanism bars and horizontal glass bar is still too far up to have free access to it.

Also, I tried going to Alex's body manual but HET would not give me access unless I was a member.

Peace,

C

Glowplug

See your Private msg

mrsbojigger

Howdy,

Thanks for replying to my problem. I’ve been working off and on all day trying to get the main glass out but to no avail. I have the Hudson Body Service Manual 1948-1954 which read and re-read then go back out and try again. I went to the site you sent and it basically was the same as my manual with the exception of having much clearer photos and illustrations than mine. I just cannot get the regulator cross arms released from the glass channel.

I went to my other front door and it’s the same problem.

Also, I can’t find the “A” screw. I can’t find it on either door. And, “C” screws don’t seem accessible.

One hour later! Went back out after supper to give it one more try. Still can’t find “A” screw and “C” screws. Got aggressive with broken window glass and yes, I was wearing gloves. Window broke off at the glass channel. Pulled out broken glass. Glass channel fell down into the bottom of the door. The crank mechanism with regulator cross arms are still stuck in door.

I just gave up for the night. Frustrating!

BTW, I have taken out plenty of these units on Fords and Chevrolets so I do have the concept of what it takes to disassemble a unit.

Peace,

Chaz

Browniepetersen

I have just finished redoing all of my windows on my 1954 Coupe.  The directions were not all that helpful but here is what I did.  Once you have the window separated from the "X" brace, it wall fall to the bottom of the brace being held in by the bracket at the bottom of the wind wing support bar.  You will need to remove the two screws that hold the wind wing and window bar in place.  One is just below the window beltline and the other is where the brace is attached to the door.  When you remove the lower screw the "stop" that the window is on will be released and the window will fall to the bottom of the door. On the top of the brace, where the wind wing rubber meets at the top of the straight section is a screw holding it in place.  I had to pry the rubber out of the way to get the screw out.  Then you can force the wind wing out into the window opening and lift it out.  Then the window will have the room to be removed.  You can take out all of the window hardware inside the door if you want to clean it all up, but it is not necessary.  Good luck.  Should you need some pictures let me know and I will run out and take them and post them.

mrsbojigger

Yea! Thanks everybody. I had success today. Now that I know the tricks, I should be able to take everything off in a couple of hours instead of the day and half it took on this first one.

Thanks again,

Peace,

Chaz