68 GT convertible project
I've been working on cleaning up all the window regulators and tracks. The regulators are in really good shape. All the plastic sliders look new. The only thing that I'll need to find is the plastic pieces that hold the side glass to the lift bracket. One of mine is broken and the bracket is loose. Might as well replace both of them.
I did have one problem but its been taken care of. After pulling the last mechanism out of the EvapoRust, I realized the coil spring was cracked. It must not have liked being derusted.
I found someone with a spring off of a 73 which looked the same in pictures so I bought it. While it was being shipped, I tried to figure out a safe way to replace the spring. The end "teeth" on the mechanisms are square. This prevents the "gear" from spinning all the way off that section of the mechanism. I simply ground the corner off at an angle. Here is an unmodified mechanism tooth next to the modified one.
With the gear off of the teeth, that section of the mechanism will spin all the way around to the other side which unloads the spring.
To reinstall, I mounted the gear section in the vise and used the other end as a lever. I installed the replacement spring with no tension, then spun the mechanism around until I could spin the gear back onto the teeth. That was it. Pretty simple install. The problem was that the 73 spring didn't end up being correct. It's smaller then my original one. I got it to work but it's not preloaded as much as the original. Right now I'm calling it good but I'll keep an eye out for the correct spring.
I've been working on cleaning up all the window regulators and tracks. The regulators are in really good shape. All the plastic sliders look new. The only thing that I'll need to find is the plastic pieces that hold the side glass to the lift bracket. One of mine is broken and the bracket is loose. Might as well replace both of them.
I did have one problem but its been taken care of. After pulling the last mechanism out of the EvapoRust, I realized the coil spring was cracked. It must not have liked being derusted.
I found someone with a spring off of a 73 which looked the same in pictures so I bought it. While it was being shipped, I tried to figure out a safe way to replace the spring. The end "teeth" on the mechanisms are square. This prevents the "gear" from spinning all the way off that section of the mechanism. I simply ground the corner off at an angle. Here is an unmodified mechanism tooth next to the modified one.
With the gear off of the teeth, that section of the mechanism will spin all the way around to the other side which unloads the spring.
To reinstall, I mounted the gear section in the vise and used the other end as a lever. I installed the replacement spring with no tension, then spun the mechanism around until I could spin the gear back onto the teeth. That was it. Pretty simple install. The problem was that the 73 spring didn't end up being correct. It's smaller then my original one. I got it to work but it's not preloaded as much as the original. Right now I'm calling it good but I'll keep an eye out for the correct spring.