1931 Slant Window Sedan

[TinCup]

While helping my friend adjust the brakes on his 1931 Slant window he asked me to look at the windshield and especially the stanchions and see if they looked right. I professed that I really hadn't much experience with them but I would look. His concern is that the stanchions have a notch in them so that when the windshield is closed the bracket that holds the swivel arms can slip into this notch so the window will close. Also when the windshield is closed the swing arms set an an angle instead of vertical. He has 3 31 cars a roadster and a tudor so it's hard to compare the slant window to these. I am including a couple of shots to show the issue. Is this correct for this car?

 

[Doug in NJ]

I didn't see anything really wrong, except for the chipping on the garnish molding in the first photo. The garnish moldings do NOT have a notch. You might check:

Is the windshield centered in the hinge, so there is the same clearance on either side?
Is the hinge not properly mounted to the header, or is something sagging?
Is the windshield opening in the body perfectly square? Are the sides of the windshield parallel to the A-pillars?

 

[TinCup]

Doug, The problem seems that the brackets that hold the swing arms on the windshield are not correct. The windshield could not close if those notches were not there. They would not clear the stanchions.

 

[Fred A]

I bought a set of what you call swing arms which had better Butler finish, but found that they would not work on my 160B. Took the loss and forgot about it, returning my original arms to service. I think all the slants use the same frame, but there's been plenty of time for an improper mix of parts. The pictures need some fill light and focus to be of much use. I went out and gave my sedan a look and saw little to help except that there is no notch and the arms are vertical upon closeing. Good Luck: Fred A

 

[TinCup]

I believe the problem is the swing arm attachment to the windshield frame. I have uploaded a new picture. From the fram to the swing arm mount they do not appear to be wide enough.

 

[mot]

im going to give you my 2 cents here
In many parts of the country slant window windshield frames are hard to come by
so some owners will cut down a standard frame to fit
now the problem with this is ,the swing arm brackets are different heights
and I think this is what is causing your problem
first of all the first picture with the notch is not correct
there is no need for the notch
look at the picture I have a standard frame in gray on top of a slant window frame in rust
notice the difference the swing arm bracket is from the bottom corner
the regular frame has the bracket 6 in from the bottom of the frame on the corner to the BOTTOM of the swing arm bracket
now the slant window frame had the swing arm bracket mounted 4 1/2 in from the bottom corner of the frame to the BOTTOM of the swing arm bracket
lets start here and see what yours measure
tom

 

[TinCup]

im going to give you my 2 cents here
In many parts of the country slant window windshield frames are hard to come by
so some owners will cut down a standard frame to fit
now the problem with this is ,the swing arm brackets are different heights
and I think this is what is causing your problem
first of all the first picture with the notch is not correct
there is no need for the notch
look at the picture I have a standard frame in gray on top of a slant window frame in rust
notice the difference the swing arm bracket is from the bottom corner
the regular frame has the bracket 6 in from the bottom of the frame on the corner to the BOTTOM of the swing arm bracket
now the slant window frame had the swing arm bracket mounted 4 1/2 in from the bottom corner of the frame to the BOTTOM of the swing arm bracket
lets start here and see what yours measure
tom

When I get back to the garage I will measure them. Also look at the bottom mount vs the one on top. The bottom mount shows that the swing arm mount is wider and would clear the stanchion.

 

[Doug in NJ]

I believe the problem is the swing arm attachment to the windshield frame. I have uploaded a new picture. From the fram to the swing arm mount they do not appear to be wide enough.

If I was not away from home at the moment I would go into the garage and get a photo of my frame. My web site might have some useful photos, either of my car or Scott McGrew's.

Doug

 

[TinCup]

If I was not away from home at the moment I would go into the garage and get a photo of my frame. My web site might have some useful photos, either of my car or Scott McGrew's.

Doug

Didn't see anything on the windshield.

Can you tell me how the power lead to the dome light is run? That's next on our list. The light is grounded to the frame but cannot find the power lead.

 

[JD Miller]

Difficult to tell from the pictures. It does appear the windshield frame may be incorrect.

I've posted four pictrues. Focus is not that good, but you should be able to see that the mounting bracket on the windshield frame allows the swing arm to line up with the post on the pillar. In the last picture the locking nut has been removed from the pillar post.

That doesn't seem to be the case in the pictures you've posted.

JD

 

[TinCup]

JD, The second picture shows the difference. The mounting bracket clearly clears the stanchion. Thanks for going to the trouble. If you could extend the window fully I could see if the bracket attaching to the windshield is the same.

 

[JD Miller]

Maybe these two pictures will help.



Getting ready for our club's monthly tour and meeting. Looks like this will be a "rain" tour! With potential for ponding on a few of the roads we'll see how some of the newer members handle wet brakes. Should be interesting.

JD

 

[jw hash]

when you take a coupe or tudor windshield frame and cut it down and cut it to fit a SW you have to use the slant window brackets they have a longer off set, the ones on your frame are for a standard body and they might not have put them in the right location. John

 

[TinCup]

when you take a coupe or tudor windshield frame and cut it down and cut it to fit a SW you have to use the slant window brackets they have a longer off set, the ones on your frame are for a standard body and they might not have put them in the right location. John

I believe you are dead on.

 

[Doug in NJ]

Re: Windshield Bracket Photo Contest

Boy, it's hard to get a good shot of that bracket on an assembled car!
Here is my best try.


Doug

 

[TinCup]

Thanks Doug

 

[TinCup]

Well I thought I would update this to show how we resolved this. Thanks to jw hash we purchased the right brackets with the right offset. Here are some pictures of how they cut the stanchions to make the wrong brackets work. This is on a premium 31 slant window. $2000 dollar Lebaron Bonney interior and you cut holes in the stanchions. Sure doesn't make sense to me.

 

[columbiA]

Compared the offset of the brackets between my 30 cpe & my 31 s/w sedan & the s/w has about a 1/4"wider offset.My s/w ws would not close all the way but it was due to the gasket above the hinge being to thick.The ws on a slant is easy to remove-just remove swing arm one side,open ws,& pull straight out side ways. Much easier than a straight ws car.

 

[Terry in KB]

Read this thread with great interest. The SW I am working on has the identical arms and problems. The pictures are a great help!

 

[TinCup]

The barn is a great asset. I couldn't list all the times the barn has helped me solve a problem. Glad I could help.

Read this thread with great interest. The SW I am working on has the identical arms and problems. The pictures are a great help!