Lift-out side windows on Sterling figured out

[21car]

Hey Gang-
So after a lot of research and trial and error, I have got lift-off slide hinges to work with my factory side glass. Better yet only two additional holes drilled in my top.(per side)

Lift-off hinges bolt to body, one through factory hole the other below it. I counter sunk the screws so weather strip will hide them. The hinges come left and right sided. The trick for the off- set of body with the glass was to use the male left with the female right. I drilled out the mounts and was able to use the original window nuts with a stainless allen bolt in the back. With very little adjustment the glass now slides in and out with ease.

 

[letterman7]

That is exactly how the Cimbria windows are hinged. Nice to see the idea came around! Where did you find your hinges, or did you make those?

 

[21car]

Yes! This is a great idea. That other post really sold me. Pretty easy once I figured out how to make it work. It's a low cost add that really makes a difference. I'm going to make a tray to hold store the glass, maybe behind the seats or trunk.

Hinges were bought from McMaster-Carr supply, they are 3 bucks per. Part numbers 15195A47 and 15195A48

These come without mounting holes so you can drill your own.

Mount the side on the car, put your glass up and mark the hinge and then you are ready to go! Tip: make the glass side hole a little larger than the bolt. Once the glass is hung you can make slight adjustments so the glass aligns perfectly for opening.

Now if I could only find some good latches!!!

 

[Brett Proctor]

Hi Bob

I have a question for you

I've been looking at your hinge setup (looks good) and I was wonder if after weather strip is added can the windows still open or am I missing something. With the weather stripping that came in my car I don't think I can do that and still have them open.

For the latch set up, CIP1 has some that might work. They might not look to stylish for you though, or if all else fails just make some.

Thanks
Brett

 

[21car]

Hey Brett-
My car has no weather strip yet...but.... To fit the window in place I did install temporary rubber to make sure it would fit. I used the 1/2 inch wide, rubber, half round, adhesive backed, style.
With the window "latched down" (simulated) It made a nice clean seal. Without weather strip, I have an 1/8 inch space between the glass and the body. If you mounted the fiberglass side of the hinge on the outside of the A pillar (instead of inside the car) you would gain an additional 1/4inch to play with.

 

[brandon mitchel]

Hey guys. Do you know where I can find a good replacement sterling parts for my car? I kinda need the passenger side mirror. If you have one its gladly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[letterman7]

I'll split this thread out if needed for the diversion in topic; Brandon, mirrors were a personal choice for the builder. There wasn't any "stock" mirror specified. You'll have to try to match what you have or purchase a new set from any number of vendors. Do a forum search here - there are several threads dealing with different mirror structures and placements. Your "sterling parts" link is for the wrong car. You won't find anything on those on-line shopping malls for kit cars.

 

[mud4fun]

Has anyone else tried this conversion yet??
I had the same concern about the window opening up far enough, but like you said mounting them on the out side of the body may give enough clearance to "open up" wide enough. Have you had any problems leaving them open while driving? Excessive rattle or the possibility of loosing a window?
This looks great. Thanks for the research info.

How did you unhook the window latch??
Possibly a pull pin in a hinge point of the latch?

 

[killnjuggalo]

mud4fun. although i have yet to do this with my sebring, my bradley gt has basically the same thing to take the gullwing doors off the body on warmer days. the hinges are placed on the top of the t-bar, and there is a latch at the bottom to keep the door closed. I always locked the latch when the car was in motion because one little bump and there goes a door that you cant replace. for the sebring i think im going to build off of the idea posted in this thread but upgrade it a bit. try to fab a quick release locking system on the hinges. If i cant figure it out, it will be as simple as if the windows are in the car they are locked down. if not, no worries. the last thing you want to do is loose something thats gonna be hard to replace. for my bradley it was as simple as a small pin on the shaft that the door slides into. when i wanted to take the door off, i pull the pin and the door slides off. im thinking the same way would go for the windows. fab the shaft a bit longer and put a small pin in it. may not be stylish but dont look horrible either. *idea didn't work*

 

[mud4fun]

I checked out my windows this weekend and noticed that the hinged end of the glass only has to move about 1/8" to get a 4" opened window. My hinged end just rolled over the seal keeping a good seal through the travel. I can see that this converaion would work very well. Now for a good latch search.

 

[21car]

I don't have latches yet for my car, but a pull pin for it will be needed.

I have driven around with the glass in and no latches, there is no way for a window to pop off the hinge. The angle and the recess make it nigh-impossible.

My vents open about three inches+. I think with some tinkering and adjustment you could get more, it is all about where the hinge bolts to the glass. You can adjust it a lot since it's a small bolt in the half inch circle in the glass.

The great thing, I think is, these hinges are cheap and easy to get. I got two sets to experiment with to make them fit just right. Might use them for the rear louvers too.

Let me know if I can take more pics, to help.

 

[killnjuggalo]

if you take a look at my pics in my builders journal, my windows on the sebring II is not flush to the fiberglass as sterlings i believe. the indentation of the window hole in the canapy is only for the weatherstrip, which makes it much easier for the window to fly off while driving down the road, theres not that little bit of a lip to catch the one end. i do agree with sterlings you could probably get away with no safety on the lift off hinge but id rather be safe than sorry. i was also thinking for a cleaner look you could also go with an e clip

UPDATE: I went out and bought the same clips from mcmaster carr, and the side windows are way different. Im in the process of making them work. i think im on to something building onto you idea specifically for the Sebring II. mounting the windows to the hinges and the hinges to the car is the easy thing, its the leaking problem that might become as a result of there its going to be mounted. just going to have to wait and see. Ill make another thread for the sebring as soon as i have a method down.

 

[vpogv]

I know this is an old thread but any luck with latches yet for the side windows?

 

[letterman7]

For my first car I had bought one of those 'his-n-hers' sunroof setups for older vans. The entire sunroof system was made by CR Lawrence. I scavaged all the hinges and latches because they were meant to both tilt out and remove. And.. they worked. Sort of. I had to really pull the glass at an odd angle to have it pop out of the retaining latch, but the windows were removable. You can find some of the parts here: RH120 - CRL 17 x 17 Sunroof Hinge and Latch Kit
but you'll still need the part that the glass clips on, which is part of the frame.

 

[CyCo]

I spied a potential window latch a few years ago. I didn't need any but kept them in mind if I need replacements in the future.

Toyota Hilux Extra Cab.

And as I went looking for photos of the latch, I find that the Toyota Tacoma Tundra Extra Cab has them as well (we don't have those models here in Oz, I think they're USDM).

The ones I spotted on the Hilux here were 'one piece' and couldn't be separated like in the above photo.

 

[vpogv]

After I posted I went out in the garage and actually found the ones that came with the car. I'll post up pictures and measurements to help those looking for replacements. *thumbs up*

 

[Peter]

Is there room inside the handle for the roll pin to be replaced by a pull pin?

 

[vpogv]

Is there room inside the handle for the roll pin to be replaced by a pull pin?

The existing ones would be easy enough to drill out and replace. Not sure on diameter of the pin though off hand though.

 

[Peter]

The existing ones would be easy enough to drill out and replace. Not sure on diameter of the pin though off hand though.

I don't think you could drill out a roll pin, they are bloody tough! If the hinge was drilled out (after the roll pin is punched out) it would be to the size of the pull pin. I was just wondering if, when closed, the end of the pin is still visible so a pull pin's ring would be accessible and the handle able to close fully or if the handle would be covering it/stopped from closing and if so would it be possible to trim a bit from the underside of the handle to accommodate the pull pin?

On the same but slightly different angle, I am looking for rubber glass grommets to fit 4mm thick glass with 6mm and 8mm bolt holes, (these would also be good in fiber glass).

 

[letterman7]

I thought I had a source for those, Peter. SFC sunroof (CR Laurence Co) used to carry individual parts, now they just have packages with pieces you wouldn't need. I have gotten away with trimming a piece of rubber hose the right diameter and relieving the inside diameter with a drill, then using a rubber washer under the bolt head itself. Fiddly, but it works.