Bending Window Channels

[Deleted User]

Hi Folks,



I am installing new flat Glass in my 51 Hudson Hornet 4 door. While I was at it, I said hey lets make this more difficult and replace the window channels as well. Anyone have any good tips for bending the channels to fit. I did some test bends on some old channel and I find its hard to get the bend without the channel warping out of shape. Especially the bend for the front doors the channels need to take almost a 90 degree turn.



Thanks

Jon B

A quick suggestion would be to take a 45° notch out of the inside corner with some metal cutters. With the two flanges removed from the channel, it should be pretty easy to bend the flat portion at 90°.

[Deleted User]

Jon B wrote:

A quick suggestion would be to take a 45° notch out of the inside corner with some metal cutters. With the two flanges removed from the channel, it should be pretty easy to bend the flat portion at 90°.

Jon,



thanks sounds like a plan I will try that on my old channel to test. Of course the Hudson factory made this bend without notches. I can see this being a case of having a jig that contains the channel and has a hinge to bend to the desired shape while holding the flexible channel in it. I may also try building a wooden jig to do this depends on how crazy I get about doing it the way Hudson did it.

Unknown

51hornetA wrote:

Hi Folks,

I am installing new flat Glass in my 51 Hudson Hornet 4 door. While I was at it, I said hey lets make this more difficult and replace the window channels as well. Anyone have any good tips for bending the channels to fit. I did some test bends on some old channel and I find its hard to get the bend without the channel warping out of shape. Especially the bend for the front doors the channels need to take almost a 90 degree turn.

51 Hornet:

When I last replaced the window channel in a Hudson, I used the glass out of the door as the bending template. In this instance the glass was being replaced with new. I carefully bent the channel starting on one side of the glass and continued around the corner access the top and again around the next corner. Hudson used clips to hold the original channel to the door, if you are successful in finding replacements or removing the originals for reuse, place them on the new channel and reinstall. Most of my experience with this task has included broken and bent channel clips. So, I remove and throw away the clips. To mount the channel I use a bead of clear silicone RTV on the channel back then push the channel back into the door cavity. Roll up the window and it will hold the channel securely in place while the RTV cures. Once dry this should result in a finished project.

GOOD LUCK

Unknown

the following is the way it is done by an old auto glass pro.( me )

clean rear back post channel of all old channel and any metal clips.

some time there is a retaining clip at the bottom end of back post,if so

with a screw driver open the space to allow new channel to slip between

it and back post (press the clip back after new channel is installed)

leave channel straight shove it down metal channel until it hits clip at bottom

grasp channel and hold it against door, applying downward pressure to end above door the channel is designed to bend at a tight radius.move hand that

is holding channel up to the top where bend is to occur and continue to pull

down on the channel that will be along the top cut excess of at front post.

use black 3 M trim cement to glue runner to door(coat runner before installing

in door.



Will

Unknown

Guys, I got my 49 C channel from Restoration Specialties, Wimber PA. Instructions came with it.

The secret is to open up the cut crimps at the ends so the stainless bead can slide in respect to the rest of the channel.

[Deleted User]

I got the job done. I made a tool on the lathe to do the job. The problem with the bends is the channel will blow out and become distorted if you bend down without supporting it. I made a tool that looks like a wheel. The inner part is the same width as the glass and the outer part runs on the stainless steel bead. that way you can slowly roll back and forth until the channel is bent then place in door channel and finish up. I did this and the new channel fits like a glove. Since I was doing all four doors I thought what the heck its worth the extra effort to get a perfect job. New glass new channel and I cleaned and greased the regulators. Now the windows feel solid and go up and down smoothly and are air tight. All-in-all a lot more work then I thought but isn't that always the case.

Unknown

51hornetA wrote:

I got the job done. I made a tool on the lathe to do the job. The problem with the bends is the channel will blow out and become distorted if you bend down without supporting it. I made a tool that looks like a wheel. The inner part is the same width as the glass and the outer part runs on the stainless steel bead. that way you can slowly roll back and forth until the channel is bent then place in door channel and finish up. I did this and the new channel fits like a glove. Since I was doing all four doors I thought what the heck its worth the extra effort to get a perfect job. New glass new channel and I cleaned and greased the regulators. Now the windows feel solid and go up and down smoothly and are air tight. All-in-all a lot more work then I thought but isn't that always the case.

I would like to capture your tool on my HUDSON STEPDOWN WEBSITE. If you have a digital camera and willing to add the information on how you constructed same, I will put together a sheet for the website with your name for credit. There is a possibility that rental or manufacture of the tool is something to make a few dollars for your.

Thanks for sharing your method of doing this task.

[Deleted User]

Sure. I will take a picture of it and post it. Its just a simple round piece of metal. Think of a dollar coin with quarters stuck on each side with a hole through the middle with a bearing so it turns nice. I can't believe this does not exist in the world of glass installation. I made mine as I could not find one readily. Its simple and works very nice.