VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1929-1932 32 Coupe cracked window, door

What are the steps to remove the door interior to repair/replace the regulator and window? Thank you, Carlyle

I don't know about removing the regulator, etc, but to get the door handles off, there is a special tool. I use a flashlight and a hacksaw blade to push the clips off. Make sure that you have some replacement clips since they do have a tendency to get lost.

The door card is nailed to the wood in the door, so you have to be really careful and deliberate to get the door card free.

When you put the door handles back on, you can put the clips on them before installation. Put them on the spline and smack them with a rubber mallet. Doesn't take a huge hit, but more that I was able to do with just a hand.

if anything like the 29 and many of these wood cars, once you carefully remove the door panel, noting the clips on the handles
clip

remove any screws that may be holding panel on, then use a trim tool or small wonder bar to pull the panel, carefully. and slowly

underneath the regulator assembly and door latch is usually screwed in to the wood.
here is a picture with no regulator/latch installed, you can see where it goes and the small piece of support wood in the bottom.this is the front door.

empty door

regulator & latch board

In many Fisher Body cars if you remove the door window moldings, fasteners for the window channel and maybe the wheeled supports the window channel can be pulled inward as the window is raised. When the glass lower support is above the bottom of the opening the glass and lower support can be removed from the arm(s). I can't recall ever needing to remove the door card.

As chipper mentioned, remove the garnish mouldings around the window and roll the window down. The felt/rubber side channels usually have a nail or screw about 2” down from the top holding the channel to the wood. Once that fastener is pulled or unscrewed, pull the channels in just beyond the top frame of the door and roll the window up pulling the glass in slightly to clear the top of the opening. The lift arm, which has the roller on it that chipper mentioned, should crank up high enough to clear the top of the door and you slide the window slightly forward or rearward to get it off the wheel.

Here’s the kicker to that whole procedure: if your channels are in very good or new condition, that procedure is difficult for those who don’t understand how the window frame is made as it has to be worked in just the right manner to get it up and out without removing the regulator board. Also, many of the window sash metal have a L shaped rubber in the outside edge with its intention to keep debris and water out of the door. This rubber, if present, in good or even bad, hard, brittle condition makes getting the glass out harder also.

If you choose to pull the door panel, as was said, it’s nailed on with 18ga 5/8” brads right along the sides and bottom of the panel. If an original door, often the windlace around the panel will come with it. A very stiff 1-1 1/2” wide putty knife is the best for removing the panel as often the nails average every two inches or so. The top of the panels upholstery is tacked into a channel at the top of the regulator board and you have to remove those tacks or staple. With the panel off, the window regulator board can be unscrewed and the latch comes with it. This means you also have to remove the outside door handle which is done by accessing the keeper screw on the latch side of the door. You turn the handle slightly and the screw head will become visible through the small hole. Remove that screw and pull the handle out. As you try to remove the regulator board you will find that it’s attached to the window with the arm and the roller so cranking the window up some , then hold the window up while pulling the board.
As you can see, neither option is easy and it takes some technique to get it done. If you choose or find you have to remove the door panel, I will suggest some things to make putting the panel back on easier. Once you’re ready to put the interior panel back on and have pulled all the brads out of the wood or through the panel, go around the sides and bottom of the door with some blue painters tape. The tape should be on the metal of the door and the edge of the tape should not end up under the panel but close to it. If you notice all around the flat surface of the door where you’re going to nail the interior on, the door skin metal has tabs about every 4” or so with a nail through the tab, holding the metal to the wood. Mark all these tabs on the tape with Xs so you know not to attempt to drive a brad there. Also, there are areas of depressed wood or no wood to nail into at all, mark those areas too. Same as the big flat area where the latch is. The technique for nailing the panel on is driving the brad until the head is just depressing the surface of the material some but not enough to bind the surface material between the brads head and the panel board underneath the fabric. Using a upholstery needle or thin ice pick, the fabric is eased over the brads head. You should be able to find a video on upholstery blind nailing on the net. Hope I didn’t scare you with all this, good luck.

Thank you all. I have my work cut out. Carlyle