Shop Built Side Curtins

[John4337]

Since I finished the hard top, I’ve been fooling around with side curtains. A friend loaned me a set of Europa Spares frames as a starting point, but the opening of the top didn’t match up, so I had to start from scratch. I messed around with a full frame concept, but found that the mounded in flange meant that the window had to be pretty thin, about 1/2 inch or less. I searched a bunch of forums and found some ideas for a minimalistic design. I used a sheet of 1/8 inch lexan as the main window. Then a 1/8 x 1/2 aluminum piece as a frame on the top, bottom and back. Next came a 1/8 x 3/4 piece of lexan. This left a channel for a piece of lexan to be a sliding window.

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I bent a piece of 3 inch aluminum to serve as a flange on the bottom.

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A friend drilled and machined some 5/8 stainless bolts into ferrules, and some 3/8 aluminum rod was cut and tapped to serve as pins.

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Im now at the nerve wracking point of having drill holes in my painted doors to accept the ferrules. The ferrules are long enough to go thru both sides of the door, which I’m hoping will increase the stability and reduce the chance of cracking the door. I’m trying to work out how to make sure everything will line up. Feel free to offer ideas.

Here are some of the photos from other forums that got me started.

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[toadster]

wow awesome work!!

[CraigS]

My APE top had windows made from 1/4" lexan and no need for any aluminum other than channels for the sliding part. I found an edge seal at mcMaster for the bottom. See style C.
https://www.mcmaster.com/products/edge-seals/water-and-weather-resistant-rubber-push-on-seals-with-foam-rubber-wiper/
I put a strip of paint protector film on the door where that seal rubbed so it was water tight but no damaged paint.
I kept think about attaching them to the door vs hinged off the roof but had the same concerns as you. How to drill the ferrules through both layers of fiberglass and get them aligned correctly. So I never did that. I did by pure happenstance come across this at a friends.
194945
I show that because back in the day I had a AH Sprite w/ side windows. They had two brackets mounted to the inside surface of the window extending down 1-2 inches. Made from approx 1/4 x 1" aluminum flat bar. The ends were slotted and fit on the inside surface of the door and were secured by a thumb wheel.
https://tenwheel.com/imgs/a/b/v/p/x/1963_austin_healey_sprite_mk_ii___convertible_road ster___5_lgw.jpg
I was thinking of trying similar and tying in somehow to the inside frame.
One thing I realized was that at speed the windows are pulled out by the wind so you need for the top of the window to hit first while the door is maybe 1-1.5 inches from closed so there is pressure holding the window against the top. You may need to create a channel on the roof for the window to slide up into as the door is closed.

[John4337]

My APE top had windows made from 1/4" lexan and no need for any aluminum other than channels for the sliding part. I found an edge seal at mcMaster for the bottom. See style C.
https://www.mcmaster.com/products/edge-seals/water-and-weather-resistant-rubber-push-on-seals-with-foam-rubber-wiper/
I put a strip of paint protector film on the door where that seal rubbed so it was water tight but no damaged paint.
I kept think about attaching them to the door vs hinged off the roof but had the same concerns as you. How to drill the ferrules through both layers of fiberglass and get them aligned correctly. So I never did that. I did by pure happenstance come across this at a friends.
194945
I show that because back in the day I had a AH Sprite w/ side windows. They had two brackets mounted to the inside surface of the window extending down 1-2 inches. Made from approx 1/4 x 1" aluminum flat bar. The ends were slotted and fit on the inside surface of the door and were secured by a thumb wheel.
https://tenwheel.com/imgs/a/b/v/p/x/1963_austin_healey_sprite_mk_ii___convertible_road ster___5_lgw.jpg
I was thinking of trying similar and tying in somehow to the inside frame.
One thing I realized was that at speed the windows are pulled out by the wind so you need for the top of the window to hit first while the door is maybe 1-1.5 inches from closed so there is pressure holding the window against the top. You may need to create a channel on the roof for the window to slide up into as the door is closed.

Thanks Craig, I looked at the MGA/Austin type brackets, but I felt the depth of the door lip on the cobra was too much. I also thought about a thumb screw idea in the edge, but was afraid they would intrude into the passenger area and be catching on them. I'm trying to think of a way I can use the ferrules as a template, sort of like the wiper jig from FFR, but I haven't had the light bulb go off yet....

[CraigS]

I kept wondering if one could drill holes for ferrules in the top outer door surface and a larger, 1.5"?, hole underneath. That way you could pack the area under the outer skin around the ferrule w/ an epoxy thickened w/ fiber like HSRF. Maybe the ferrule could be long enough to barely protrude through the lower/inner glass so it is supported by both inner and outer + HSRF. Problem would be finding a way to nicely seal and finish the lower hole. But we have seen you glass skills on modding the top so maybe not as hard as it would be for me.

[John4337]

I kept wondering if one could drill holes for ferrules in the top outer door surface and a larger, 1.5"?, hole underneath. That way you could pack the area under the outer skin around the ferrule w/ an epoxy thickened w/ fiber like HSRF. Maybe the ferrule could be long enough to barely protrude through the lower/inner glass so it is supported by both inner and outer + HSRF. Problem would be finding a way to nicely seal and finish the lower hole. But we have seen you glass skills on modding the top so maybe not as hard as it would be for me.

Thanks, now that you bring it up, I remember reading somewhere about someone doing that, but putting a nut on the threaded ferrule, then using a rubber plug on the larger hole. I’ll have to chew on this a bit.

[CraigS]

McMaster has a lot of rubber plugs. Some of them are more of a firm plastic w/ a shiny surface which wouldn't be too hard to look at.

[John4337]

Thought I’d post an update. I finished the rough fab on the side curtain, then took a lot of long deep breaths, double and triple checked the layout, and then drilled some large holes in my doors.

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I drilled the top skin, put the ferrule in place in the position I needed, then used it as a jig to drill the lower skin

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I attached the pins and to my complete astonishment, it worked.

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Now to repeat for the drivers side

[Legendary]

That is super awesome.

[John4337]

Thought I’d post up my nearly finished windows. Everything has been upholstered and final assembled. All that’s left is weatherstripping and gluing some finger blocks on the sliders.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=195808&d=1708383864

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=195806&d=1708383864

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=195807&d=1708383864

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=195811&d=1708383922

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=195812&d=1708383922

[CraigS]

Very nice. Have you driven it at highway speed yet?

[John4337]

Very nice. Have you driven it at highway speed yet?

Not yet. I did take your advice and set them up so there is tension on them when closed.

[Joel Hauser]

Wow. The windows and top look incredible. Congratulations.

[Jeff Kleiner]

Fantastic results John!

Jeff

[John4337]

Fantastic results John!

Jeff

Thank you very much

[BRRT]

Nice work! There is a lot going on there!

[John4337]

A short test run verified my concern that the windows wanted to pull away at the top at speed, despite the fact that I set them up to to contact the top before the door closed. To address it, I came up with two clips. The one at the front is passive, the window slips behind it as it closes. The other is turned after you’re in the car. A 175 mile lunch run yesterday went with out a hitch, and we were toasty despite it being in the low 40’s. Number one passenger gave her approval.

The nut shown was for fitting, I trimmed the machine screw and used a nyloc for final install.
https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=196036&d=1708903845

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=196037&d=1708903845

[John4337]

After using them for a while, I came to dislike the upholstered aluminum piece. I intended that they add some stiffness to the screen, but they really didn't, and they blocked a bit of vision, so I tore them apart and remade them.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=214116&d=1747766978

Old and new parts.
https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=214115&d=1747766978

The finished piece. I also replaced the screws with clear poly carbonate ones.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=214114&d=1747766978

The top is off while I repair some headliner trim.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=214117&d=1747766978

[CraigS]

Clear screws??? Who knew?? McMaster Carr? The window looks even better w/ your updates.

[John4337]

Yup, McMaster - Carr. I was disappointed, they only had flat head, I was hoping for oval head to match the others….😂

[Badfish]

Looking great. Curious, how did you mount the ferrules in the doors? Epoxy? Did you put any kind of gasket or rubber washer between the ferrule and the door? I’ve drilled mine all the way thru the bottom of the door (not the prettiest underneath), but I’ve yet to finalize the ferrule install. Thanks.

[John4337]

I had my buddy machine the ferrules out of 5/8 socket screws, long enough to go thru both sides of the door, hoping that they would add stability. So far that has worked out. I put a thin bead of clear silicone under the head of the ferrule, then more on the bottom. They're solid so far.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=214151&d=1747847369

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=214150&d=1747847369

[Badfish]

Thin bead of silicone, simplicity at its best! Also gives a little flex. Sounds like a plan, thanks.

[John4337]

Finished them both up.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=214456&d=1748611901

[CraigS]

I probably missed it in earlier threads but WOW, you lined the top! I am very impressed w/ your work. My APE top had black bedliner.

[John4337]

Close up of the newest version.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=215620&d=1751135120