Mad Science of Windows

[Grenade]

I have an idea that I want to spitball past you nice people. It directly concerns the B2's rear windows, and their lack of removability.

I've noticed more than a few owners lamenting over the fact that Ford never implemented the removable rear glass on any major scale, if at all, and I've been mulling over this for a week or so. Everything I've come up with has been shot down through a fatal flaw of some kind or another, until now. So I'm hoping you guys can come up with the flaws that I'm missing.

I started with the wild-haired idea of louvered "glass", preferably plexi or an equivalent, run to a motor that would open and close it, with each piece milled at the broad sides to form a "step" that meshes with the panel below and above it, with some silicone weatherseals. The sides would have "arms that extend forward and seal against weatherstripping around the opening beside the upper half of the lower panel, thus creating one sealed panel, weather tight.

Sounds a little complex, so let me try to draw it out.

 

[Grenade]

IN this, the black areas are plexi, or glass, or whatever you want. The red is the swivel or hinge. The grey is the step routered into the "glass" to let the next blade up seal against it when closed. Stack these on top of each other, and the arms seal up to the hinge on the glass below, while still allowing it to swing out and open.

Now, while I was musing on this, and staring at my blinds, I realized something. I think it's entirely possible to have these things open horizontally, and then retract upwards to the roof, much like the sunroofs on some of the pontiacs and chevys louvered and then stacked over each other. Would it be a little bit of a pain in the ass to engineer? Oh yeah.

Sounds stupid complex, right? Your window blinds work in almost exactly the same way, though. A simple motorized draw for opening, and one or two for lifting. I could rig weatherstripping on each blade to reduce rattling noise, and perhaps even add durability. Having them retract up, over the curve and under the roof would keep them out of the elements, too. Not sure how well it would work for your average rock-crawler, but for those bomb-around-town broncos, it might be good.

Thoughts? Insults? Jeers and laughter?

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

I think the idea is interesting. Some possible problems re; kids arms/fingers. If the panels were small enough to stack into a small space, say in the lower section under the window using gravity to help. Then a motor cable system to lift into window mode.

 

[Grenade]

Oh, no, yeah this isn't a very kid-friendly kind of window. I suppose it could easily be made manual instead of motorized with very little effort, and remove some of the risk of finger bruising, though. I don't have kids, myself, so that idea never even occurred to me.

Dropping the glass instead of lifting it could work, too. I was mostly trying to top-suspend it to keep gravity in my favor, but honestly, I don't see why it wouldn't work.

It's a totally impractical kind of window, I know, but I thought it'd be an interesting solution. I imagine a two-piece window with a slider would be easier and more applicable, though.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Yeah, using gravity to help keep it closed makes more sense, in case of cable breaking etc.

 

[dirtcowboy]

Just remove the glass, weld in a plug and install early bronco sliders.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

If I had the time and place, I'd do a chop top and flip the windows so the big flat part was part of the roof. Another thought I've had is to make them removable. Some side windows use integral bolts that go thru the sheet metal and get bolted. I think it would be fairly easy to make a hinged frame to bolt the window to instead and voila...removable side windows.

Time and money, they never seem to meet in my life....

 

[JerryC]

Just remove the glass, weld in a plug and install early bronco sliders.

I'd like something like that. My dog would love a window so that he could he stick his head out of it.

 

[dirtcowboy]

I'd like something like that. My dog would love a window so that he could he stick his head out of it.

Ha! Mine too! I've done the solid side but the early Bronco sliders were something like $450 a pair or more. Still be a cool idea!

 

[deathbypsi]

Way over thinking this....





This was my daily driver for over two years like this. Getting ready to do it again on my 86 I just picked up

 

[dirtcowboy]

Way over thinking this....





This was my daily driver for over two years like this. Getting ready to do it again on my 86 I just picked up

Yup, copied this idea several years ago from a guy who had clear side curtains. One inescapable fact though, there is NOTHING stopping some ahole from stealing your side curtains, then stealing every friggen thing inside the rig as well. Ask me how I know. That's why my Bronco II has solid side sheet metal, I had no choice, I gave away the glass side windows.

 

[JJ Black]

. if the image came thru is this the type window your looking for. I've seen them on old camping trailers and storm doors. The mechanism could be altered to size desired, but currently no clue how to retract up.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Pic from previous poster.