Public Service Announcement; De-Chroming Windows

[kevinmrowland]

I was searching around last night for info on window tint and came across a bunch of old threads on removing window chrome.

If you remove your window chrome and don't replace it with some form of welting the widows are not sealed. Cruiser style window gaskets require an expander to seal properly. That is what the chrome does.

The good news is that black rubber welting is available at any auto glass place and it works better than the chrome, making for a tighter seal.

The photos are of the welting in place, if the gaskets are soaked in silicone the welting is fairly easy to install. You can see that the stuff makes the bends easily even on the windshield


I ran out of the welting on my truck and never "got around" to getting the hatch window done. Several years latter I needed to pop out two windows, the expanded gasket window was fine, the hatch window was not. Since the rubber was not expanded, water, dust, dirt and salt got in there and the window frame required grinding and repainting.

This may have already been mentioned but I did not see any posts on it. Just wanted to let you all know.

[overhanger]

That's a good one Kevin, but what's up with the Seniors parking pass???

[fogblanket]

what an excellent sticker in the second shot.
are you goin gto come down and put the windows in the lv when the time comes?
jason

[kevinmrowland]

Curmudgeon in training Steve.

[kevinmrowland]

Jason, I was thinking about stopping in this weekend, will you be ready to install by then?

[overhanger]

Originally Posted by kevinmrowland

Curmudgeon in training Steve.

Two good ones in one day! Take the rest of the afternoon off, youngster!

[brett76]

whered ya get that sticker?

[fogblanket]

brett76 check the venders section for stickers under the Araco sitckers for sale.
Kevin it should be ready Sunday evening after we sand prime and paint the cruiser on saturday and sunday morning. but if you don't get the body work done by sunday we can always finish it up over thanksgiving weekend
still have mice?

[kevinmrowland]

Ok, you let me know if you and your crew get it done by sunday and me and my mice will come over to pop those windows in.

And yes, that is a very nice sticker.

[kevinmrowland]

on a side note this thread was supposed to be about window sealing, not stickers and mice.
Get back on track.

[hightide]

how do you go about asking for the welting. is it a particular size?
is this one of those best mods under 50 bucks?

Gracias!

[kevinmrowland]

Originally Posted by hightide

how do you go about asking for the welting. is it a particular size?
is this one of those best mods under 50 bucks?

Gracias!

I would print out one of the photos I posted and tell them that the base measures about 14mm, 9/16"
Definitely under $50. If the shop is nice they will give it to you for free, the first time I got it for free the second time a different shop charged me a few bucks.

I suppose I should ad it to the $50 mod thread but I have a boatload of stuff to list there and I haven't got around to it yet, that and I would need to buy a star

[sl33py]

is it difficult to put in? 20yr old vehicle and all... Anyone else done this? looks pretty nice!!! DId you do the front window as well?

rob

[87CRUSR]

Looks good. Can you post a wider view to see the whole window effect?

[kevinmrowland]

It's not hard to put in at all. It takes awhile but is not hard. I have the stuff on the windshield as well, it goes around the corners with a bit of coaxing and really helps to seal it up.
All my weather striping is 20 years old. If you put spray silicone on the gaskets (or any rubber for that matter) they are like new and the welting slides right in.

It is dark out here now but I could snap a photo tomorrow.
This is the closest thing I have on my computer.

[mmw68]

Kevin,
Is that Rack new? It goes nice with the windows....don't want to get of topic!

[kevinmrowland]

Thats the same one that was on at the bash.

[wink84fj60]

nice kevin. let me know if u plan on tackling the window trim on the doors. i talking about the annoying strip at the bottom of the windows attached to the doors.

[kevinmrowland]

Ok, so I went out to get a photo and realized that my truck is all dirty again and you can't see anything.
What do you want a photo for anyway? it looks just like every other de-chromed 60, except the weather stripping is sealed.

I regret not attacking the chrome around the windows during the original repaint. Someday soon the doors will be coming off for a tune up.
As you know, you need the ugly chrome bit at the base of the roll up windows, it is part of the weather seal. You can, however, sand the piss out of it (remove the rubber bits) and paint it black, that looks sharp. The other chrome around the frame is not necessary, but the underlying metal will most likely require repainting once it is removed.

Kevin R.

[Dunbar]

subscribed!

[kevinmrowland]

You subscribed to a year old tread?
Lay off the mead there pirate (that should say "arr" not cheers)

[5280Hawk]

I have searched a few different Glass shops in Denver, even E-mailed a Shop manager, the picture from the top of this thread and STILL can't find this stuff!

Edit -

Kevin, Since you have a little business going maybe you should sell this stuff too!!! Please?

[S&S1stCruzer]

Originally Posted by 5280Hawk

I have searched a few different Glass shops in Denver, even E-mailed a Shop manager, the picture from the top of this thread and STILL can't find this stuff!

Edit -

Kevin, Since you have a little business going maybe you should sell this stuff too!!! Please?

Are you talking about the welting stuff around the windows? I found of shop here in tucson that I bought the stuck by the ft. (the had it on a spool), there's two different sizes. The ones for the side and the front and rear window are small size. I'll try to find there number and the part# or a way to ID the product. They might do phone orders?

[5280Hawk]

Are you talking about the welting stuff around the windows?

yeah, I can't find it anywhere, and the glass shops around here are no help.

[beaufort-fj60]

the welting on a 73-87 gmc truck looks very similar. Your local shop might be able to look it up using that truck.

[kevinmrowland]

Originally Posted by beaufort-fj60

the welting on a 73-87 gmc truck looks very similar. Your local shop might be able to look it up using that truck.

Pretty sure that is what I was told it was from.
I have more info written down about it somewhere, someone PMed me about helping them find some of this years ago and I lost the PM, now lets see if I can find the info.
The stuff was pretty cost effective, maybe I'll see if I can find a whole roll to divi up.

[5280Hawk]

That would be sweet!

I would be your first customer.