1957 Ford convertible - window issues

T

toplessincan

Member
57 Ford convertible - Currently under restoration. I cannot get the door windows to go all the way to the top. They are OK at the front and meet the top of the vent windows but are about an inch too low at the rear.. All the parts I'm using are good used with some reproduced parts. There doesn't seem like there is much adjustment to be made to fix the problem. I haven't tried raising the "equilizer arm bracket"; first of all the original brackets are welded in place so no adjustment there.. I do have an original after market bracket that has mounting bolts and made by Ford so what is going on there? If you have any experience with assembling door hardware, you know how much fun that is. NOT!
I would really like some expert advice while I still have hair. The vent window location is adjusted to meet the windshield gap so that is fixed in stone, and there is little adjustment with the window regulator. The window regulator I'm using is from a hardtop but looks identical to the original. I might try to swap that out but what a chore. So if you have had success I would really appreciate your suggestions. Thanks, Andrew (in Ontario)
 
IS the window regulator the same as a hardtop? The doors on my 58 Chevy wagon aren't the same as a 2 door sedan. My window frame is more square, whereas the sedan slopes down a bit at the back.
 
I haven't had the pleasure of this task yet so maybe this idea is all wrong, but here goes anyway. :o

This could be a two person job? Crank the window upward as far as it wants to go, grab the window glass and carefully loosen all the adjusting / regulator mounting hardware. If the window will move upward, pull it into the desired position (or slightly higher if it sags a bit from its own weight) and hold it there while tightening the adjusting hardware. Then see if it fits better.

Manual windows in 55/57 T-Birds apparently have a similar problem to the one you're having and a solution is presented at this link. Not sure grinding, drilling and re-welding would be my first choice for solving the problem but the fellow presenting it knows his business.

https://www.ctci.org/manual-window-mechanism-modification/

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I loosened off everthing and tried to raise the door glass by hand but the glass would not go higher. That makes me think that the equalizer arm bracket needs to be raised. What I may try (pending more responses), is to release the arm from the equalizer bracket to see if that makes a difference. Raising the bracket would be a similar fix to moving the pin on the arm as suggested in the above post. Thanks, Andrew
 
The first thing that I would try to do is see if the window can be pulled or pushed into full up position with the regulator arm disconnected from the window glass channel. There are usually stops to keep the glass from going any higher. If the glass has been removed or replaced from the window glass channel, I would make sure it is in the correct position. They can sometimes be installed backwards or a right gets mixed with a left. If all that checks OK then I would wonder about the regulators being the correct ones for that application.

Hardtop and convertible glass with metal edge protective channels generally only have a front and rear glass run channel to ride in so they don't have the support of run channels all the way around the periphery of the upper three edges like a sedan door does. The rear run channel has to have enough meat still in the channel at full up to hold the window solid. If it gets cocked in there due to dimensional fit discrepancies then that would have to be corrected to get full up extension of the window.

I hope this is clearer than mud. I don't have much else to offer since I have no experience with the 1957 hardtop or convertible/retractable types.
 
Is the door glass original to the car? Or from a Hardtop. If your vent window assembly matches windshield Moulding I don't think you could be that far off in the rear if front comes to top unless wrong window. I installed a 2dr hardtop door on my retractable once, door fit perfectly but the vent assembly wasn't even close. Had to use original parts and just the door shell. An original parts manual that covers your year or an old Mitchell part manual would be helpful. A shop manual will give all the in's and out's on adjustments.
 
I have a 57 Retractable. On my car there is a stop that hits the bottom of the chrome window frame, and the bot is on the outside (meaning under the interior panel). Take that stop off, and adjust from there, if so equipped. You will figure it out. Don't assume that someone put the right parts on your car...
 
toplessincan said:
57 Ford convertible - Currently under restoration. I cannot get the door windows to go all the way to the top. They are OK at the front and meet the top of the vent windows but are about an inch too low at the rear.. All the parts I'm using are good used with some reproduced parts. There doesn't seem like there is much adjustment to be made to fix the problem. I haven't tried raising the "equilizer arm bracket"; first of all the original brackets are welded in place so no adjustment there.. I do have an original after market bracket that has mounting bolts and made by Ford so what is going on there? If you have any experience with assembling door hardware, you know how much fun that is. NOT!
I would really like some expert advice while I still have hair. The vent window location is adjusted to meet the windshield gap so that is fixed in stone, and there is little adjustment with the window regulator. The window regulator I'm using is from a hardtop but looks identical to the original. I might try to swap that out but what a chore. So if you have had success I would really appreciate your suggestions. Thanks, Andrew (in Ontario)
Click to expand...
The vent window needs adjusted . Loosen the bottom of the vent window guide and slide it to the rear , do the same for rear window guide .
 
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