Got the vent windows latches in my BUG!!!

As an FYI, soapy water is the last thing you want to use. You now have water trapped to cause rust from the inside out.

Mercedes uses an alcohol based assembly lube for installing rubber seals because of this.

Kirk,

Here's how I did it...

1959 Beetle Vent Window Latch Replacement and Seal Renewal ©By John Willis

Have you ever needed to replace the vent window latch or renew the seal between the vent window glass and the frame? Ever consider how they get the glass into its frame with the water tight rubber seal in between? At the factory they use a special jig and press to mate the two without breaking the glass. Chances are none of us have these tools at hand in our garages! So how do you go about replacing the seal between the glass and frame if it fails or if you need to replace the entire latch assembly?

Replacing the latch is relatively simple and easy. You can buy a replacement part just for the moving portions of the latch, the installation of which does not require removal of the window. It does require some sort of fine pin punch, and in a pinch a small drill bit the correct size can be used with a small hammer to tap out the pin which holds the moving portion of the latch. Installation of the new latch is the reverse of removal, just take care not to lose any of the small parts such as the spring or the pin!

Complete replacement of the entire latch requires removal of the vent wing window and further, it requires removal of the glass from the frame. I'm assuming most of the people reading this know how to remove the vent wing window, which requires taking the door panel off. If you don't feel comfortable with this, stop now and consider taking the car to a competent mechanic.

After removing the glass from the frame by the method of your choice, drill out the old rivets with a suitably sized drill bit and remove the latch. Stainless steel pop-rivets, available from WCM at an overly inflated price, are then needed to install the new latch assembly. Home Depot and Lowes and local hardware stores do not seem to carry stainless steel pop-rivets. I have yet to find a local supplier for these, but I haven't looked very diligently. Next, you need a new window seal and the correct jig to use with your press to re-install the glass into the frame...or you could use the following method...

On my 1959 Beetle, when I was installing the new door rubber on the driver's side door, I noticed the vent wing window was not tight in its frame. The original rubber had dried up and shrunk to the point of nearly letting the glass fall out! In this case, removal of the glass from the frame was a simple matter of a slight tug. After making inquiries about how to fix this properly, I decided to try a different method. The difference between the following repair and the correct factory repair is not noticeable!

There are a number of great caulks and sealers available today. I try to never use commonly available silicone based sealers, except on very specific applications. Silicone based caulks usually do a poor job, peel off, and typically can't be painted. On the other hand, have you ever walked down a city street and noticed the sealer used in some kinds of construction? The joints between pre-fabricated concrete walls used in tilt-wall construction require a seal. This seal consists of a backing and then a caulk, both of which are urethane based. Urethane based caulks cure by absorbing moisture from the air. When cured, they resemble rubber quite closely and they are available in a variety of colors. They cost about $3.50 a tube. A standard caulking gun is the only equipment you need. The brand name of one sealer locally available is NP-1. It is not available at Home Depot or Lowes. You can find it at some roofing supply houses and before they went bankrupt and closed their doors, Payless Cashways carried it as well.

Remove the glass. In order to insure a good seal, clean the window frame very well, first by scraping out the old rubber. Take care to use a tool that will not mar the window frame. Next use a fine wire or stiff bristled nylon brush to remove all the dust, dirt, and grime. Use a solvent like lacquer thinner to remove any and all oil residue and dry off with compressed air. Place a small bead of caulk inside the frame and install the glass, taking care to make certain it is centered in the frame on all three axes. It is very important to position the glass correctly in the frame. Once the caulk cures there is no possibility of repositioning the glass. Fortunately urethane based caulks cure slowly so there is a long working period. Take your time. Check and re-check the position of the glass in the frame. Once you are satisfied with the orientation of the glass in the frame use a fine scraper to remove any excess and dress down the edges. No one will notice this is not a correct vintage repair without looking extremely closely! Before re-installing the window, allow the caulk to cure completely. The time required for the caulk to fully cure varies depending on the humidity level, but a couple of days ought to be sufficient.

This seal is superior to the rubber you could buy to do this repair by-the-book. I use this sealer in my work, usually in exterior applications here in Texas with all the extremes of heat and sun. With over ten years of using this kind of product, I have yet seen it fail. Conversely, I've had other rubber seals, bought from a reputable west coast supplier for this specific 1959 Beetle, fail to the point of splitting and falling off in as little as one year! The quality of after market automotive rubber seals varies widely based upon the composition of the rubber. Some will last years, some only months. In this application, using a high grade urethane sealer takes the guesswork out of the process and insures a good seal for years to come.

So, you can replace the entire latch assembly and renew the seal between the glass and the frame at home without any fancy tools, presses, or jigs. All that is required is a caulking gun for the tube of urethane sealer, a tool to dress down the caulk, and a drill and pop-rivet gun to remove and install the new latch into the frame.

Oh, and you need to be able to take the door apart and put it back together!

On Wed, 19 Dec 2007 07:44:00 -0600, "Kirk" scribbled this interesting note:

-- John Willis snipped-for-privacy@airmail.net (Remove the Primes before e-mailing me)

FWIW, alcohol-based hand disinfectant that you can find in squirt bottles is good for that. It is alcohol so that it evaporates, but has just enough lubricant to keep it wet long enough to push the windshield in.

Great job done. Dennis