HARDTOP Guys please respond

[MARIAH]

MARIAH is still travelling without A/C.
Windows are normally stored and air is just “packed” into the Hardtop (no real flow through).
IS THERE VALUE, in installing 4” vents in the side porthole windows or in the rear window.?
It would seem adding exits would encourage “flow through” on those Hot Summer miles.
Simple caps inside during the winter.

Any thoughts?

[Badfish]

Great question, I’m curious as well. Thought I recall a post from years ago where someone added these in the rear window. I’d try to get clear if possible.

Certainly a lot of air buffering at speed.

[CraigS]

On my APE top I made the rear window relatively easy to remove/reinstall using 1/8 plexiglass as a mockup. When I had the system finalized I made one from lexan. I used D seal on the lexan itself. At the bottom I made felt lined pieces that the lexan slid on top of. This isn't a great pic but the flat piece is just slightly off of parallel to the fiberglass so the lexan slides into a wedge shape to squeaze the seal a little.
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The top had small pieces that rotated on a small bolt. Horizontal, push the lexan toward the fiberglass, flip the piece to vertical.
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The seal from outside.
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Here are a couple of the SS bolt heads from outside.
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Being able to take the side and back windows in or out depending on temp made a world of difference. In fact my top never came off the car. Later I made side windows but I made them permanent. Their advantage which kind of surprised me was when pulling out of a drive or parking lot and being able to see SO much better.
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[John4337]

Interesting, I've been thinking about something like these.

https://www.acwmotorsportplastics.co.uk/acw-360-pop-vent.html

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[MARIAH]

Good Job, Craig. Pictures explain the engineering. Thanks for that effort to pose the photos.
Our windows are door mounted in 3 holes.
I made "half" window that use the two rear holes and twist latches at the rear to hold them to the body.
They really do help with the buffeting on the side of your face. The wife uses hers frequently when we will be on the road all day.

[MARIAH]

I used similar in the side windows for a couple years, but eventually we just drove mostly with the windows out.
Thanks for this LINK, the interesting and useful point is they SNAP CLOSED which my other ones did not.

[Badfish]

I like it, especially that it pops in & out.


Interesting, I've been thinking about something like these.

https://www.acwmotorsportplastics.co.uk/acw-360-pop-vent.html

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[Badfish]

Wondering if I can 3D print it!

[Badfish]

US-based: https://www.univair.com/miscellaneous/view-all/cc3251-large-snap-vent-pair/

[CraigS]

Certainly side windows 'could' increase airflow. But my theory is that they are parallel to wind direction so their effect would be minimal. Also as much as I was surprised how much my side windows help w/ view of traffic, I'd rather keep them as large as possible.

[MARIAH]

Agreed. There were some dangerous miles before I added the side windows. I am thinking any ventilation is down low and to the sides of the rear window. Still thinking.
I still have and use, mirrors inside both windshield posts that Dave Van pointed me to many years ago. They do keep folks from hiding in my blind spot trying to figure out what kind of Corvette, MG or Healey this is.

[Badfish]

Interesting on either installing in the quarter windows or rear.

Also, some other guidance I found on hole drilling: https://www.gt40s.com/threads/installation-of-snap-vents-windows.23919/

Phillip - for the side windows, I saw you mentioned you have the style that pin into the doors. How do you keep them from pushing out at speed?

[ProfessorB]

I don't get on the website as much as I would like, but just noticed you and your Avatar. Semper Fi from Abbeville...:o

[MARIAH]

I don't get on the website as much as I would like, but just noticed you and your Avatar. Semper Fi from Abbeville...:o
ProfessorB. We do a Veteran Coffee House the 4th Thursday of every month, 8:00AM-1030. Coffee, Fellowship, Conversation.
May 22 will be DIFFERENT, Noon-1:30 Picnic at a nearby Lake Robinson. If you are free on the 22nd, drive up. SemperFi

[MARIAH]

Interesting on either installing in the quarter windows or rear.

Also, some other guidance I found on hole drilling: https://www.gt40s.com/threads/installation-of-snap-vents-windows.23919/

Phillip - for the side windows, I saw you mentioned you have the style that pin into the doors. How do you keep them from pushing out at speed?

The Subject has changed a little, but I will answer this way on what I call my Half Windows:
History, my original windows from Whitby were Flip Up, no holes in the doors.
A year later I copied DaveVan and purchased the ERA 3-pin windows and drilled my doors for the pins.
The wife complained about the constant buffeting when our windows were out.
So I used the left over Flip Up windows to fabricate the mockup versions you see here.
I think these latches were left over from the Whitby Windows, but can easily be found at McMaster-Carr.
These latches keep the window secured to the hardtop, just have to remember to open them before opening the door.
That is a long.... short story.
We liked the Mockup version so well we both continue to use them on long drives just to cut reduce that buffeting to the side of your face.
I just now realized that I have answered the WRONG question. I need to take a photo or two, I'll be back

[MARIAH]

A couple photos and I'm back.
The question was what keeps the Windows from pushing out (being pulled out by the wind).
That was not a problem with the flip up windows, but once I did the door mounted ones I saw that problem immediately.

On the Driver side I have mounted my outside mirror (required there when the windows Flipped Up.
As the door closes the window slides nicely BEHIND the LIP on my mirror mount (see that in the photo?) preventing it from being pulled out at speed.

On the Passenger side I used one of the little brackets used to mount the sun visor to the windshield frame (I am on my 2nd set). It magically was the right shape and size to catch the Passenger Window as it closes.

Neither is a tight fit, but they do the job. Lots of similar things could be mounted to the W/S frame to catch that plexiglas.

I'll bet Craig has a solution he has developed.

So with the Hardtop in place and in particular if anything is on the Luggage Rack, the Dash mirror is useless and I keep it turned down. My main rearview mirror is mounted to the Hardtop and that Driver side windshield post...... in these two photos you can see the small 3" mirrors mounted on the INSIDE of the windshield post that give me a look at the Blind Spot. They were in use BEFORE the port hole windows and I still use them too.

[Badfish]

Awesome, thanks Phillip! That’s exactly what I was looking to see.

i went thru the same changes as you. I originally had the flip up windows as well. Picked up a set of door mount. First drive with the new windows, they started pushing out. This gives me some good ideas. I have some of those tabs as extras, may try that. Thanks!

[Badfish]

Had I known I’d need some type of flange, I would have moved the mirror bracket further back!

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[CraigS]

I stuck w/ the top mounted windows so didn't have the wind pushing them out. My thought would be, if you can angle the door mounted windows in at the top slightly they will contact the top at the top of the opening first. Maybe a strip of aluminum 1/16" by 3/4-1" wide could be adhered to the top so it's edge over hangs the opening just enough that the window would slide up under it??? I would experiment using double sided tape (the old magic mending tape type) to get the overhang just right. Then I'd use mounting tape for the final install. I think you could paint it to match the top and it would look fine if done carefully.

[John4337]

Door windows do want to pull away, even though I set mine up to hit the top before the door was closed. I guess the top creates a low pressure area there. I had to add two catches to stop it.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=196036&d=1708903845

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

[Badfish]

Thanks guys, good to see it’s a common problem, and not how I positioned the windows / ferrules when initially drilled. More questions on best mounting technique of the ferrules, but I’ll start a new thread. Sorry for hijacking the thread!

Back to the pop out vents!

[Badfish]

Looking at my quarter windows, thinking I could put the pop outs in the rear lower area, rather than the rear window. May need to do a trial run before ordering / cutting, take the side windows out and see if that reduces the buffering.

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[John4337]

Looking at my quarter windows, thinking I could put the pop outs in the rear lower area, rather than the rear window. May need to do a trial run before ordering / cutting, take the side windows out and see if that reduces the buffering.

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Looking forward to your results

[MARIAH]

Just to close out some Hardtop points.
We spend most of our miles, even in light rain, with the windows out.
So I added Drip Rail which some may find useful (Craig with the Flip Ups will not);


This is the hardtop drip rail I purchased. Trimlok DRB product

https://www.amazon.com/Trim-Lok-DRB-25-Durometer-Shore-0-50000-Height/dp/B06VWRJZ3W
This is a great product because it is made of flexible PVC and it has it's own industrial-strength adhesive on the back, manufactured by 3M. Drip rail creates a rain gutter anywhere. And for our Hardtops… Can be applied around a curved area. Approx. 7/8" tall, protrudes out 5/8" from the wall.
Here is a Video on how to install Drip Rail http://www.trimlok.com/cms/DRInstall_26.aspx213684213684