Side window adjustment question

[David Aronson]

My notchback side window adjustment is giving me problems. One side (drivers) adjusted nicely with constant reveal when closed and good contact with body/window seal. On the right side (passenger), the window is down towards the rear. I have adjusted the regulator assembly, the two bolts and alignment of the wind wing portion. I have no idea what next to do. Anyone know of an alignment method.

Drivers side with even coverage and contact.

20191115_131309.jpg (293.01 KiB) Viewed 1040 times

[Martin Benade]

Is it possible something is bent? Or wrong glass? It looks a bit like the top and the glass do not match.
If it’s actually ok and only an adjustment problem you might need to file the regulator mounting holes in the door. This would correct for a slightly bent regulator arm.

[Norm Miller]

OR; someplace there is a bolt that is too long and restricting the arm from fully reaching the top of its range.

norm

[Glen Getchell]

I had this same damn problem with my Roadster after I pulled it apart for a re-paint. Sorry to say the fix for my Roadster will not work on your car.

My first question would be has this window ever been properly aligned? If yes and the car is not folding in half from Rust, then I would say that you just have to keep screwing with it till it fits. I believe in a 356 rule I call the "Holy Hand Grenade Rule". This rule is what separates the 356 from the VW. The rule is named after the scene in Montey Python and Holey Grail scene where "they shall throw they Holy Hand Grenade after counting to 4, not 3, not 5. When Porsche says to adjust something to 15mm, they mean 15mm! Not 14mm and not 16mm. So my point being close with these cars is never right. And just the smallest adjustments can make massive differences.

Now with that said, if the window never fit, it may never fit. It might not be the original door. In which case you will have to find the best compromise of the window fitting the front vs. the rear seal (some Dumb Dumb behind the seals can push the seals out a little giving you less of a gap to adjust for). Some of this may involve actual door adjustment and not just the regulator.

Good Luck
Glen
64Cx2

[Jeff Mauerman]

It appears to me that the door window glass is not completely seated in the u-channel holding the glass to the regulator. If the glass is not evenly installed in the u-channel, one side can end up higher than the other. Double check the u-channel, it is not always easy to get the glass completely seated at both ends.

[Martin Benade]

Good point!

[David Aronson]

That was confirmed at the first of this dilemma. I used Atv and the channel is equal depth along entire length. Your idea is the most logical for sure. Thanks.

[Richard Colella]

Is it possible the window is off in the uchannel fore/aft?

[David Aronson]

My plan today. Unbolt and free the window regulator assembly, keeping window bottom channel engaged. loosed wind wing bolts. Tape window in ideal closed position. If need be, re drill mounting holes for regulator if system is in a non-binding posi tion. Bolt all together and see. If this is not a solution, I will drive the car with the window down until I die. SIMPLE! Thank you all for your helpful input. What a fun way to spend time! Almost running out of projects on this restoration. Looking for an A still.
1. removed all window regulator bolts.
2. loosen wind wing and window channel attachments.
3. Bring window to ideal position considering wind wing, overall level and height. Fix in this position with tape, wedges
4. Use hole duplicating tool to position drill at exact position of new regulator position bolt holes. Drill
5. Remove burs, trial fit, reassemble. Adjust a bit or height.
6. DONE.
This method did repair/solve the window position problem. I have no idea why this door and window regulator did not allow for correct window positioning within the normal
adjustment limits. The other door has a replacement door window, same manufacturer. No problem there. This is one of the wonderful things about working on old hand built cars.
When it is time to put them back together, after repairing, part replacements, new finishes and the wear that occurred prior to the restoration, you are probably going to have to "hand build" them some to get them right. Thanks for all your help.

[Norm Miller]

I suppose you adjusted the limiting tabs at the pivot point.
They control how far up and down the glass travels
Norm

[Brad Ripley]

I think Norm is referring to the adjusting screws noted in this photo (different for Coupe window regulators)

[David Aronson]

Yes, that is the last thing adjusted to get it just right. It looks to me that there may be a part missing on the picture from brad or it is an earlier model. Look closely at my picture below.. Small winged plate under the set screws. They allow a blade to wedge in for adjustment as well as offering a common plate for both adjusters to rest on. It may just be a modification of the part as model design changes were made. Just a note. Thanks again for all the help with this.

[Brad Ripley]

I took my photo at random off ebay. As it turns out it's the only Cabrio window regulator that has a flat plate! All the many photos of those wind reg's have that plate with up-turned flanges as in David's photo --- But the two photos in the workshop manual -- page B18 show a plate without the flanges so I have to guess that was an early version as David suggests. The screwdriver adjusting feature is a great point. I have not seen a date code on these Cabrio versions but I have seen date codes on Coupe versions. Well, that's all the trivia for today!

[Harlan Halsey]

David,
I've been dealing with the widow position issue recently on my T1 A Coupe. The window position is set by the front and rear window channels, not the lift. The lift mechanism only moves the window straight up and down. The lift has a tilt adjustment to allow it to do that. So I first run the widow up and down by hand to get the tracks right: parallel, no bind. Only then do I deal with the regulator, and then only to see that it moves the window without binding.

I've no experience with a roadster/notchback but I have a very early Convertible D, 18th one made. If you assemble the driver's door lift in that car using the obvious factory bolt holes, the lift binds. Then you notice three rather ragged holes about an inch away from the factory holes. Use those and the lift works as it should. I have always figured that that was a factory mistake which was corrected on later cars.

In you're case, I suspect that it is the realignment of the window tracks which put the window in the right place, not the re adjustment of the regulator. Anyway it is good that you are satisfied now.

[David Aronson]

The notchback is a cabriolet body. The door has no rear window track in the rear except to guide the window down into the door. A completely different animal than the coupe.
Since, once the window is up, there is no track to influence the "tilt" or height of the window. The regulator and the associated U-channel that holds the glass are the only other components on the cab. Anyway, I appreciate everything that has been discussed concerning this window adjustment and hope that the dialogue helps others in the future.
Still looking for an A project..........This one is about ready to drive!