Vent window adjustment?

[Jeff Norwell]

I was just thinking about this..not tackling it yet.... but is there a vent window adjustment ?....the vent windows on my car move way to freely....
Would it be around the top of the stainless surround?

[hiball3985]

Something I need to do also and haven't yet. I believe there is an adjustment screw on the top of the door frame, it may be under the weather stripping, I just haven't looked yet. 

[Jeff Norwell]

Jim..I have not looked either...

[RICH MUISE]

You guys got me curious so I just went out and checked mine. I had never noticed before, but my drivers side is probably just about right..opens smoothly, but with enough drag on it to probably stay in place up to about 130-140 mph (LOL), but the passenger side is way too loose. I thought it may be a function of the rubber seal kinda holding it in place, but since one is tight and one is loose...apparently not.
My frames were all totally rebuilt/restored. To be quite honest if there was an adjustment on the frames for the tension on the wing window, I missed it upon reassembly. I have the door seal in place on the drivers door, but not installed yet on the passenger door, so I can tell you that the seal does not cover any screws. If there is an adjustment, it would probably be at the top of the wing window frame, but only accesible when the frame is totally unscrewed from the door so the frame could be tilted out. This of course is part of the main window channel, so it would be alot of work to access that. Looking at my pic with the vent installed...posibly removing the garnish rail may give enough access to the top vent window shaft bracket??
If there is no adjustment (as I suspect)...maybe building up the top pivot shaft with a coating like fingernail polish may tighten it up??

[hiball3985]

Thanks for that info Rich. I think this area with the two screws is where the tension adjustment can be made, but I don't know you would do it.  Possibly by just removing the window frame you can access it? It must have been another year I was thinking could be adjusted from the outside. After digging out the Shop manual it looks like only the Fairlanes have an external adjustment for the tension.

[Zapato]

at the top of the door 2 allen head screws adjust tension, pm me an address and a copy from my shop manual will head your way.

Zap-

[Jeff Norwell]

Thanks Zap!

[RICH MUISE]

Zap...I'm lazy...if that's the standard '57 ford shop manual, what page is it. I sure don't remember any allen head screws...maybe in the Fairlane?? if they in fact have an ouside the door frame adjustment as Highball mentioned.

[hiball3985]

Rich, my manual shows it on 11-10 fig. 4. But it says for models 57,58,63,64,76.

[Zapato]

yup, fooled again models 70,73,59,79 and 78 are a lot simpler mechanism. manual doesn't really address adjustment am guessing if the pivot bushings are worn it will be sloppy. looked at my door and there are no screws on top.

Zap-

[hiball3985]

Seems insane that they couldn't have used one design on all models. Naturally I don't have the easy to fix one 

[Zapato]

my exact thoughts,hiball

Zap-

Went back and thought about this. The Fairlane models are different from the firewall back and probably 2 different engineering groups involved. The o'all designs have some commonality but there are probably countless differences beyond those that created the ,for the first time, a small and large Ford.

When I worked for Boeing Alan Mullaly was the head of the 777 program. His leadership demanded incredible design changes. At one point we all got to watch a video that covered one example. Amazing for us today was the subject was doors. Before the 777 every door on a Boeing airplane was designed by an individual engineer. Similar in design but no commonality in parts. The door team submitted their plans and A M pulled them in and demanded they go back and come back with a design than would work on every door with of course the only difference being matching the outside contour. The group balked but were sent back knowing that if they couldn't accomplish this he would find others to do it.

This kind of thing used to happen all the time in manufacturing, specially as a new product was being rushed to market. Which was the pressure felt at Ford to build a larger car to handle the Retractable hardtop. Sometimes they never get fixed as tooling costs outweigh the savings.

[wighty]

A question for Rich Muise. The pictures of your rebuilt Wind Wings are great. Did you rebuild them yourself doing the disassembly, chrome plate, stainless polish, glass and reassembly? I am a little nervouse about doing this myself. The assemblies are out of the car and it is getting close to new glass time for the whole car (Custom 300 2 dr). Any advise will be appreciated.
Dennis

[Jeff Norwell]

Well.. like Zap mentioned.. no adjustment on the top of the door,... As hiball3985 indicated on Rich's pic..... 2 small phillips screws that retain the top vent post.
.... weird....

[hiball3985]

If there is a bushing in there they probably aren't available anywhere. Who's going to volunteer to make them