My rear glass needs to be replaced and I am toying with the idea of a big window... as well as toying with a few darkside ideas. Now, being a blacksmith has caused me not to like to pay for anything made of out metal, especially when it's at least $500 for a big window frame kit. I've found places showing what all is involved in swapping one in, but I find myself thinking that it really shouldn't be that difficult to modify what's already there.

It's a work truck, not concour, not a show truck, I just like the idea of being able to see better.

What I need to find is some pictures and measurements of the opening before glass gets put in. I need to see how everything is shaped and so far I can only find small pictures that don't help. Still just toying with the idea, but I have to be sure what I'm up against first.

Thanks

 

Well the easiest thing to do would be to buy the glass and then work the metal to fit. The part that I question is "I find myself thinking that it really shouldn't be that difficult to modify what's already there"...if it was easy then others would have done it already. I think that if all I wanted was better visibility then I'd buy bigger mirrors. Good luck...

 

Thanks, That was the plan, I just like to see how it was originally done, usually you can avoid difficult to see mistakes that way.

True, if it was just cutting a whole I imagine most '56s would be big windows, but where's the fun in that? I wouldn't call it easy, just time consuming and with a lot of little steps. I've always thought that if something seemed too hard, you where trying to do too much at once, just got to break it all down... and then try not to beat it to death with a sledge hammer when you get frustrated, lol.

As best as I can tell there is a recess that the window fits into, so a concave flange would have to be forged and welded in (or actually just forged from the excess steal, but it would have to be figured out as to how much to leave when cutting and so on...), which would take some consideration to design right so it looked right. I just noticed on the kits, this flange doesn't seem to go all the way around, it has breaks in it, and thats one of those things that needs to be figured as to why. The flange should provide the support for the sheet metal, just a whole would wobble like the dickens, it's probably not necessary to make the concave flange, maybe just reinforce the edge, but I think the window would look better recessed as it looks stock.

Just toying with it right now, but its on my to do list.

 

This picture was posted in an earlier thread that is curently on page 12, gives you what it looks like without the glass but no measurements. If I tried doing what you are intending to do I'd end up spending the $500 you were trying to save and would likely have a better chance of cleaning up my language.

 

the back panel is really very flimsy. You'll notice in the picture above (posted by me of a BW I am trying to get) that there is a double flange, indented a little.. the furthest in is where the gasket hooks over and is near where the glass sits. the outer flange is where the outer edge of the gasket rests, and the indent makes it so that the gasket is flush with the outer body line.

the flanges keep this area from flexing, and you'll want to make sure this is solid, else you'll be poppin rear glass as you drive down the street..

$500 is a bunch, but I wouldn't want to chance it on my own. If it was easy, everyone would do it.. I'm not sure I could do the kit either..

Sam

 

Thanks, that's what I needed to see. Have to give it some thought, lot of options really, well, if I go darkside...