AD Side Window Swap?

[53GMC]

hey everyone...

is it possible to take a door that had the vent window in it and make it into a single long window instead of a vented portion with it....i want just one big window if i can get it...anyone made this change? what all changes and problems would it involve?

thanks in advance for your help...

[53GMC]

and yeah i know i have that ratty seat in there haha just had to sit it in there to find a ride height i liked

[Steve@OldSub.com]

There are a lot of internal differences between the '51/'52 and later doors and the '50 and earlier doors that do not have the wing window. Simply swapping the pieces from an early door into a later is a lot of work and may not be very straightforward to accomplish.

So you have two other approaches, buy a kit, I've seen them advertised but don't recall by who, or do it yourself.

It is certainly possible.

[53GMC]

ok thank you a lot steve@oldsub.com.....my model is a 53 GMC....any idea what year model might have a single window that would fit mine? Thanks again!

[Steve@OldSub.com]

Sure, '47 to '50. In '51 they started using wing windows. You need the striker plate to go with the latch because that needs to be changed too. Once you paint the door there is no way I'm aware of to tell a Chevy door from a GMC.

[mr48chev]

The easiest way would indeed be to swap doors. If your doors are good you can probably sell them for about the same as you pay for the earlier doors. Also the inside window molding is different as the later ones have the recess in them for the wing window hardware.

This details what you would have to do to do the window swap http://www.customclassictrucks.com/t...ion/index.html

I think it would be a lot less expensive to buy a really nice pair of doors unless your doors were perfect and you just wanted to keep them.

[53GMC]

Thanks guys....


What are you referring to when you said striker plate oldsub? i dont have as good of a truck restoration vocab as others! haha

Mr48Chev - My doors arent perfect but the budget is tight so im probably going to end up keeping them and making myself some channels for the single windows....i read the article over and over and I believe I can make the channels myself. Im not putting in power windows or anything so I believe that would be all i would need to change..am i right in thinkin that?

but thank you both for your generous help!
53GMC

[Steve@OldSub.com]

Originally Posted by 53GMC

What are you referring to when you said striker plate oldsub?

The plate on the cab that the door latch strikes.

[FiftyTwo]

I changed my '52 doors from wing windows to 1 piece glass. Lots of work to do it right, much eaiser just to buy different doors.

With that said, I cut the brace out and reshaped the flange area. Then I used another stock glass channel (from the latch side) and installed it on the hinge side of the door along with a L-bracket. The window regulators are completely different along with some of the brackets inside the door, so adding power windows is a smart choice. I also modified the inside window garnish mouldings so they would look correct and the window felt channels are also different. As you can see, I cut an access panel in my doors to get to everything which really helped.

[53GMC]

That is some top notch work Fiftytwo....Looks beautiful....i dont believe i will be able to go with power windows at the moment to make it all easier....and after looking at your "how to" i think my options may have to be with new doors or back to the old vents....if i did go with doors, what would be a fair price for two?

[1sik52]

I swapped everything from a 48 to my 52 doors and let me tell you, it was a pain in the a$$! Definitely go find yourself a good set of earlier doors.

[53GMC]

yeah....my first thought was "it won't be too much of a problem"...im glad you guys are here to bring reality back to us sometimes though!! hahaha thanks everyone for yalls help