Why rear windows only used to go down halfway?

[Station]

I always wondered why this was so - I remember all the old cars, even up to the Cavalier, the rear windows only went down to about a 1/3 above the door. I thought it was a safety thing, but recently read it was actually the arches in the way! Is this true?

[pogweasel]

Quite obviously, yes.

[Pete-M]

or doors that didn't have hyuge wheelarch intrusions.

 

There used to be something (but I can't remember what it was) where the SWB's rear windows only went down 3/4 of the way, but the LWB's ones went all the way down. I was thinking CX, but I don't think that was it.

 

Grr, that's going to bug me now.

[Tayne]

.

[Richard]

recently read it was actually the arches in the way! Is this true?

Not entirely, the rear windows on the SAAB 900 used to go all the way down if they were electric but only half way down if they were keep-fit.

[dollywobbler]

Subaru try and get around it with the peculiar tilting window thing. GR8 4 LOOKIN LIK UR WINDOW'S OFF DA RUNNERZ!

[Spottedlaurel]

Subaru try and get around it with the peculiar tilting window thing. GR8 4 LOOKIN LIK UR WINDOW'S OFF DA RUNNERZ!

That seems to be pretty common on Japanese cars with pillarless/frameless glass - the Laurel hardtop did the same thing.

 

On a window-related theme, what are the little bits of rubber for on many front windows? Usually about 2/3 of the way up the seal. Some sort of mild aerodynamic thing to keep the glass clear, or just to retain the glass if you try and shut it when travelling at speed and the window is being sucked out?

[Guest]

I had some of those on the Galant and they made a right racket at motorway speeds, so I took them off and left them in the glovebox. Doesn't seem to have done anything other than made it nice and quiet!

[myglaren]

On a window-related theme, what are the little bits of rubber for on many front windows? Usually about 2/3 of the way up the seal. Some sort of mild aerodynamic thing to keep the glass clear, or just to retain the glass if you try and shut it when travelling at speed and the window is being sucked out?

I had a GS and found that the windows couldn't be closed at more than about 45mph as the glass was sucked outwards - perhaps the rubber thingies are guides to preclude this?

[MrDuke]

Subaru try and get around it with the peculiar tilting window thing. GR8 4 LOOKIN LIK UR WINDOW'S OFF DA RUNNERZ!

That seems to be pretty common on Japanese cars with pillarless/frameless glass - the Laurel hardtop did the same thing.

 

On a window-related theme, what are the little bits of rubber for on many front windows? Usually about 2/3 of the way up the seal. Some sort of mild aerodynamic thing to keep the glass clear, or just to retain the glass if you try and shut it when travelling at speed and the window is being sucked out?

Fatha_Duke's Renault 9 Biarritz ( ) had these - I remember once he told me he had been doing 60 on the motorway in torrential rain, and the side windows were totally obscured, except for a triangle running up the a-pillar to the 'rubber' then down again to the bottom of the glass, thus allowing him to see the wing-mirror.

 

That could be a complete coincidence, or more likely another case of Fatha_Duke talking utter bollocks, but I can't think of any other use other than aerodynamic. I can't think that their absence would cause the windows to violently shatter at high speeds.

[shite_meister]

Subaru try and get around it with the peculiar tilting window thing. GR8 4 LOOKIN LIK UR WINDOW'S OFF DA RUNNERZ!

Fuck me my Lexus LS does that, the first time it happend I was convinced that the window was banjaxed. it tilts forwards like its in a pissed stupor.

[dollywobbler]

Those little bits on the front windows - can we get a difinitive answer? I now need to know!! BX and 21 both have these.

[Richard]

The rubber wedges are to guide the window when closing it on the move.

[Minimad5]

Those little bits on the front windows

Can someone get a picture of these "little bits" , as i am totally confused

[Lord Sterling]

I always wondered why this was so - I remember all the old cars, even up to the Cavalier, the rear windows only went down to about a 1/3 above the door. I thought it was a safety thing, but recently read it was actually the arches in the way! Is this true?

Thats exactly what I used to wonder, until I saw this thread

 

Seen those tilting rear windows, I too thought it had come off its runners, but smooth operation made me think otherwise.

 

Never seen these rubber wedges. Well, at least I've never noticed them.

[Richard]

Near the top of the window here.

 

[Station]

I thought they were for:

 

a) guiding windscreen washer water,

reflecting air flow 'bluster' away from the window.

 

I've wondered this many a time. They don't seem to appear since windows became flush with the body.

[whitevanman]

I always assumed they were clips for a windscreen protector type cover thingy......I've used them for such in the past

[Minimad5]

Thanks Richard

 

Does anyone know the correct name for these plastic "things" ?

 

-Googles does not show answers -

[dollywobbler]

I'm not buying the 'guide the window' line. The entire frame does that and I've never seen the glass on any of my cars get anywhere near those wedges.

 

If it is to deflect screenwash, they're shite! Must be some sort of buffeting thing - modern cars don't need them, and you really get buffeted, presumably because you're meant to just turn the air con on... (this could be sheer coincidence though!)

[Richard]

You don't have to buy it but that's what they are for. The frame doesn't do it because the window doesn't slide up the frame, it slides towards it.

[Lord Sterling]

I see now. Never really thought about them.

[warren t claim]

I want to see a return of the bubble windows that were a popular accessory in the '70's. Every Reliant used to seem to have them.

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

Funny. When I used to ride around in a Laguna I with the window open, I'd rest my hand on the little plastic protrusion. I never thought about what it was for.

[Milford Cubicle]

I've done a 'plastic tab thingy' census of all the cars in the household.

Neither the Cavalier or 9000 have the tabs, but the Primera does. Its window sealing doesn't look as well-engineered as the other two, with an exposed and rather shallow seal.

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

They seem to be disappearing...

 

They're on the Laguna I but not Laguna II

Mondeo II but not III

Primera II but not III

Accord V, VI but not VII

 

They're still on the Micra and Almera though!

[Jozza]

I'm not buying the 'guide the window' line. The entire frame does that and I've never seen the glass on any of my cars get anywhere near those wedges.

My Land Rover Ninety has the plastic wedges on the leading edge of the front windows and they certainly do guide the glass into line (even if that's not what they're for!). When you're bashing along at 70MPH with the windows open the glass can flap around quite a bit (especially when you factor in 20 years of rust going to work on the internal frame of the door that supports the window winder) and if the wedges weren't there they could easily miss the groove.

[Pete-M]

I had a Mini 1275GT many many moons ago.

 

This one.

 

 

Picture is unfortunately complete with an 18 yr old me wearing a particularly dodgy cardigan. I even had a comedy "Alf" haircut to match.

 

Back to the window frames. This old mini had a Seriously hairy motor in it, 1480 or thereabouts - used to blow gearboxes up for fun, anyway, wound it up to about 6000 rpm in top gear and it'd go fast enough to suck the door window frames open far enough to fit your fingers into.

 

Unfortunately, when I saw this, I was young and foolish enough* to try it when for some reason - It had blown another box to smithereens - It quickly slowed down, leaving me to drive it with one hand on the wheel while the other one was half crushed by the windowframe returning to its rightful position.

 

*Won't do that again.

 

 

There was something I owned a couple of in the mid '90s, but I can't for the life of me remember what it was. Had two 20p sized chrome pins through the front windows holding those little tab thingies to the windowframe. Was it the Carlton GSi? Something like that. Can't remember, anyway, I remember one was missing and there was a lot more windnoise from that side.

 

I'm sure loads of stuff had them in the 80's.

[Station]

I got an answer on those little plastic nubs.

 

They're to stop the window being prized out, as a security/anti-theft measure! Sounds convincing?

[AXrescuer]

I got an answer on those little plastic nubs.

 

They're to stop the window being prized out, as a security/anti-theft measure! Sounds convincing?

Not if the window is put through with a brick. I think they serve some aerodynamic purpose.