roll up windows to fit vintage 356

Hello Everybody,

I am looking for any suggestions for installing roll up windows in my vintage 356. I have seen pictures, with the same windshield with a rubber slide attached to seal the roll up windows. Does anyone know where I can buy a roll up mechanism, and the slides to attach to the windshield.

Any and all suggestions appreciated.

Raymond

drrwb@earthlink.net

I've been told that years ago CMC used a Chevette set up but was a poor fit

I asked this of Kirk recently and got a "it can be done, but you REALLY don't want to" response. ;-)

My car is on its way now and, when I get it, I plan on giving it a hard look to see if there's something that can be done.

I don't necessarily want the windows to roll up, but I want to avoid losing visibility with the side curtains. Would also like to see if I can get a reasonable seal. May be a tall order. I hope someone else on this thread has an idea...

G

Thank you for the ideas. I agree the visibility for me is terrible as I am tall. I have thought about having the canvas windows cut larger and a zipper installed so that I can uzip the windows for some air. I have also thought about cutting a plexiglass window, adding protective stripping to the outside. I am not sure how I would weatherproof the window where it meets the windshield frame.

Rattling on, I've also thought about cutting a square in the plexiglass and putting an iside slide and have part of the window slide open.

I believe there is room for a roll up if the rail piece to support the canvas windows is removed.

Enough rattling. Raymond Becker

Raymond,

Your ideas touch a sore spot for most Speedster owners with side curtains. Russ Rodriguiz in the LA area has been promising sliding plexiglass side curtains for quite a while now, it is always next month or in the near future. Don't know if he will ever get them to market. David Salvato in the SOC has made a set of Lexan side curtains.
David brought them to Knotts and they were very nice. Maybe we could get him to make sets for us. I know I'd buy a set. David is very busy
these days but we'll continue to work on him! His were a solid sheet of lexan with no sliding portion.

Bruce

For improved visibility I have been pondering what Jerome (or someone)did, which was to lower the driver's seat by cutting a hole beneath the seat and welding a drop-down box extension a couple inches lower and then remount the seat. That would in effect lower your head a couple of inches which would add additional visibility... It might seem like a radical solution but shouldn't be a problem for a good welder if your pan is in good shape. It would also lower your head from the wind stream with top down driving.

Or, for top up driving, you could raise the seat, cut a hole in the roof, and mount a canopy from a WWII Mustang P-51.

Stay tuned for more great ideas.

Bob

How about a Tucker Turret to take care of the SUV pilots with the cell phones grafted onto their ears.

Karl Macklin of this forum had a speedster with roll-ups before he bought GBs old speedster. They looked a little funny with the solid addition aft of the windshield posts, but he said they sealed pretty well, certainly better than our sidecurtins.
ed

I have a CMC Speedster with roll ups. Was built ~86 in NY and I'm told CMC had a roll up option at that time. The crank handles and, I assume the regulators, are VW bug. There is a mickey mouse piece of rubber attached to the w'shield frame to seal them (CMC). 'tis a bit of a pain to roll up but they do seal pretty well and rolling down is nice. Would be even better with channels to guide them on their merry way.

At Carlisle there were a set of proto type aluminum and sliding plexi panels /side curtains that got my attention! They were taken out of a cover bag for me to gawk at and drool over .....They fit the speedster well with only a minor fit issue that is to be addressed. The fabricator will surely read this post and may,let the cat out of the bag . I am getting a set for my personal current build...Alan

hi all, i haven't checked into this myself but "chesil" in england
builds the same door with windows =no trouble.
maybe they wouold sell the parts? just a thought.

I'm working on the cnc files for this, my goal is to make a kit with retractable hard top and roll up window or at least the retractable hard top with plex windows, it is a complex project but I think it will be very cool, I really want to enjoy my speedster all year round

A realistic date for a prototype is about 3-4 months away

Hello,

I think all the ideas are great, but a P51 canopy is probably well out of my price range, I was thinking my scuba gear might work. Now for the real world, I am looking forward to someone who can put together the design I am coming up with. It will be an aluminum frame with slider and the "glass" will be plexiglass. 1/2 will slide open.

Is anyone interested? I have the design skills and will pay for the material, but I need a skilled crafts(person) who can put the material together and add to the design?

Any takers?

Raymond

Raymond, I think what you are talking about is like what Alan described. Hey Alan, I saw those windows propped against the front bumper, whose were they!?

BTW, somebody here (Mike McSween ?) had a car built by JPS, John put zippers on the flexible side curtains, struck me as a good solution - at least for adjustable ventilation, reaching out.

Greg,
I am surprised that they didn't cause a near riot there but went almost unoticed! Out of respect to the owner & designer of the side curtain set,I'll hold off as I emailed him last night and asked for time frame. If wants to get involved in producing them I'll post who has them as he may not be ready to let the cat out of the bag.

Alan

Alan: I thought that was what I was seeing. I was in the tent and saw it coming "out of the bag" . I don't have a clue why I didn't wander over for a closer look. Musta been the heat. From what I saw they looked flat and weren't curled in to fit the windshield. What is the plan for that?

BD

Hello

I will eagerly await any discovery of helping to open the canvas side curtains of the 356. Raymond and thanks

If it helps, I can post some detail photos of the roll up windows on my Chesil, and how they seal with the windscreen frame and the soft-top.

I would also be interested to see pix of what's behind the door panel and see how they fabricated the window guides etc...this would help to come up with a better "mouse trap"

Alan

Simon
I'd be most interested in pics of your roll ups. Sure it would give me clue for my project.

Would it be possible to modify an existing set of aluminum/plexi side curtains? Didn't the old Bugeye Sprite have those, as I recall? At least it would give someone a template to follow.

Robert,

Yea, the bugeye had the aluminum framed and plexiglass side curtains but I don't think the profile would be very close. The design would be very close I'd think as far as the frame and slider portion. I haven't seen a pair of old side curtains at a swap meet in years, maybe advertize in Hemmings for a pair,

Bruce

Simon, Alan and all,

I too, would love to see some photos of anything about the Chesil roll up window. I have been talking to a friend who is building an airframe for an experimental plane, he belongs to a club and so I will go to a meeting with my car and the panel removed. Who knows?

My experience with chelsil is that they are very up their ..... and wouldn't share any information other than they had a special company manufacuture their window regulators and would not give out any information. Interesting Chelsil will build the body to a person's need, wider, longer and even with back seats. We e-mailed about whether anything but the original dimensions was a true reproduction.

As for the true 356, what are your feelings? (I have nothing against the product, just their attitude, of course I'm not saying I don't have an attitude, I'm American, push and shove comes naturally.

Anyway, I can understand not wanting to give away unpatented secrets.

Hope all of you keep searching. I used to rebuild Healeys and even a 1954 100 4 Healey. The frames were basically aluminum rails with plexiglass windows, split in half. One side would slide open, parallel to the fixed panel. I'll look on the Healey products and see if I can come up with a photo.

Thank you all, Raymond

Most interesting post. I kept wondering "Are these the same guys who decry anything that detracts from the original 356 design? The same guys who decry outlaw car features?" Was there an original 356 speedster (not Convertible D) that had other than side curtains? Hmmmmm . . . .

David K.

Another one of you, huh? There were a few 356 made with roll up windows. I would bet you have bias ply tires on your car, maybe even radials. How about the oil, is it a variable temperature oil? What is it with people like you who begin to pass judgement? Are you everyone's alter ego? If so, just make it easy on me. What are your rules? If you can't get organized why not take your editorial, and very personal comments to another section. I don't see anything technical about your comment, other than your own personal bias.

It must be hard to be as perfect as you. Why don't you let the rest of us now how to achieve such perfection?

Now technically you are wrong. 356s did exist with roll up windows, rare, but true. RWBecker

Ok, here are some external pictures of the Chesil windup windows on my car.

I'll take some of the mechanism when I get a chance, but I spent the last 3 hours this evening replacing an oil seal on my gearbox that had self destructed - annoying since its only 321 miles since it was professionally rebuilt - since I want to get to a VW/Classic Porsche car show in it this Sunday.

Simon,

Thank you for the pictures, of course the interior would be of great interest. I'll post my aircraft friend's designs, using a VW regulator, only 20 dollars used at many VW shops. (Early regulators.)

I will probably use plexiglass, possible scratches and all, it is much lighter, and therefore I think "we" can put the tracks lower in the door, as the weight won't be a factor. Of course the handle may end up very low? Who knows, but it is both frustrating, but to much fun. Goodluck on your dealine! Whatever I will post pictures. Still interested in any "ready-mades".

Raymond

Thanks for the pics. Gives me more ideas for correcting the PIA door to windshield seal.

The door to windshield frame seal is interesting. If it had wind wings (vent window like deflectors) it would be less obtrusive. Actually looks like the windows seals to be quite waterproof. Would think with the seal to windshield piece you could add even a plexiglass window that could be pushed up when needed and locked (or use an electric motor). For those looking to build sliding side curtains -- look at some of the windshield pieces used in small boats. I'm sure something could be fabricated from them.