I have been attempting to re-shape the front vent window frame on my 50 Ford Tudor. Chop 3" front 6" rear, been attempting to reshape the stainless window frame by heating cherry red and gently bending (top area above the upper hinge). The window frame wants to kink and buckle. Any sage advice on how to best do this? Thanks, Steve
I always make many cuts almost all the way through then bend and braze the cuts shut.I chromed the ones on my previous chopped '49 and sandblasted the one I just did and painted it black on my '51.
You might try a search on you tube. I watched a rodder do one on there some time back. He did a great job.
Easier is to delete the vent window and go with one piece glass. .and it looks lots better too ...less clutter .. Go here for more information. .gotta scroll waaay down for window info : https://49fordcoupe.smugmug.com/The-Doors/
I'm just wrapping this up on my 53 F-100 project. They are S.S. also and I never cut and weld on them when you need a rounded corner. I make a buck out of Steel plate as thick as the groove in the glass frame. I probably should have photo doc'd it but I've done it so many times on different jobs I didn't even think about it. I'll get some photos for ya tomorrow. It makes such a small job out of doing it you'll wonder why you didn't think of it yourself. Heat, bend, kool, maybe a few little love taps, sometimes a kiss with a file on the inside edge for clean up then to the buffer. It's just to simple.
I was thinking the best route might be to make a buck out of steel. I do like the vent window look on this car, be great for moving air through the car as well. Any pictures would be super and greatly appreciated.
There is an excellent 15 minute video on UTube on this subject. Key issue is not disturbing the positioning of the top pivot on either the frame or the SS glass holder.
Okay, I'll try this but bear with me. Explaining how I do things isn't my best feature. Ya gotta understand I don't think or work like normal people. So the vent window and what I call a Buck. These photos were taken today with left over parts, not the work in progress. I tend to forget the camera while I'm working. Here is a stock vent window much like yours. It is S.S. like the ones I just did for the Truck. Notice the top hinge bracket is riveted in the channel. Here is the Buck. The notch in the right side edge is to index around it and insure the Buck always go back in the same place. The two flat spots on the left side is for Clamp and hold the frame in place. I will say the Buck must fit tight in the channel to do a nice job. If you get buckles you can use it to tap them down against to flatten them out. Some times you need to add a piece of sheetmetal to the Buck to get a tight fit or maybe go to the Mill and take a kiss off it. Tight is a key to it working well. Here it is in the vice clamped solid and ready to reshape. The flat spot on top edge is where I squeeze with large pump pliers while applying very gentle heat, "Not" red hot. S.S. is soft and forms easily and over heating it can damage it to the point you can't make it shine again. A little tip on using the Pump pliers against hot S.S. Put a piece of heater hose over the jaw that is against the S.S. it adds a cushion and won't leave jaw marks on it. So your finished job should be close to this. No cutting, no welding, no grinding, just clean up on the Buffer. Your job may very some but still be about the same. Good luck with that. If you have never done this kind of a job my advice is to find something you don't plan to use and practice on it. This wasn't my first time on the Merry-go-round. Making Junk out of hard to find parts really Sucks.
Pist-n-Broke, Thanks, that is what I was working on again today. Your pictures are great help. Guessing you still had to do some hammer and file work to smooth things out?
Yes, both sides are fresh off the Torch. I do both sides as a pair so they are mirror image of each other. I'll start with a real fine file to take down the high spots and a chain saw round file to clean up the inside radi, then some fine paper and over to the Buffer. Getting your Buck to have the right curve with material space and get a nice fit into the rubber is no small job. Getting them right brings a lot of satisfaction. Customs without vent windows are just wrong in my book. Kind of reminds me of the Painted bumpers and grill times. I translate that into just being Cheep. If it isn't worth the extra effort don't start the job.
This is an issue for the Heavy chops but there is a way around it. You just need to remember the job the window does, it swings like a door. Door hinges need the pins to be in alignment with each other. To be able to move the Top pivot down you also must move the bottom pivot forward. Not really a big deal just a bit more work to get things right.
Follow Pist-n-broke's how-to. An old iron bed frame became my buck, and heat and a hammer brought them to shape. You will have to move the pivot and re-rivet. It's nice to have a working vent window and it deflects wind. The next fun is chopping the inside moldings and finding the screw holes don't line up. But the pain and misery fades.
You guys are right on with that. I welded 2 pieces of 16ga on to 1/4 steel plate, the added thickness I shaved just a smidg. I agree with the wing windows makes it look a lot better as do the B pillars and full drip rails. As always "The Devil is in the Details"
Cree, Nice looking car Door garnish were not bad but rear quarter window moldings were another story. How did you mount your rear quarter windows?
I saw the 51 vent window cut-down on youtube, Seemed as though he was able to heat and bend without distortion, I was not able to duplicate that method. Unless there was something he was leaving out..
Yup, channel wants to spread when bent but I did heat it to dark cherry and just beat the sides back flat. Scary and may not have been right but the only idea at the time. However it sanded and buffed out great. Regards rear quarter windows, some old guys at the glass shop came up with window molding rubber that had grooves that fit over the body flanges plus accepted a common chrome plastic trim insert that fooled everyone (old guys rule). A gap remained inside where the rear window used to live, but a piece of black foam pipe insulation plugged that. Don't give up, get desperate.
I've always said, give 5 killed craftsman the same job to do and you'll get it done 5 different ways we all like.
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