quarter glass

[Bob Barker]

Has anyone ever taken the smaller glass out? The one directly behind the driver and passenger windows. I want to do something with them, like make a hinge and arm to vent, or make them easily removeable. It's for my doggies that sit in the back, gets warm back there even with the a/c blasting.

Any ideas?

Hopefully I'll have time to look into it this weekend, removal shouldn't be that hard. But finding something to make a hinge and arm with, or something that will attach it firmly (weather proof) and still remove quickly will be a challenge.

[Exclamation]

I was thinking about doing this as well but my VX is still in the shop so I cant even look at it to start coming up with something.

[jhigareda]

They are just glued in place. Any body shop can take one off for a bout 20 bucks and put on for about the same or glass guy $25

[Bob Barker]

Yeah I imagine a glass guy can, but I like to break, errr... do things myself. I want to be able to decide on the spot to pull them out and put them back in just as fast.

I was googlin' and couldn't find anything quickly. But what I was thinking was removing the small glass, permanently attach a foam seal, something like a door seal weather strip, and then finding a way to mount it to the truck with ease of removal by maybe some wing nuts and a bolt attached to the truck body? It would have to sandwich the window between a couple plates, or washers on 4 corners? Not really sure what direction to go with, but end result would be awesome for the dogs. They should be able to stick their heads out the window "holes" and get some fresh air.

[Luna X]

funny you brought up this idea....

I was thinkin' it would be nice to be able to open the rear glass. Our Vx's are so short, nothing fits in it... ;)

biggest hurdle I see for any of these mods, is how to create hinges... most factory pieces have holes already in them for hinges or latches

[Bob Barker]

I was wondering how safe it may be to drill into the glas. Use a very sharp bit and very little pressure... May not be the best way to do it.

Then I was thinking about cutting the glue and removing the glass and buying some more glue just to put it back in when I want or need.

[yellowgizmo99]

a glass shop may have the right drills, don't use a regular drill or will break, they are hole saws with abrasive edges.

[Bob Barker]

Thanks, I'll check into one locally.

[samneil2000]

This would be cool. Not the same as being able to open them all the way, but a lot of minivans and what not have those windows that are hinged on one end and open a couple inches to vent. That should be enough to help pull some of that air from the front windows back out so it's not like a wind tunnel in there. Not sure how you would do the hinge part. I did a quick google search and found some electrical motors for opening and closing those windows. Would take some engineering, but man, what a sweet mod!

http://www.dragtimes.com/images-classifieds-large/Dodge-Grand-Caravan-Rear-Vent-Window-Motor-for-sale_280592960649.jpg

[Bob Barker]

My first thought was to put a hinge just like those on the windows but I kept thinking about why I'm wanting to do it, for the doggies, and that complete removal would be their choice.

[Bob Barker]

Well I figured out what it's going to take to get the window out, just got to find out how to make it "detachable". I was thinking about putting 3 or 4 metal tabs, probably welded, to the inside of the body around the window hole, drill matching holes through the glass (I bought glass bits yesterday) and use something super simple like wing nuts to attach the glass back in place. I imagine the hardware will only show on the inside of the window/interior plastic by about half an inch. Should still be well within the recesses of the plastic sides.

Thoughts on this? I would attach some weather stripping to it and I am sure it would have to be at least flush with the outside of the truck to minimize catching wind and putting strain on the mouting tabs and hardware.

[VXjunky]

what about the hinges used on the old vw beatle rear pop outs...... http://www.who-sells-it.com/cy/mid-america-motorworks-675/2009-air-cooled-volkswagen-parts-20512/page-52-fullsize.html

[Bob Barker]

It looks like that wondow has a metal frame around it, and the hinge is welded to it. Not that it couldn't be done and mounted to the glass itself though. If I go the hinge route it will have to be easily removed from the mounted point or hinge somehow since I've decided beyond just the pop out window I want it to completely be removeable. If I can get that with a pop out hinge set up that would be the best!

[vt_maverick]

funny you brought up this idea....

I was thinkin' it would be nice to be able to open the rear glass. Our Vx's are so short, nothing fits in it... ;)

biggest hurdle I see for any of these mods, is how to create hinges... most factory pieces have holes already in them for hinges or latches

Would be sweet if you could roll down the rear glass into the tailgate just like the 4Runner's.

[rsteinmetz70112]

Wouldn't that hit the spare tire?

[Bob Barker]

Not if it's not in there anymore!

[Junster]

They make diamond grit bits for drilling holes in glass. I've seen them at Lowes and Home Depot. FYI, Long as I'm posting the trick to drill plastic is to run a regular drill bit in reverse.

[Bob Barker]

Thanks for the tip on the plastic.

Work is being audited by customers so I've had no free time to even take a deep breath, but soon it will be over and everyone will get a long weekend, hopefully.

[Bob Barker]

Well I really dropped the ball on this one :laughing:

I was looking in the rear window at work tonight and noticed a couple of snaps, almost like the christmas tree push pins that hold most of the plastic in place. There are two of them at oposite corners of the glass and from peering through the space between the plastic and glass it looks like it will just pop right out! I'm going to have to pull the plastic all the way out and look real close, but it may be easier than I thought. Depending on how the seal is attached, if it's glued or just pressed into the body to seal. Hopefully I'm not too lazy tomorrow and actually get the rear plastic out.

[tom4bren]

I've removed that glass before. It was a Royal PITA.

It's not complicated, it's just that the adhesive musta been designed for the space shuttle or sump'n ... that stuff is strong.

Firstest - have some decent razor blades on hand. I couldn't seem to hold the blade at the right angle with a box cutter handle so I ended up just using the blade by itself (Walmart usta sell a folding box cutter made by Gerber that might work - very slim cross section). It doesn't matter how careful you are, you'll still end up knicking the paint in areas that is hidded by the glass so get some touch up paint to have on hand to prevent rust after re-assembling.

Secondest - you can pick up a glass removal tool from Harbor Freight that you may find useful. I used it a little bit but found it too awkward to be effective.

Thirdly - have a helper & some wedges. As you cut around the glass, you'll need someone to pull the glass gently from the outside so you can concentrate on cutting that %^#^ sealant.

Limber up before you get started. You'll be in some awkward postitions for extended periods whilst getting this done (my left leg was so sore the next day that I could barely walk). You may want to remove the seat as well to give yourself more room to work.

You could go to the boneyard and look for an old Amigo with a sunroof. The set up for that included the hinges for tilt opening and could also be completely removed.

[twostep1n2]

Sounds like a cool idea but drilling holes in a car window can't be done. The glass is tempered (safety Glass) which means even if you use a diamond bit as soon as you turned on the drill the glass would shatter in to the little ice cubes you see at car accident sites. To put a hole in glass you have to drill it first then temper it. Once it's tempered as soon as you break the surface it shatters. Maybe gluing the hinge on like a rear view mirror might work.

[circmand]

Sounds like a cool idea but drilling holes in a car window can't be done. The glass is tempered (safety Glass) which means even if you use a diamond bit as soon as you turned on the drill the glass would shatter in to the little ice cubes you see at car accident sites. To put a hole in glass you have to drill it first then temper it. Once it's tempered as soon as you break the surface it shatters. Maybe gluing the hinge on like a rear view mirror might work.

I know just the windshield used to be tempered. I was not aware they changed it.

[rsteinmetz70112]

I know just the windshield used to be tempered. I was not aware they changed it.

If it's tempered it will have a permanent label indicating it's tempered.

[twostep1n2]

All car windows are now tempered except the windshield it's laminated. Two layers of non tempered glass with a plasic film in the middle that will stop things from commig all the way through it.

[Bob Barker]

That's a lotta good info! There seems to be two little snaps already glued to the inside of the glass, and if those look good enough I may use that spot to glue in a threaded something that will reach through the interior body metal and a washer/wingnut on the inside. I haven't taken the plastib out today because the back of the truck is filled with rims for my car, so maybe tomorrow... or maybe tonight at work!

[IRONVIKING]

Any updates or pics for this thread? Im interested in doing the same.

[VXorado]

Any updates or pics for this thread? Im interested in doing the same.

Here you go.

http://www.vehicross.info/forums/showthread.php?t=22272

:cool: