Unlike in 1946, today one need look no further than Google for information on most anything - but this was not the case when I looked up how to remove and replace the door glass on this truck - or any early Ford truck for that matter. I could find no direct instruction on removing the glass and regulators, much less put them back in. That being the case, I hope my example here serves to educate and help others needing to do the same job....
The first operation was the removal of the door access panel, long with the handle that winds the window. The panel is easy - just 8 screws,
The handle is a little trickier - but by pushing the spring-backed cover you can see a hole where a small pin resides, holding the handle to the winder. Pushing the pin out releases the handle, then the cover pops off behind it.
This is all to uncover the regulator mechanism, which is held onto the door by 6 screws.
With the glass pulled up and out the top, the regulator can be pulled out through the access hole.
And here's what years of lubrication - mixed with dirt - come out like:
Time for a clean up:
One of the arms was also bent, so some vice and hammer action was warranted -
As well, one of the retainers needed some tweaking -
The trick to re-installing the glass on these regulators lies in this one 3/8" nut. The nut releases a lock-arm that then allows the arms to come in close enough to fit between the tracks on the bottom of the glass channel:
With the glass dropped back in, the regulator arms are finagled, pried, pressed, beat and CUSSED into their receptors. Each took me over an hour to set properly.
Getting the glass in again is the SECOND-hardest part of the operation. I say 'second', because once you get the glass in the door, the hardest part is yet to come....but lets get the glass in first:
Rotate the glass and insert the fore-end first, down into the door. When the back of the glas is 3-4 inches below the door edge - and both ends are in the window guides - turn the glass, with a good amount of force, until it is leveled out. Once in and right side up, DON'T drop it! It's a bugger to get back out....don't ask how I know!
No photo's here because I was too busy being frustrated, cussing and moaning, 'bitching' the things together. But basically, wind the regulator arms so they come together under the window, then, pulling the springed-guide wheels back - while winding the arms in and out to fit the guides into the channels - trying not to drop the glass while doing it, push each arm into its respective channel. At some point - sooner than later hopefully - you'll get the guides into their respective channels. Then wind the glass up a bit and remember to put the gear-retainer nut and bolt back on - so that the arms won't go too far and fall back out of the channel guides......
Once I got the springed-retainers into the channels - as above - I applied more grease on all the moving and sliding parts to ensure smooth(ish) operation.
With the cussing at an end and my finders bandaged,
I closed up the access panels and cleaned the windows:
Sweet new, clear and operable windows - Awesome.
