Quarter Windows

How hard is it to replace the quarter window seals. Mine are worn and cracking. Seems to me that they will come out easy enough. But I wonder about getting them back in. Is this something I can do or is better left to a glass guy. By the way it is a 911sc.

It's a rather large pain in the butt. The toughest part is getting the trim back into the seal. Took me about 3 hours in front of Saturday afternoon TV to finally wedge it in there. I asked others too - no real suggestions on making it easier. Install back into the car is not that bad. Use the pull-the cord trick. I'll post the tech info if you need it...

-Wayne

That would be great if you could. Thanks

Wayne, please post. I have the swing-out windows, and a new set of seals. But I took one look at the project and decided to put it off for another day.

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Jack Olsen
1973 911 T (3.6) sunroof coupe
jackolsen@mediaone.net

I to am in need of replacing my rear quarter window seals on my 78 SC. Only problem is the method of window removal has not yet presented itself. I have the factory manual, but it appears that it only covers the early models, in that the pictures they show and bolts they say to remove do not exist on my car. The only thing I can see that even remotely looks like a fastener along the doorjamb is a small button head with a center recess down near the bottom corer of the window. Looks kinda like an allen head, but its not.
I really don't want to break anything getting it off, something I've been trying to work at since getting this car.

Could someone please outline a very short and sweet removal procedure?

1) Remove chrome trim? Just carefully pry it up?
2) Will step 1 uncover some hidden screws that need to be removed in step 2?

Thanks for any help guys.

CB
78 SC with wet rear footwell.

I to am in need of replacing my rear quarter window seals on my 78 SC. Only problem is the method of window removal has not yet presented itself. I have the factory manual, but it appears that it only covers the early models, in that the pictures they show and bolts they say to remove do not exist on my car. The only thing I can see that even remotely looks like a fastener along the doorjamb is a small button head with a center recess down near the bottom corer of the window. Looks kinda like an allen head, but its not.
I really don't want to break anything getting it off, something I've been trying to work at since getting this car.

Could someone please outline a very short and sweet removal procedure?

1) Remove chrome trim? Just carefully pry it up?
2) Will step 1 uncover some hidden screws that need to be removed in step 2?

Thanks for any help guys.

CB
78 SC with wet rear footwell.

I to am in need of replacing my rear quarter window seals on my 78 SC. Only problem is the method of window removal has not yet presented itself. I have the factory manual, but it appears that it only covers the early models, in that the pictures they show and bolts they say to remove do not exist on my car. The only thing I can see that even remotely looks like a fastener along the doorjamb is a small button head with a center recess down near the bottom corer of the window. Looks kinda like an allen head, but its not.
I really don't want to break anything getting it off, something I've been trying to work at since getting this car.

Could someone please outline a very short and sweet removal procedure?

1) Remove chrome trim? Just carefully pry it up?
2) Will step 1 uncover some hidden screws that need to be removed in step 2?

Thanks for any help guys.

CB
78 SC with wet rear footwell.

Short and sweet, for an SC or later coupe with fixed quarter windows:

1. Go inside the car. Pry up the rubber from underneath, until you get it over the "ridge" on the chassis that holds it in place. You can use a large bladed screwdriver if you are careful. Once you get one spot started, it is easy.

2. Once you get it pried up and over about half way around the window, you can pull the whole assembly (window, seal and trim piece) off of the car. You can then remove the trim and the rubber seal. (don't try to remove the metal trim while the window is in the car, you will likely bend it).

3. Installation is reverse. Put the rubber around the window. Insert the metal trim. Place a nylon rope in the groove of the rubber, and put the window in place. As you pull the rope out from inside the car, the rope pulls the rubber trim over the ridge and puts the window in place (there is a decent pictoral demonstration of the rope technique in Haynes.)

That's it. I've found it to be pretty simple.

[This message has been edited by Jim T (edited 05-23-2001).]

OK, for those of you with the movable quarter windows, here's the procedure (I did it last Sunday so its still fresh in my mind):

Parts:

New rubber seals (duh!)

Tools:

- Selection of cross-headed and straight screw-drivers
- 7mm open ended wrench
- 5mm hex key (long) and/or 5mm hex key socket + extension.
- Flashlight (small).
- General purpose grease.

Optional:

Underseal or rust-proofing paint.
Vinal cleaner
Chrome polish

Procedure:

1) Remove door trim. This is a pain, but shouldn't present you with too many problems. Just watch out for where previous owners have screwed up the retractable door bins, installed speakers, and generally bodged up your door.

2) Remove the polythene sheeting that makes the door draft-proof.

3) Open the vent window and use a flat blade screwdriver to lever out the old rubber seal. It'll probably break into two or three parts as you do this, since it will be old and brittle.

4) Look at the rear of the top window hinge. Its secured by a tiny stud and 7mm nut, from INSIDE the window frame. Yup, the factory elves have been hard at work again. Provided you have a 7mm wrnch its pretty easy to remove the nut, its putting it back on again that will cause you grief.

5) Look through the two circular holes in the inside of the door just below the quarter window latch. You'll see there's a plate that holds the bottom of the window in place, forming a hinge. To remove this plate, remove the hex-headed bolt with your 5mm hex key or socket. This is another case of where removal is quite easy, its putting it back on that's the trouble. Be a little careful as you remove the bolt, as theoretically your querter window is now free. In reality its so cramped in there that the chances of it falling are slim.

The hinge plate will fall into the bottom of the door if you aren't careful. If you can't see it the F***KING thing will be trapped in the window winding mechanism. Use a hook/screwdriver/whatever to retrieve it. Its a plate about 4 cm by 3cm so you should be able to see it/feel it.

6) Remove the quarter window upwards. Its hinge pin is part of the frame. Pause to clean up the window and admire the fantastic quality of the chrome plate. Clean and lube the window latch, finally scrape off all those annoying stickers etc etc.

7) Press the BOTTTOM of the new rubber seal into the window frame. Don't do more than an inch or two of the sides. If you are doing both windows, check you have the correct right/left side seal. Use a big screw-driver to push the rubber into the window frame grove. Do one side for a cm or two, then the other. Take your time, its a tight fit, but the seals are well made, fit accurately, and it's easy enough to do.

8) Push the window and its hinge pin back into the door through the hole in the bottom of the seal rubber seal.

9) Apply grease to the hinge plate. Now comes a bad part. Take the hinge plate, hook the square cut-out to the lug, hold in position against the hinge pin, and insert the hex bolt! Having midget hands (3 in number) is a great advantage here. It helps to use tape to position the window in the right orientation. It may also help to get someone to insert and turn the bolt while you hold the hinge plate in position. If your flashlight is small enough, position it in the bottom of the door and point it upwards so you can see what's going on. Don't fully tighten the hinge plate at this stage, but make damn sure its tight enough so it won't come off!

10) Now comes the other bad part - you've got to use your midget fingers to install that damn 7mm nut (and spacer) onto the stud that secures the top hinge. I used tape on the end of the 7mm wrench to hold the nut on the wrench, then VERY carefully got it onto the stud 1/2 a turn. If you drop it (you will) it may get lost - please take precautions. Otherwise you'll be stuck for the want of 10 cent component. Once you have it on (even just on) the stud, you're almost home. Very carefully turn it another turn, then you're home free (almost) - tighten it up fully.

11) Arrange the rubber seal around the window frame correctly. It should be fine at the bottom - now work your way up, pressing it into the grove all the way around.

12) Tighten the 5mm hex bolt (bottom hinge). Complete the seal installation.

13) Loosen or tighten the 5mm hex bolt to set the amount of force needed to open/close the window.

14) Take a break, now that you have the door trim off, lube up the window regulator, door handle, lock mechanism, and possibly paint or rust prooof the bottom of the doors. Check the three drain slots are clear of debris.

15) Put your door trim back on, use the vinal cleaner as necessary.

16) Congratulate yourself on completing a job that you won't have to do again for another 25 years or more!

- roGER

Sorry guys,

Are we talking about the swing-out style front or rear quarter windows?

Mine aren't sealing properly (old seals) and I was keen to see some info on all this.

Mine are tolerable, but I'd like to bring them upto the standard of the rest of the car.

AC

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Adam Chaplin - 1976 911S Coupe

I am talking about the fixed rear quarter window on the coupes. The ones that a passenger would look out of if he were sitting in the "back seats"

Ok, cool, thanks Jim T.

Ok, got one side out. There was some rubbery kind of caulking in places, especially underneath the bottom trim piece that is screwed to the quarter. Any idea what this stuff is, and where I can get some? The front edge of the quarter window seal was pretty well tucked under the rear edge of the door seal. Has it been everyone's experience that it can be replaced without having to disturb the door seal?
The mystery fastener was some kind of plastic rivet, of course it broke coming out.

Thanks for the great info so far!

CB
78 SC

[This message has been edited by Chris Bunker (edited 05-23-2001).]

Just had a new one installed last weekend. The glass guy used a piece of nylon parachute cord in the trim groove to get the trim back in place. You have to follow the cord with firm pressure to get the trim to seat flush with the molding. And yes you do have to detach part of the door seal to get the front edge of the molding to seat properly. Make sure that the front edge of the seal is fully seated in the vertical channel at the front edge of the window frame before you do the "rope pull"!!!! Good luck. Cost me 60 bucks but was a bit daunted to do it myself!

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Howie
79SC

[Cliff Beer]

Reviving an old threat here (yup, used the Search function!).

I'm replacing the seals around the quarter windows in my 1976 911 coupe. These are the fixed quarter windows.

I have new OEM seals and they look like they're good quality and the right thing. I'm using the soap/string technique. My question is, do you start at the rear of the window or the front of the window? In other words, is there a preferred starting point? Perhaps at the front of the window, first slip the seal both over the lip and into the channel grove? Or, start at the rear of the window (towards the rear of the car) and slip the lip over the grove and work forward pulling the string?

Any help is much appreciated!

[jmh61]

I started at the front of the window to get the channel squared away and then worked down across the bottom. Finished by working back to the front across the top. Having someone holding the glass in place from the outside is a must. Have them push forward to keep the front of the seal engaged with the B pillar.

I thought getting the trim in the seal was harder than actually installing the window.

[Cliff Beer]

Thank you John, much appreciated. As you suggested, I started at the front, got the rubber lip and channel seals squared away then worked towards the rear by keeping pressure on the outside of the window and working the lip over the edge with the soapy string process. Wasn't easy, but gradually she settled into place with the seal in the right position and everything looking good.

Yeah, you're right, the outside trim pieces are a bugger to get seated in there properly!

Thanks again.

[Thrlls]

Mahalo roGERK!

This is just what I was looking for...some pix would be nice, but I think I can figure it out. I'm installing these window frames in my '84 and figured I might as well change out all the seals while I'm doing it.