advice on vent windows needed

[CSFJ]

Ok. I was at my local salvage yard today and spotted a set of vent windows in a suburban, a couple years newer than my truck. The frames appear to be in pretty good shape. However some mouth breather was nice enough to break the glass in both of them. My question is this. Is it worth it to pull the frames and replace the glass, or will I be time and money ahead to source some reproduction or keep looking for undamaged original vents?

 

[chengny]

If you're just buying at your local JY, they'll probably give you another set (with glass intact) for the price of the ones with nice frames/seals.

Pull the ones you want (with broken glass) and pull another set (with good glass) from a different truck. Bring both sets up to the counter and - with your most humble expression - explain that you really want the non-glass pair, but that they are useless without glass. Then ask how much it would be for the other set - and offer to pull the glass and return the frames.

Based on my extensive JY experience, I can almost guarantee that the counter guy will tell you to just take them both - for the price of the frames you really want.

 

[CSFJ]

I'll take another look this weekend, but if I remember correctly, the only other 2 square bodies there have been picked over pretty extensively. Almost certain the vents are already gone. That's the hard part about squares in this part of the country, they rarely show up anymore and get picked clean almost immediately. Or, what is left is a rusted hulk.

If there are enough pieces present, pricing is never a problem, I've been dealing with these guys since I was in high school back in the early '90s.

I was just curious what was out there for replacement glass.

 

[CSFJ]

Damn. Had a complete blonde moment when I posted this earlier. I forgot all about the perfectly good glass in the vents in my truck with the rusted frames. So I'm definitely going back to get the clean frames from the one I saw yesterday. Anybody happen to know what I'll need tool wise to pull those vent frames?

 

[Hoodbj]

I believe a Phillips head screwdriver and a 7/16 wrench should be all you need. Two Phillips head screws on the top of the door frame and one bolt behind the door panel.

 

[CSFJ]

Thanks. I hate taking the whole toolbox when I'm not sure ahead of time.

 

[bluex]

You'll need to take the rear glass channel loose to so you can slide the window back to get some wiggle room to pull the vent window frame. It takes the same size as the lower bolt on the vent window though

 

[CSFJ]

Good to know. Thanks.

 

[chengny]

I forgot all about the perfectly good glass in the vents in my truck with the rusted frames


I was wondering about that, but then I figured you were asking more about how difficult it is to R & R the just the glass. You have to grind off the rivets without destroying the pivot tabs. Then when you go to install the glass you need new stainless rivets and the "special" drift to peen them over.


If you plan on doing a vent window restoration, you might be interested in this thread:

http://www.gmsquarebody.com/forum/showthread.php?t=10135&highlight=granite

 

[CSFJ]

I remember reading that thread before, just hadn't looked it back up yet. The whole vent window idea came up when I went to grab some wheels off the 'burban, and gave it a quick once over to see if there was anything else salvageable. Didn't have a whole lot of time as I stopped before work. I'm going back friday to go through it a little more thoroughly. The dash and everything else in front had already been stripped.