47-55.1 Worst job at the assembly plant

[Jemezcrusher]

Putting my 50 3100 back together and spent two hours putting in the passenger side windlace. This had to have been the worst job at the assembly plant. I found it to be the biggest challenge of my whole build. THe video I watched on YouTube says that on a scale of 1-5 in difficulty, this one is a 5.

I would give it an 8

A little lube and profanity seemed to help. Will get the other side in today but never want to do this again

[crossfire84]

Originally Posted by Jemezcrusher

Putting my 50 3100 back together and spent two hours putting in the passenger side windlace. This had to have been the worst job at the assembly plant. I found it to be the biggest challenge of my whole build. THe video I watched on YouTube says that on a scale of 1-5 in difficulty, this one is a 5.

I would give it an 8

A little lube and profanity seemed to help. Will get the other side in today but never want to do this again

Took me about 10 minutes to do each side, check out my thread and see what I used.

[Driver_WT]

Originally Posted by crossfire84

Took me about 10 minutes to do each side, check out my thread and see what I used.

Thanks. I will use this stuff.

I have a 53 3100 truck with 49 doors. Do I order the windlace for a 53 or a 49? Thanks.

Wade

[joedoh]

I just did a mid year 49, which is to say RIGHT when they did the changover, had to have been less than 100 trucks, with the later windlace but the early headliner. usually early headliner = screw windlace and late headliner = slip windlace.

anyway, it was MURDER. I used windex on silicone lube and while it was slipperier than warm water on ice I still had to grab the bottom of the windlace with vice grips and hammer the vice grips to get it in. my last 49 (late 49) was 10 minutes a side. yes I wire brushed in the channels, there were galls and grabby bits in the channel from the rolling machine.

a 53 will use the late windlace. you could cut all the spot welds, remove the channel, and go to an early windlace (screw type) except your dash doesnt have holes to install the screws beside it. I prefer the slip type when it isnt causing me to scream in all caps.

[Jemezcrusher]

Originally Posted by joedoh

I just did a mid year 49, which is to say RIGHT when they did the changover, had to have been less than 100 trucks, with the later windlace but the early headliner. usually early headliner = screw windlace and late headliner = slip windlace.

anyway, it was MURDER. I used windex on silicone lube and while it was slipperier than warm water on ice I still had to grab the bottom of the windlace with vice grips and hammer the vice grips to get it in. my last 49 (late 49) was 10 minutes a side. yes I wire brushed in the channels, there were galls and grabby bits in the channel from the rolling machine.

a 53 will use the late windlace. you could cut all the spot welds, remove the channel, and go to an early windlace (screw type) except your dash doesnt have holes to install the screws beside it. I prefer the slip type when it isnt causing me to scream in all caps.

Joedoh

I did not slip it in. I watched [precision's video on Youtube. Their method is what I did. Push the back side in, then pinch in the front edge with a little tool, one half inch at a time

[Jemezcrusher]

Originally Posted by crossfire84

Took me about 10 minutes to do each side, check out my thread and see what I used.

So looked at your thread. Showed the stuff but did not explain the method?

Slid it down through the tracks?

[joedoh]

Originally Posted by Jemezcrusher

Joedoh

I did not slip it in. I watched [precision's video on Youtube. Their method is what I did. Push the back side in, then pinch in the front edge with a little tool, one half inch at a time

yeah thats not the right way, you only have to do that across the top. thats why there are two gaps in the channel, you do front by sliding, rear by sliding, then across the top with the pinch and tuck.

i squirt windex in the channel, spray silicone on the windlace, and on the last truck it slid right in.

[Jemezcrusher]

Originally Posted by joedoh

yeah thats not the right way, you only have to do that across the top. thats why there are two gaps in the channel, you do front by sliding, rear by sliding, then across the top with the pinch and tuck.

i squirt windex in the channel, spray silicone on the windlace, and on the last truck it slid right in.

Pinched and tucked the whole thing

Guess I will try the slide method

[crossfire84]

Originally Posted by Jemezcrusher

So looked at your thread. Showed the stuff but did not explain the method?

Slid it down through the tracks?

Yes, lube up the Wind lace and put a good amount in the track and slide it through. Then use a damp rag and wipe off the excess.

[Zippi]

Nice thread guys. Luckily the previous owner installed the rubber seal on the cab of my 49. This spring I'll need to install the door rubber seals as the wind noise is terrible. Is there a difference in the door rubber seal for an early vs late 49 as I'm not sure which I have? This is the seal I was planning on using.
https://www.classicparts.com/1947-59...ctinfo/03-011/

[joedoh]

nope, same part

[jweb]

Originally Posted by Zippi

Nice thread guys. Luckily the previous owner installed the rubber seal on the cab of my 49. This spring I'll need to install the door rubber seals as the wind noise is terrible. Is there a difference in the door rubber seal for an early vs late 49 as I'm not sure which I have? This is the seal I was planning on using.
https://www.classicparts.com/1947-59...ctinfo/03-011/

There have been several people that had issues with that weatherstrip (including me). It is usually too thick for the door to shut. Which you won't know until you have glued it all on and that's a pain to do.

I would go to Steele rubber and order the stick on. There are 2 different thicknesses
https://www.steelerubber.com/door-ed...ape-70-0145-wt

This thinner one usually works better
https://www.steelerubber.com/peel-n-...rip-70-0331-wt

[Zippi]

Originally Posted by jweb

There have been several people that had issues with that weatherstrip (including me). It is usually too thick for the door to shut. Which you won't know until you have glued it all on and that's a pain to do.

I would go to Steele rubber and order the stick on. There are 2 different thicknesses
https://www.steelerubber.com/door-ed...ape-70-0145-wt

This thinner one usually works better
https://www.steelerubber.com/peel-n-...rip-70-0331-wt

jweb,

Thanks for the info. So, did you use the small seal and if so how well does the stick on adhesive keep the seal on the door? Thanks.

[jweb]

Originally Posted by Zippi

jweb,

Thanks for the info. So, did you use the small seal and if so how well does the stick on adhesive keep the seal on the door? Thanks.

I did mine before they had the stick on type and it was a pain.

We use the same type of VHB tape that is on those seals at work. It's really strong and should make the job much easier.

[mr48chev]

[QUOTE=Driver_WT;8640052]Thanks. I will use this stuff.

I have a 53 3100 truck with 49 doors. Do I order the windlace for a 53 or a 49? Thanks.

Wade[/QUOTE

You need windlace for a 53 as it goes with what is in the cab to fasten it in. The year of door doesn't matter until you start figuring out what latch setup you need.

Then you get to add your story of how you got it in the channel to the collection.

[Zippi]

Originally Posted by jweb

I did mine before they had the stick on type and it was a pain.

We use the same type of VHB tape that is on those seals at work. It's really strong and should make the job much easier.

Thanks for the info.

[cmayna]

I just don't remember this task being that bad, back when I did mine 10+ years ago. Maybe it was due to the amount of beers I first had.......yeah right! I need to look at my setup to see what I can suggest.