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Windless channel

1951 chevy blue

1951 chevy blue

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Sep 16, 2014
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Age
70
Location
Cape Cod Ma.
I am ready to install the windless channels or track. I am thinking to use #6 sheet metal screws. I don't have the rubber yet so the question is. Is there still room for the rubber with these screws? What spacing of screws is suggested?
Thanks,Mike
 
That windlace channel is a really tight fit! Take a look at Ol Chebby's thread on "How to assemble an AD". He has pics of how the piece slides in. I have doubts about if there is enough room for screws and the windlace...
 
47-48 channels were held on with screws

Try a truss or pancake head self drilling.
 
Last edited:
Bill Hanlon said:
I think mine is spot welded on.


Welcome back Bill. Ready for a butt kicking contest yet?
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Maybe a one legged butt kickin' contest. Man,this spending two hours on a Continuous Passive Motion machine, twice a day, and going to physical therapy is going to get old real quick.
 
I know mine were spot welded on, originally. The lower section on the kick panels will soon be plug welded back on.
 
I would say if you were going to use screws to make sure you counter sink them so they are flush and use counter sunk screws. this is if you cannot or do not want to spot weld them back on. I would not pop rivet them because the rubber would get hung up on the rivets. remember to have lots of silicone lube handy while putting the rubber in the channel.

my problem is I took the forward channels off to replace the kick panels. (one on each side) and I only need to replace that one on each side. they seem to be only sold in the set of three for each side, and at a cost of $70. does anybody have or know where I could buy these cheaper just for the ones I need ?? thanks
 
Sitesg419 said:
my problem is I took the forward channels off to replace the kick panels. (one on each side) and I only need to replace that one on each side. they seem to be only sold in the set of three for each side, and at a cost of $70. does anybody have or know where I could buy these cheaper just for the ones I need ?? thanks
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That is what happened to me, also. I think if a guy bought one side, he could cut off enough to do both kick panels.
 
14 years ago

I had this issue when building my 54 over a decade ago. The closest thing I found was an aluminum piece sold as a door side molding. I bought the molding kit, used what I needed. Installed with pop rivets. The wind lace rubber covers a bunch on sins. The rubber was a real fight to install. I won the fight over time, used a hot water soak to soften the rubber, and used Vaseline petroleum jelly to grease it. The Vaseline cleans up easily.
Jim
 
The 47 and 48 were flat strips that screwed on. From sometime in 49 they used C channel with rolled over top edges that the windlace slid into from the end. These were spot welded on. We drill a 1/4" hole about every 4-6 inches and then hold the mig nozzle tight against the channel to spot back on. A tip here is to use a paint stirring stick cross ways across the channel to guide the nozzle so the spot is exactly in the center of the drilled hole. Just a few practice spot will have you hitting the bulls eye. Now, never, NEVER use any silicone spray/lube on the rubber or around anything that may ever be painted. Not too high on vaseline either. Use original white Go-Jo (not with lanolin), it's slippery as snot, won't cause paint problems, and washes or wipes off instantly with water. If you don't have a welder you can panel bond them on which is a better bond than either screws or welding. Just put an 1/8" bead on the back side and use screws to hold overnight. Back the screws out and dab holes shut. Panel bond is what holds your 90's and up Chevy truck door hinges to the pillar post and the panels on super sonic jets and space shuttles.
 
silicone lube

I have never had a problem with silicone lube on my paint and or rubber , I use it all the time and take it off the paint with wax and grease remover. what is the issue with silicone Evan?
 
Sitesg419 said:
my problem is I took the forward channels off to replace the kick panels. (one on each side) and I only need to replace that one on each side. they seem to be only sold in the set of three for each side, and at a cost of $70. does anybody have or know where I could buy these cheaper just for the ones I need ?? thanks
Click to expand...


I used some one of those extendable curtain rods from Walmart as windlace channel in the few spots that I needed to replace due to rust. Pretty cheap and you can't really see it with windlace installed. I hope this helps.

-Joshua
 
If you aren't painting after using silicone it's OK but if you do paint after anything with silicone in it then fish eyes are guaranteed. If there has been anything with silicone used like Armor All or WD40 we use lots of wax and grease remover and a new cloth for every wipe---probably 30 cloths for a whole car since even a tiny trace will produce fish eyes. Once done with the remover we then double or triple wash with Dawn dish soap in water as hot as we can stand it. It is then rinsed for a half hour and then a final rinse with distilled water from a pressurized stainless soft drink cylinder; this removes trace minerals found in municipal water. With PPG or Dupont paint and supplies running us over two thousand per car one just can't mess up often. All of this can be avoided if no silicone has been used.
 
Evan, totally understood. Thank you for that information. I don't do the body work or the painting so my knowledge in that department is little. thank you guys for the reply.
 
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