55.2-59 Brand new vent windows don't fit

[roger55]

Bought these a couple of months ago and just getting around to installing them now. Well crap, they don't fit.

Take a look. Here's the driver side:



I put a couple of arrows on there to help explain. At the top back of glass edge (arrow on the left), It's in the place it needs to be. Looks great there. Now look at the edge of the glass at the bottom (right arrow). The glass is too short! No seal there and air will come through. This is absolutely non-adjustable as the position of the glass and frame is fixed at the position it is by the pivot rod. Maybe it could be adjusted by re-setting the glass in the frame but then the glass would extend beyond the frame. It would work but wouldn't be right. I bought these pre-set because I hate setting bare glass. Not going to try that.

Going to the passenger side, it's even worse. Nothing can be done as the frame isn't big enough.

First, you can see it has exactly the same problem as the driver side. Glass edge is good at the top but even worse at the bottom. (With this photo it's off at the left arrow.)



This one has another problem the driver side doesn't have and shows why the frame isn't made right at all:



All along the leading edge, there's no seal because the frame doesn't reach the rubber all the way.

This is pathetic. I will call Classic Industries Monday morning and see if they will stand behind these. I bought them at the end of June. I've dealt with them on bad stuff before but right away and not after a period of time.

Now I'm worried about the windows too. I bought them at the same time. I hope they are OK.

Anybody else have ever had issues with these. Where do you buy well made ones????

[Dan in Pasadena]

Sorry to hear this Roger.

My truck is in paint and I'd considered buying the chrome framed windows and vent windows but decided, "...what if there's a problem and I'm not assembling the truck for another year?" Your issue couldn't be any more timely for me. Hopefully they'll do right by you.

[Jurassic-1]

That sucks. I installed a set for a friend and the lower bracket was on the wrong side if the frame. The screw holes in the upper frame were not even close. After messing with them we finally got them in. I still like to rebuild original parts. Good Luck !

[roger55]

Originally Posted by Jurassic-1

...I still like to rebuild original parts. Good Luck !

I thought that's what I was doing.
I didn't know I'd needed to save my my old glass frames. They weren't the chrome ones and I wanted to change to chrome as well as have new glass.

I chunked the old ones. Now I wished I had saved them, had them chromed and new glass cut and installed at the local glass shop.

[tmoble]

Roger, when I did mine I got a set off a trashed truck, had the frames chromed alng with the division bar trim.

I still have the originals, yours for the asking. Not chrome, genuine GM original black.

be aware, the outer part of the windwing frame is riveted to the division bar. Rivets are small, I'm planning to use #4-40 button head Allen bolts with self-locking nuts. This joint has to be undone to get the wing window out without damaging the frame.

[roger55]

Originally Posted by tmoble

Roger, when I did mine I got a set off a trashed truck, had the frames chromed alng with the division bar trim.
I still have the originals, yours for the asking. Not chrome, genuine GM original black.
be aware, the outer part of the windwing frame is riveted to the division bar. Rivets are small, I'm planning to use #4-40 button head Allen bolts with self-locking nuts. This joint has to be undone to get the wing window out without damaging the frame.

Thanks Tom! Appreciate the offer and at this point I will keep that as a backup plan.

To clarify, these are my original assemblies with the division bar and the riveted on outer glass frame. As you can see, (I painted the division bar trim with the green paint of the truck.)

The only thing I ordered was the glass with the chrome frame that the glass is set into. The only thing I threw out were the black frames and the glass. Dumb me, as I never considered that replacements would have a problem fitting my original assemblies. And yes, I ordered the special original type rivets and a the setting tool for them. Works well and the only way to go.

I know that Auto City Classic has the best reputation for the old cars and it probably should have been my choice for the truck too. But Classic Industries was having a good sale and I needed other stuff too so I added the vent windows to that order.

I'm reluctant to try another pair of the ones from Classic Industries if they offer to replace them unless they've changed manufacturers.

I just looked at the Auto City Classics web site and they do have these for the trucks. Here's their photo:



I don't believe the Classic Industries ones were from the same manufacturer as these Auto City Classics show. Mine did not come with the protective plastic on the glass that this photo shows.

On Monday, I think I will call Auto City Classics and explain to them about my issue and see if they can be assuring that I wouldn't have any fitment issues with their glass.
If I get that, I think I will just order a set from them. (They should be better, they are about twice the price I paid for the Classic Industries set.)

Then I'll see if Classic Industries will give me a refund or even store credit. They may not do either since I bought them almost 3 months ago.

These kinds of issues are frustrating when getting to the last details at the end of a long project. They will hold me up. Nothing else to do on the project during the wait to get the parts. Non usually an issue in the middle of a project.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Hmmm, coming back to this thread I hadn't considered having the original frames chromed and redone with new glass.

If anyone has done this and has photos of the reassembly process I think we'd all love to see them. Ironically, when I was still planning to drive my truck while I redid it I bought new wing window glass and the rivet kit...so I suppose I MAY be the one to do this and document it!

EDIT: Roger, our posts just crossed. I'd never heard of "Auto City Classics". I'm going to go search for em now!

[Stepside Jim]

Roger, I know you're issues with the window frames. My old ones were chrome and in pretty decent shape, regardless, I ordered the new ones from Classic Parts. Once I compared the new ones to the old ones I decided not to fight the fit of the new ones.

I could see the slight differences that you show in your pictures and tossed them aside. I was able to polish the originals and all is well. I'm out the cost of the new frames, I usually figure it's better to be out some cash than be disappointed with the way the windows fit and seal.

I did purchase a new wing glass and a main door glass from LMC and both of those fit well for me.

Dan, on page 26 and 27 of my build thread I posted some pics of the wing window and the installation of the door glass. It might not be well defined but will perhaps give you and idea of what you'll be getting into later in your build.

[roger55]

Tom,

Your private message area is full and not excepting any more.

Maybe this is why I seem to be confused at what you said.
This is what I am describing as the inner and outer window frames:

[roger55]

Jim,
Thanks for the info that I'm not the only one with this issue.
I hope Auto City Classic will have better fitting ones.

Dan,
Here's the link to Auto City:
http://www.autocityclassic.com/index.php?p=home

I'll be calling them in the AM. I'll report back with what they say.

[OrrieG]

Feeling better about converting to one piece windows... I kept my vents "just in case" but so far everything has fit and worked well.

[roger55]

Looking more at that photo of the wing vent from Auto City Classic, I think it's a reflection in glass and not protective plastic. So, I can't tell at all from the photo if theirs are different than the ones I got from Classic Industries. I'll just have to see what they say.

[roger55]

First call this morning was to Auto City Classics. I asked for the person most knowledgeable about Chevy truck glass but the first person asked for details about my issue. Said the glass I have which I got from Classic Industries may have come from them and then transferred me to Andy who would know more.

From the DOT number on the glass it indicated that Yuang Chang Glass company out of Taiwan was the manufacturer. He said that is one they very rarely use so it was unlikely my vent windows came through them but not impossible. He suggested I call Classic Industries and quiz them on it.

I also asked him if he was confident that if I bought a new set from him that they would fit correctly. He wouldn't commit strongly but said he hadn't heard of a single issue. He did add that he suspected there were up to a handful of different manufacturers for these.

My next call was to the tech support department at Classic Industries. Got a guy named Rick who was super helpful. He confirmed that they indeed did not come from Auto City Classic and that they came from Yuang Chang as an assembled unit. He also said he couldn't get me replacements from a different supplier so they would be the same and he agreed that wouldn't be worth trying.
So he told me to send them back for a refund. Normally there would be a restocking fee but he gave waived that and gave me an RMA number.
Very, very cool for him to do and super nice. They care about their customers.

I called Auto City Classics back and ordered a set. They add a small discount if you buy a pair. $150 plus shipping.

[roger55]

Just got a call from Classic Industries customer service. They saw my post here and wanted to follow up and ask if there was anything else they could do to help me with the situation.

Wow! Very impressive!

I explained that there wasn't anything else and that Rick in tech support totally took care of everything that they could do.

They did say they want to inspect the parts I send back and take precise measurements and compare them to the rest of their stock using my photos as a guide. They want to correct the issue if it's a case of more than one bad batch.

Sure is nice to see a company that cares not only about customers but about carrying good parts as well.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Well it's good to hear they're trying to take some action so this doesn't continue to happen. I'll be interested to read if they ultimately get their manufacturer straightened out is that if I order them later they'll fit!

[roger55]

Got the Auto City Classic vent windows delivered today.

They fit even worse! Way, way, way worse. The chrome isn't very good either. I just called them and they said they would check them in an original assembly and see if they had a better set for me. I said no, I'd just like to get a refund. He agreed to do that. He first said they don't pay for return shipping but after I told him this was already my second go around and I talked to Andy (their supposed expert), he agreed to put a Fed Ex call on it and have them pick it up. So at best, I'll still be out the $20 shipping and handling I paid to get them here.

So, I've decided to take Tom up on his offer for his old original black frame windows. I will take the glass out, blast and paint them the green truck color and take the frames to my local glass shop to have new glass made for them. I'll take the old glass and the assemblies too so they can cut the glass perfect.

Here's a photo of Auto City Classic's windows in my assemblies. Horrible. The glass is short top to bottom on the passenger side and one corner of the glass frame is actually touching the outer frame of the assembly.



On the driver side, the bottom edge is way short. Nearly 1/2" at the very bottom. Glass frame is way off at the outer frames too.

[bowt1ed]

Guys, I know I am resurrecting an old post/discussion, but I looking at ordering new glass for my 57 and did the search thing.

I will need to replace the entire window and vent window assembly and wondering if anyone has gotten a good fitting product lately?

Thanks, Jim

[2Jhead]

Resurrecting again

I also need to replace the complete vent window assemblies on my truck. Is there a good product out there?

JT

[roger55]

Don't waste your time with repros and get a set of used originals and either paint them or have them chromed.
Member tmoble had an original set of inner frames laying around and gave me them at no cost.
I painted them black and then had new glass custom made and installed into the frames by a local glass shop.



Compare this photo to the ones I posted before. This is how they are supposed to fit.

[roger55]

I blasted the used frames then sprayed 2 coats of SPI epoxy primer reduced 25% (long flash times) and then 2 coats of SPI Universal Clear.

[roger55]

Installed:

[bowt1ed]

Thanks Roger!

[Russell Ashley]

I love chrome but even black looks beautiful on that truck.

[roger55]

Originally Posted by Russell Ashley

I love chrome but even black looks beautiful on that truck.

Thanks.
When I first made the decision to go black on the vent window frames, I wondered if it would look odd since I have chrome roll up windows. But it doesn't look odd at all.
Glad I decided to paint the divider trim with the truck color too. I've very happy with the way it all looks together.

[Daze57]

Again another huge pet peeve of mine -- we as truck builders professional or novice -we end up buying parts that we need ---hoping it all fits ----well guess what -- they dont !!!!!!!!!!!! so here we are -- spending good $$$$$$$ on repo parts --- i understand alot of this is made overseas ---not all but alot --- i dont know where quality control comes to play here ....i have been thru this before many times myself and having to either fight my way to get it to fit or try to deal with part houses for refund or parts that work is just v v frustrating .
i have read many threads on this from different people stating the same thing --- good money for inferior parts --------very sad
just my opinion is all