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Thread: Custom Window Mods?

  1. #1
    Senior Member rickjames8's Avatar
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    Custom Window Mods?

    One of my favorite things about driving in general, is the spring and summer time, cruising with the windows down. I think I'll feel a little confined with just the toll booth openings but we'll see.

    I'm not under any illusions that I have the time or the patience to undertake the task of trying to modify these windows to open some other way, but I imagine the discussion must have taken place at some point over the past 35 years, and maybe a few attempts.

    Here's what I found:
    • Sliding windows on early prototypes.
    • A custom car where they've removed the window (possibly permanently with no plans to take it in and out).
    • Bob Bradys roll down window, which someone said is $5k.
    • This thread which does not seem to have finished.


    I was wondering if anyone has ever contemplated leaving the toll booth window functioning as it does, but creating a new large piece of window out of a lighter material that would be removable within a minute or two? I had windows on my Sterling that were like this. I'd open the door, take out the windows, and drive, arrive at the destination and put them back in if needed. It wasn't as much of a pain as you'd think. Furthermore, they 'popped' open a few inches, so if you were just going for a short drive you'd just vent, similar to 'just using the toll booth'. Here's a couple photos for your inspiration.

    Sterling targa soft top roof.jpg Targa top latch.jpg

    The nice thing about this is that you could keep your original fixed windows and re-install them either a) when you sell or b) in the winter time. By the way, my Sterling never leaked during my ownership. This design made a good seal.

    Anyone think this idea would work? Any one know of other successful mods other than the ones I found?

  2. #2
    LS Swapper Josh's Avatar
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    Senior Member Chris 16409's Avatar
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    Chris Miles

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  4. #4
    Guy with a DeLorean Mark D's Avatar
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    Someone with more knowledge about the doors that I do may be able to chime in, but I think I've read in the past that the glass is structurally important. Removing it completely will allow the door to twist and you'll end up messing up your latch alignment.

  5. #5
    Dr. Bob Bob635's Avatar
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    Cool Delorean Full Size Power Window Update

    Mark,

    You raised a question about door structure that we considered years ago when engineering the full size power windows.

    Jack Martens, an automobile safety engineer, worked with JZD on both the air bag Ds, and the door design. Jack actually put together a lecture with slides showing him and JZD working Ds that we saw ca. 1990. Unfortunately, Jack died of a brain anyerism over 10 years ago. (I still have his ACRS 1976 Olds.) The slides of this lecture we given to a friend to copy, but I never received the copies, so I don't know if this information will ever see the light of day again.

    But back to your question. Jack tested the D doors, relative to the question of roll over protection, and if the windows broke, did that affect the structural integrity of the door.
    The windows, whether broken or not did not significantly affect the structural integrity of the doors.

    I also tested the flexing of the doors, with or without the windows, as part of the engineering. The doors did not flex anymore than they do with the windows in place.
    But the engineering gets even better. With the full size power windows, there are two H channels that bolt to the upper window frame and the crash bar. These actually add structural rigidity to the door. (One of the reason why JZD was so impressed with the design when he came to Cleveland to see the car and try out the windows.

    The story gets even more interesting, when you look at the bending of the doors that occur over time-with over torqued torsion bars- that Toby Peterson discovered.

    In fact, over torquing of the torsion bars, (instead of buying new struts) will cause your doors to warp over time. You can see this on cars, where the front of the door is not level with the windshield trim. This can NOT be repaired!

    However, with the full size power windows, the weight of the door is decreased by over 10 lbs. This very significantly reduces the load on the torsion bars, by potential up to 600 ft.lbs. of torque when the door is closed. So the full size power window doors are subject to less distortion force than a stock D window weight.
    '

    So in reality, the full size power window doors flex less than the stock design and reduce the load on the torsion bar.

    I have had these in the 97 Delorean time Machine for 20 years and they still work great.
    These windows have been in the 2015 Electric Delorean for over 5 years now and driving an electric car with the windows open is soooo quiet!.
    And these windows are going into the "Dream Delorean"now under construction in IL.

    As for full size power window parts - I have enough 2 complete kits and possibly and extra drivers door. I still have to "finish" (paint, etc.) them. I expect to have them for sale by the end of the year. However, I will probably offer the 1st set - completely installed in right and left doors. These are the two display models that we have for Delorean Weekend that people get to play with. This way the new over and change the doors or just uninstall the windows and move them to their existing doors.


    So full size power windows will NOT allow the door to twist and actually help keep your door latches aligned.

    Bob

    Quote Originally Posted by Mark D View Post
    Someone with more knowledge about the doors that I do may be able to chime in, but I think I've read in the past that the glass is structurally important. Removing it completely will allow the door to twist and you'll end up messing up your latch alignment.

  6. #6
    Senior Member Bitsyncmaster's Avatar
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    How do the full size power windows reduce the weight by 10 lbs.? I'm guessing the "glass" is plexiglass.
    Dave M vin 03572
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  7. #7
    Senior Member DrJeff's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bitsyncmaster View Post
    How do the full size power windows reduce the weight by 10 lbs.? I'm guessing the "glass" is plexiglass.
    And how does 10 lbs, translate to "600 ft.lbs. of torque when the door is closed"?
    Jeff
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  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Josh View Post
    Funny, this car from the 2014 Super Bowl commercial belongs today to Eric Remedios. :-)
    They removed the fixed glass for the commercial and later installed it back.

    https://youtu.be/aUCHy5y23nI
    Last edited by mburshtain; 02-28-2017 at 01:51 PM.

  9. #9
    Daily Driver ssdelorean's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by rickjames8 View Post
    One of my favorite things about driving in general, is the spring and summer time, cruising with the windows down. I think I'll feel a little confined with just the toll booth openings but we'll see.
    I actually prefer the tollbooth windows over normal windows. Driving with them down at any speed does not blow wind in your face/head like normal windows when down. Yeah I'm weird.

    If I were to mod my windows it would be like the Hardcastle & McCormick Coyote/DeLorean (season 2 & 3 car) where the glass would be removable along with a removable roof section T-Top like feature. So it could be all open or closed up. The show was just all open. No reason to close it up in California. It never rains there :-)

    33471aff.396.jpg

    post-12003-0-84811300-1375744882.jpg
    Shannon Y
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  10. #10
    Mario's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by DrJeff View Post
    And how does 10 lbs, translate to "600 ft.lbs. of torque when the door is closed"?
    Because the doors are lighter, you can adjust the torsion bars lower, so there is less strain on them when the door is closed.

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