Working on the windows on my 65 (pics)

[mkoebra95]

Hey guys,

I'm currently trying to get the power windows working as well as the driver's side vent window to crank on my 65. It's too dang hot to drive around here with NO a/c and only the passenger side vent window open...

For the power windows:

I know it could be basically one or both of two things: no power going to the motor or bad motor. I took the door trim pieces off of both sides and followed the trouble shooting guide in the shop manual. When I applied 12v power to the driver's side window, it went up and down with some minor binding so I think it's a safe bet that something is wrong in the wiring. The first thing I'll check is the switch since it is flapping in the breeze on the center console

The passenger side didn't budge. I hit the motor with a rubber hammer and pushed and pulled on the window to see if it was bound and still no movement with power applied. While I still don't know if the wiring is bad, I know the motor is most likely shot on the ps.

Question for this mini-project: are the window motors a Ford wide common part or am I forced to call Tbird HQ et al to buy a special part?

For the driver's side vent window:

The crank spins freely and I've visually verified that it does turn the rod going into the actuator. Problem is the gears don't engage. If I push the window out by about 1/2 inch, the gears catch and it'll crank the rest of the way open. Same with shutting it. I ASSuME that I need to replace the regulator.

The question is HOW?

I've read the 2 paragraphs in chap 17 of the shop manual and looked at the pictures and read the write up in the body/intrerior assembly manual and they seem to only talk about adjusting the alignment of the window, not replacing the regulator. If the attached pics don't do it justice, suffice it to say that the regulator is burried behind sheet metal with no decent sized opening near it for access.

Questions:
The shop manual says to do this in the first paragraph "remove the door inside handles, the door trim panel and then carefully remove the door water shield to gain access to the vent and window adjustments"

What is the "door trim panel" and what is the "door water shield"? I took off the front and back chrome strips and then what I would call the trim panel (the part with the arm rest).

In your opinion(s) am I going in the right direction here with replacing the regulator (I got a NOS FoMoCo one off eBay a couple months ago)? If not any suggestions on how to fix this?

Pics:
Inside of the door with the trim removed:


DS vent window workings close up:


NOS vent window regulator:

[Harley Eaton]

The vent window regulator is removed by removing the two bolts holding it in place. These bolts can be reached by going through the access holes in the door. Bolt head size: 7/16 inches. I think the "door trim panel" is the inside door panel. I suspect you do not have a "water shield". It was between the metal door and the door panel to keep water off the door panel. It was "glued" to the metal door. It's not unusual to find broken wires where they exit the door to go into the body of the car.

[mkoebra95]

Thanks Harley! I will poke around a bit more when there are no threats of afternoon tstorms...

[bondobird]

Try replacing the 20 amp window circut breaker FIRST. Its located right above the glass fuses. This was cutting out on mine. You can get these at any auto store about $5. Its biggerthan stock, just snip off mounting ears and put it in an empty bigger slot. This solved my mystery windows.

[bondobird]

As 4 the wing, I removed the bolts and nuts for the front channel and wing assembly and then wiggle the whole thing out as one. EZ to work on then. Kind of tight fit, but what isn't on any Bird?

[mkoebra95]

Thanks for the suggestions Bondobird. I've checked the fuse once, but I'll look at it again and replace it outright.

As for the wing, it looks like the whole thing comes out just as you described. I will do that and replace the regulator once I get some time when there are no afternoon rain storms forecasted.

[mkoebra95]

My parents came to visit and Dad and I did some work on both of these problems: wing window and power windows.

As described in this thread from Bondobird, the wing window comes out as one unit after 4 bolts are removed. It takes some wiggling and rotating to get it past all of the window internals.

Replacing the regulator itself is an easy process. Two bolts removed and it falls out. There were two things that we did to make the window mate up better in the closed position. First, the cast stop in the regulator prevented the window from sealing perfectly. No worries, I used a little Dremel sanding wheel to remove about 1/4 of a MM of material and it sealed great. Second, there is a little cylindrical link with slots on each end that actually connect the regulator and the window link. The slots were worn a bit such that the window would wobble 1/16th of an inch in and out. We chopped up an aluminum beer can and made a small shim to take up the slack in the link and now it's solid. Replacing the cylindrical link with a new one or for the more industrious, making your own are options, but for me/us, my 65 will have an "open container" for the rest of its life...

[mkoebra95]

Now for the beezutch of a problem: working on the power windows...

One piece of background: the driver's window worked when I first got the car last year. It would come up and down slowly but worked. It randomly stopped working earlier this year. I checked the regulator motor and it moves up and down with 12V placed directly to the wiring.

That being said...

We checked the 20amp CB and it has power on all terminals. The power wire with yellow connector coming into the switch assembly has power. We did a resistance check of the different positions of the driver's window switch and the switch seems ok.

Checking the continuity from the wiring harness to the doors, we came up with something potentially odd. On both door wiring harnesses, the outside connector (one at the round end of the enclosed terminal and the post at the door) shows open. The other two wires have continuity from the harness in the car to the ends at the door.

On the switch assembly, the passenger door window switch is shot and both of the rear quarter windows have broken wires. Looks like I'm buying another switch assembly...

Anyway, the troubleshooting goes on...