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Technical 1940 Ford Delete Wind Wing Vent Window Help

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Basement Sweeper, Jul 13, 2020.

  1. I came across a thread about this topic but can't find it using the search function. I'm ready to order a complete set of flat glass for my 1940 Ford coupe but need confirmation on the door glass. I'm deleting the vent window, building extended front and rear run channels to guide the glass, extending the 1940 roller channel to support the glass, and using the factory 1940 regulators.

    Some online posts claim I cannot use 1939 window glass because it is too narrow as a smoker's window, but I'm not visualizing the issue. From my understanding, the 1939 window must be wide enough in the full-up position to span/seal the entire window opening in the door. The 1939 regulator swings the window forward as it rolls down to create the smoker's gap at the B pillar side whereas the 1940 regulator moves directly plumb.

    If I mount the 1939 window in the 1940 roller channel to where the glass is back riding in the B pillar-side run channel, why would there be an issue using the 1939 window glass? I can have the glass shop cut the window glass to my pattern, but I don't see how my pattern will differ at all from the 1939 window. I appreciate any feedback on the glass from people who have deleted their 1940 vent window.
     
  2. TrailerTrashToo
    Joined: Jun 20, 2018
    Posts: 1,289

    TrailerTrashToo
    Member

    Search button is the magnifying glass symbol - Upper, left corner of this page.

    No help on 1939 - 1940 Fords.
     
  3. As I said, I used the search function but did not find any threads.
     
  4. 19Fordy
    Joined: May 17, 2003
    Posts: 8,025

    19Fordy
    Member


  5. We did that on Dave's old 40 coupe.

    You will need to remove the divider in the door and add some material to your garnish molding.

    As you already know the window channel will nee extending. HRP

    [​IMG]
     
    Basement Sweeper likes this.
  6. Thanks for the details. Did you use 1939 glass, or did you have to make a template for custom glass?
     
    Last edited: Jul 13, 2020
  7. 19Fordy
    Joined: May 17, 2003
    Posts: 8,025

    19Fordy
    Member

    Oh no! I feel like my card has been slandered. This is all out war!
    An Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr duel situation.
    Let's have a HAMB vote to decide. :eek:

    40 ford side view0001 (Small).jpg DSC07777 (Small)best.jpg
     
    47ragtop, olscrounger and i.rant like this.
  8. Jokester
    Joined: Jan 29, 2005
    Posts: 687

    Jokester
    Member

    The guy didn't ask for opinions. He's looking for information / assistance.

    my 2 cents
     
  9. OLDSMAN
    Joined: Jul 20, 2006
    Posts: 2,422

    OLDSMAN
    BANNED

    IMO the 40 door and vent look great. In my 39 deluxe coupe that I had , I used 40 doors to get the vent windows. Just find 39 pieces and use them in your 40
     
    olscrounger likes this.
  10. 19Fordy
    Joined: May 17, 2003
    Posts: 8,025

    19Fordy
    Member

    Just trying to stick up for the fellow who designed the beautiful 40.

    Eugene “Bob” Gregorie
    The lines of all 1940 Fords were penned by master of design Eugene “Bob” Gregorie, and those lines were facelifts of his previous design that dated to 1938. For 1939, the Ford coupe body, a five-window design, was made smoother and actually 1 inch longer than 1938 from tail to cowl.May 31, 2016
     
    stillrunners and 302GMC like this.
  11. I have owned 2 sedans and 3 coupes, and one 39 convertible, I honestly thing omitting the vent window goes a long way to cleaning up the profile but that's just my opinion.

    The reason we hot rod cars and don't restore them. HRP
     
    verde742 likes this.
  12. Thanks. I am looking for info/assistance regarding window glass specifically and not on aesthetic opinions.

    From what I've researched, 39 regulators don't directly bolt into 40 doors, and the handles are in different locations, I think I read (don't have a 39 and 40 door to compare). The 40 doors and door panels would require modification. If 39 glass can be used with 40 regulators, there's no need for all the modification to run 39 regulators.
     
  13. 19Fordy
    Joined: May 17, 2003
    Posts: 8,025

    19Fordy
    Member

    HRP got it right.
    "The reason we hot rod cars and don't restore them. HRP".
     
  14. My 40 has a 39 door installed on the drivers side with all the 40 window parts in it and working so I THINK there's some interchangeability between them.

    I left mine stock when I rebuilt mine, but I know what you mean about the "lopsided geometry" on the '40 doors. To me it looks OK on a coupe or Tudor, but add in all the extra "business" on my Fordor sedan and it just isn't attractive.
     
    325w likes this.
  15. chargin03
    Joined: Jan 8, 2013
    Posts: 516

    chargin03
    Member

    theglasshouse1.com/products.htm has a kit for removing vent windows.
     
  16. No, they don't. The Glass House has been out of business for years. Maybe try their phone number and email before recommending them to people?

    WTF? I don't get it. The topic of this thread is whether 1939 Ford coupe/fordor front door glass will work with 1940 regulators in 1940 doors, not how to delete the vent windows, recommendations for out-of-business companies that once carried guide channel kits that don't even include glass to delete the vent windows, or whether deleting the vent windows is aesthetically superior to leaving them.
     
    badshifter likes this.
  17. badshifter
    Joined: Apr 28, 2006
    Posts: 3,535

    badshifter
    Member

    To answer you’re question, you can’t use 39 glass on a Vent window deleted 40 because the 39 glass is slightly narrower because of the smokers window. It wouldn’t quite fit by 1/2 - 3/4 of an inch. That’s how I remember it when I ordered glass for the same thing 10 or so years ago. Just make patterns. Easy with some wood paneling.
     
  18. Crocodile
    Joined: Jun 16, 2016
    Posts: 352

    Crocodile
    Member

    Not really worthy to the conversation, but I have both a 39 and a 40. I like the sleek look of the 39, but I would never even consider giving up my vent windows in the Forty. with them positioned right, the cowl vent open, and the windows down, Vintage Air is not relevant...
     
  19. I hunted down the almost-definitive answer. The notion that '39 glass is too narrow for a '40 door/regulator with deleted vent window seems to be inaccurate. This morning, I spoke to the owner of the glass shop I intend on using who claims they use '39 windows on '40s with deleted vent windows without issue. He pulled for me measurements off a new '39 window cut from the factory pattern, and I pulled corresponding measurements off both my left and right doors with and without felt installed.

    The widest part of the window opening is at the bottom, obviously. This point on the glass measures 27-1/4" wide. Pulling a measurement from the vertical sheet metal stop that the fuzzies mount to at the B-pillar side straight across horizontally to the A-pillar side of the window opening is 27-1/8" on both doors (with the window garnish moldings removed). Without the felt installed with the glass mounted back firm against the sheet metal stop, already the glass completely covers the window opening with 1/8" extending past the window opening at the A-pillar side.

    After installing the felt on the B-pillar side, minimum glass width described above shrinks to 26-7/8". With the felt installed, the glass will extend past the opening at the A-pillar side by 3/8," which is more than enough for sealing out wind. Throw in another 1/16" or 1/8" of gap between the glass and felt on the B-pillar side to allow for operating wiggle room and there will be 7/16" to 1/2" of glass extending past the window opening at the A pillar side. All these measurements don't take into account that the window garnish moldings will further shrink the window opening. There doesn't seem to be any other profile issues in glass angle on the A-pillar side up the opening toward the lid that would impact the glass fully covering the window opening and sealing out wind.

    I'm going to order '39 door glass, and I'll report back in this thread once i have it installed so there is a record of a definitive answer for anyone down the line. Maybe I'll run into an issue that makes the windows unusable in this modification, but the tape measure and an old-timer glass cutter says everything should work.
     
    The 39 guy, brEad, warbird1 and 2 others like this.
  20. patterg2003
    Joined: Sep 21, 2014
    Posts: 864

    patterg2003

    A thought is perhaps to make a hardboard template of the glass to set up the window tracks and to see how to get the glass in and out safely. It will show how the window will operate and find any interference. The board would take the abuse and be a good aid to installing the glass.

    This thread discusses the 1939 window with a different operation.
    https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/39-40-ford-coupe-vent-windows.428466/

    Another sort of discusses hardware
    https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/remove-vent-windows-from-1940-ford.716612/
     
    Last edited: Jul 14, 2020

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