VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - GENERAL Upholstery - Interiors & Glass Vent Windows/Wind wings

Looking for advice. I just purchased a '40 Coupe (Special Deluxe). The vent windows are almost impossible to open/close. I'm concerned about possibly breaking the crank handle by forcing them or causing some other damage.

(upholstery is new - maybe something happened during the installation?)

Is their a way to lubricate without removing the door panels? Any other options? Many thanks.

I would suspect that you have an adjustment problem and not lack of lubrication. Sorry but don't know of an effective way to check and fix without removing the door panel.

Thanks for the response. Should an amateur chance removing the handles and the newly upholstered door panel?

Forgot, also the sliding pins that secure the vent windows are missing from the frames. Does this mean having to replace the frame to the windows?

Regards

Fred, Is the loop still on the vent frame?.Often the pin and knob are missing leaving just the empty loop or housing that they fit into.

Looking at the shop manual there is no adjustment on the vent regulator as there was on the 1933-36.Would be wise to try to determine if its the regulator or the vent frame pivots.When open is it possible to wiggle the vent a little by hand?Should be about a 1/4" free movement.If not try a little WD 40 on both the opper and lower pivots.Otherwise to gain access to the regulator the vent crank will need to be removed and the trim panel pulled back just at the front upper area to see the regulator.The removal of the regulator is described in the front of the shop manual, in the body section.

There is a tool sold to remove the handle clip.Depending how the person attached the trim panel, it shouldn't be to difficult to pry it loose.From the factory there nails that fit into little slots in the inner door metal.If you can,determine about where the nail is a insert a stiff puty knife or? at the point to pry.

....a putty knife or?.....a trim removal tool. it looks like a very wide flat screwdriver with the blade bent and with a Vee cut it the center of the blade. Locate the nails and slide the trim tool under the panel and around the nail and gently pull them out.

I have better luck pulling them than putting them back in, anyone want to give us some tips?

You should be able to find one of the trim removal tools on the special tool rack at your local "home grown" Auto Parts store.

I also found one of those Window roller clip and outside door handle (49-54)removal tools at the "home Grown" auto Parts store and it works slicker than Ray's yellow snot!

Caution.The 1949 and up door handle removal tool is different than the 1948 and down.The older clip is much smaller and the tool has a much smaller opening.It is incorrectly listed in the Filling Station catalog as tool #J-139 and lists the application for 1939 and up.Should read from 1949 and up (except 1958 Impala).Chevs of the 40's has the correct one shown for the older models, #3703632C,page 240 in their 2005 catalog.Due to the fact that it is used on such old models may be difficult to find in a parts store.

The use of a putty knife that I was refering to was to remove or loosen the actual trim pad, not the handle.The large flat area would be less apt to bend or distort the edge of the trim pad.

Gene, the window clip and door handle tool I bought has two or three different sized openings, it is made of flat spring steel, the door handle remover for 51 to 54 (may work on other cars)has a deal to hook the bent up part of the door handle retainer).

The trim removal tool is also another tool with a screwdriver handle. Hope this clears up what I posted before. Neither is a GM product and they work very well for me.

There are some that will work on both size clips.

Thanks guys. I'll sift through the suggestions and give them a try. (this is a great chat room!)