Ford side glass "magic trick"

[Pamlico]

I have a good buddy that was showing me a feature of his 48 Ford Sedan where the front (and maybe back) door window glasses open, first front -to-back for about an inch before dropping down. This gives occupants a small "vent" if desired, perfect for flipping ashes off your cigarette. Then another friend was showing me this same feature on his 36 5-window. I would like to know when it was that Ford came out with this and how long did it last? Also, did Ford have a name for it?

 

[DavidG]

1934 model year passenger cars were the first Fords to have this feature.

 

[rotorwrench]

1948 may have been the last, at least for Ford & Mercury cars. Some of the front ones did this until the swing open vents came out for the 1940 model year.

 

[weemark]

I was led to believe they were called smoking Windows or smoking vents

 

[40 Deluxe]

When I was about 5 or 6 my sisters and I decided that this feature in Dad's '40 was so we could throw our gum wrappers out without having to roll the window down! Naughty kids!!

 

[Pamlico]

Thanks for the replies. Now that I have had a chance to ponder it, the 48 sedan has vent windows on the front doors. Maybe it was the back glasses that slid back. But the fronts on the 36 slide back-then-down.

 

[cretin]

Our '36 pickup has it. I've always heard them referred to as a "smokers window" But, don't know if that was an official term.

 

[Bruce Lancaster]

It allows airflow through the car without a lot of buffeting...nice feature.