Quarter window roll down conversion - alignment issues

Hi guys,

Finally got around to doing my roll down quarter window conversion on my 72 fastback. Started on the passenger side, took a couple hours just figuring out what's what, but worked great and am thrilled with the results. The driver side went really quick now that we know how to do it, but the alignment is off. The window is up against the enough that I need to push it in from the outside to get it to sit in the weather seal and wants to basically rip off the felt on the bottom seal. 

loosened everything up, moved things around, took everything out looking for something bent or twisted, everything looks good and same thing. Is there an adjustment for that direction that can move it away from the body and toward the interior?

Thanks!

This is from the Haynes manual, the Ford Shop manual is a bit more detailed IIRC.

I just went through this process. Alignment was a real PITA. A lot of trial and error. I think i know exactly what are you talking about. Try a combination of these two: angling the top of the window forward. Losening the bolt of the bottom bracket that attaches the window panel to the floor. This one will let you angle the window in or out. In my case, the passenger side needed the window to angle out further than what the bracket allowed so i had to cut the inner edge of it slightly to allow for more adjustment. This allowed me to slide the window panel further in which moved the top of the window further out.

Make sure you not only align the quarter window against the seals, but also with respect to the door window.

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When tearing down convertible parts cars I have actually found spacers between track mount and body to move them inboard. Thick washer.

OK thanks for the great feedback. I'll give it another try this afternoon. I was wondering about that connector at the floor but it didn't look slotted at a glace. I'll dig in a little deeper into that and report back.

Thanks

A bunch more trial and error last night. Loosened everything up and that bottom bolt did help the top of the glass land where it needs to be. But I'm still having a front to back issue that I didn't see before as the whole thing was so out of whack.

Basically the front edge by the door is smashed up against the weather strip hard. So hard that it basically ripped off the edge molding / weather strip on the glass when I was testing it. The other edge toward the back is out away from the weather strip so it's not even touching. No amount of moving things around has changed that yet. So I think I need to add some spacers and what not as David had mentioned above. While I don't see it, to me it seems like the main bracket must be tweaked.

I probably just tossed the spacer I took out in my Mustang Misc screw box. Will see if I see anything in there when I go back to garage.  Adding washers to shift does not hurt anything. There are usually alignment shims under the front fenders to shift them.

I was looking at Mach 1 trunk lids the other day it looks like the way they set the height was to bow the mounting surface for the hinge. Ford use to send the dealers instructions on how to bend and tweak the cars if the customer complained.

Here is a pic of the spacers I took out of a convertible rear side glass. Were used to space the guide inboard. The two short ones were in one window. The long one is what you find under the front fenders they are alignment shims. 

It looks like the issue is more of a back and forward movement that I dont think the shims are going to help. I remember that the groove of the window plate at the top is shaped like an L. If the bolt is riding in the vertical of the L it will not allow for back and forth alignment. Check that you can move the plate back and forth. I hope this makes sense.

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I should add that as I was aligning the quarter window I was also aligning the door and door window to match. This was a very time consuming task of many tries, days, and patience. At the end I was not able to align everything perfectly. Some gaps were good in one section and not that good in another. I know my car has been previously repaired on the passenger side so that added to the challenge. It was all about compromising and finding a happy medium. I remember I had to pull the inner sheetmetal inwards by the quarter panel so the stop didn't hit the window.

Well this is turning out to be a lot more complicated that I had thought. The passenger window went in and fit fine the first go. Now I've spent a few hours on the driver one where I actually knew what I was doing and it still doesn't work well. Tony, I do know what you are talking about with the L notch. Tried a few different things there and really didn't get anywhere productive yet, but I'll keep trying.

David, on the shims, I assume they go behind the bracket on the bolts that mount it to the car, is that right?

Thanks

Well this is turning out to be a lot more complicated that I had thought. The passenger window went in and fit fine the first go. Now I've spent a few hours on the driver one where I actually knew what I was doing and it still doesn't work well. Tony, I do know what you are talking about with the L notch. Tried a few different things there and really didn't get anywhere productive yet, but I'll keep trying.

David, on the shims, I assume they go behind the bracket on the bolts that mount it to the car, is that right?

Thanks

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If you need more range try lengthening the groove to gain more adjustment if that works.

Well this is turning out to be a lot more complicated that I had thought. The passenger window went in and fit fine the first go. Now I've spent a few hours on the driver one where I actually knew what I was doing and it still doesn't work well. Tony, I do know what you are talking about with the L notch. Tried a few different things there and really didn't get anywhere productive yet, but I'll keep trying.

David, on the shims, I assume they go behind the bracket on the bolts that mount it to the car, is that right?

Thanks

Click to expand...

Yes if you needed to move the upper part of the window guide over you would put between the bracket welded on the inner and the window track. They use horse shoe shape so they can put in without taking the screw out you can use regular washer also.

Dude, you should have close to and inch movement in / out and forward / back on the glass 

You should not need any shims, unless something is bent.

I have never found any shims under the tracks

Here is a few pics of the adjustment areas

Pictures are mixed up first and last ones are the upper mount

Thanks for that. Spent a couple more hours messing with it and still having trouble. I've had the whole thing in and out a bunch of times, loosened and moved things all over. It's better now, but not great. I can get the window closed and the top edge looks OK. The lower edge is still too close to the body by the door and too far at the rear. Up front I was able to get it better by adding a washer behind the bolt nearest the top front edge. The back I just can't get right no matter how much I mess with it. It all works now, but it will leak like crazy in the back and will ruin the seal up front. Not really sure how to adjust it closer to the body as shimming seems to make everything go the other way.

To make this more weird, there is a pretty sizable gap between the quarter window and the door window so that doesn't seal at all either. Not really sure how to deal with that last one as the window is seated well in the back.

Some of this can be probably made better by using new rubber all around. I had just replaced the belt line felt and managed to ruin it as it the glass was too tight up against it. I would say the car is the problem, but of course the quarter window was fine before I decided to do this 30 minute window swap.

Maybe I'll grab some pics of what I'm dealing with so you can all have a chuckle at this.

If you adjust the upper studs in or out , shim is not needed

When this was going down the assembly line, there was no time for shims so it is very adjustable

If you have someone who can help you

Loosen the top two and bottom nuts on the main plate

Have them help you hold the glass where it needs to seat when closed

Take a light and look at the 3 mounting points to see where you need to go adjustment wise to get it close

The front of the mounting bracket has the L slot in it and that will allow you some tilt if you are not vertical with the door glass

Many thanks to OMS who took the time to PM to point out that the upper studs are actually adjustable with a hex key. For some reason I managed to miss that staring at them 4" away and from the pics. While still not perfect, that got me very close. Close enough to call it good until I get new weather strips as that will likely change things again. Now starting to put the interior together throughout the car.

Thanks again to OMS and everyone else that helped out.