S4 Window glass

[RichardHawkins]

I am looking for a UK company preferably in the midlands who make window glass for old cars.

I don’t understand why I have this problem but the glass does not quite fit. When the right window is at its upper limit the bolt that secures the glass to the front edge of the glass just touches the front top pulley that the rope runs round. When the window is at its lower limit there is about 10mm of clearance between the bolt and the lower pulley, so if the hole were a couple of mm lower in the glass everything should be OK. I have not checked the left window yet.

I need new windows as they are both badly scratched, but so far have not been able to find someone to make a non standard piece of glass. I have driven myself cross eyed looking on the internet most window companies only seem to offer glass for current cars. I have sent a few emails and so far only got rejections, no reply from Pilkingtons yet.

Richard Hawkins

[smo17003]

Hi Richard,

Check your pulley diameters. I have an assortment of old pulleys, some are 19mm OD and some are 24mm. I bought some new ones recently from SM and they are the large type. These were for my S3, and it was the small ones that came off, so I might have a similar problem when I rebuild the frames.
I think my S4 ended up with a mixture of both, but I don't remember having the same problem.

Mike

[ericbushby]

Hi Richard
This may be a daft suggestion, but Sue miller is not far from you and she sells window glass for the Elan and all the necessary fittings. Have you tried there?
Eric in Burnley
1967 S3SE DHC

[RichardHawkins]

Eric,

Sue is my first choice, but she was not able to help.

Richard

[RichardHawkins]

Mike,

That is interesting all my pulleys new and old are the same diameter (24mm), but a 19mm pulley might do the trick.

Richard

[smo17003]

Mike,

That is interesting all my pulleys new and old are the same diameter (24mm), but a 19mm pulley might do the trick.

Richard

Richard,

The 19mm pulley measures 14.4mm at the bottom of the groove, the groove profile is exactly the same as the 24mm. Perhaps if you have access to a lathe you can turn one down to size.

Mike

[RichardHawkins]

Mike,

Thanks for the further information. Just because all my pulleys old and new measure 24-25mm does not mean they are original or correct, this is a Lotus after all!

Your comments reminded me of my industrial past, there is a relationship between rope diameter and pulley diameter, approximately 20-1, but when checking, this ratio is nearer10-1 for small wire ropes like ours, so 14.4mm would seem about right.

I do have a lathe, so will try smaller pulleys.

Richard

[RAJ2628]

I had a badly scratched driver's side window. Quoted over £250 to repair.
Kelvedon had some. Exact match. That was 6 months ago.

[elanman999]

Richard,
What thickness glass are you going to use? I have one window with a "Triplex" glass in and this is 4mm and the other window is a "no name" one and that is 5mm. When I asked around our UK suppliers about 5 or 6 years ago they were supplying 5mm glass. You will find that with new standard window seals and 5mm glass makes for very slow operation. I had to use a non-stardard seal in the door with the 5mm glass to obtain a good speed of operation.
It's the old story of using one non-standard part that leads you to need another non-standard part and this line goes on and on.

Cheers
John.

[RichardHawkins]

John,

The glass that came out is 5mm, and I had expected to replace with 5mm. Are you suggesting that with new seals the glass needs to be 4mm?

Richard

[elanman999]

Richard,
I'm just saying I had this problem and there are a few cases of people reporting slow windows on here. So be aware.
As with all things Elan it's very hard to say what is "original", or even was the thickness changed during production? Or even if the seal I was supplied as original was actually as original.
If you are going to stick with the 5mm glass then perhaps you could ask for a sample of the seal you are going to use and test it.
I should say that the seal I am using with the 5mm glass came from Woolies and is not tight in the frame. I had to glue it in.
Cheers
John.

[RichardHawkins]

John,

Thanks again,

Richard

[tonyabacus]

Richard
Have you spoken to any of your local glaziers including double glass firms as they may be able to point you in the right directio. Admittedly the glass may not have any markings on, but again you may be able to get a copy etched on by a local firm. I think there used to be a firm in Birmingham that supplied the glass cut to pattern, but whether they still exist I don't know.
Tony

[ericbushby]

Hi Guys
A little while ago when I was developing a version of Alex Black`s window cable clamp studs {or screws), I asked an open question on this forum to find out the thickness of the glass and the hole size.
From the replies it seems that the S2 and S3 cars had 5mm glass and the Series 4 and Sprint had 4mm thick glass.
It was a very small sample but it was consistent.
Was this another one of Colin`s economy and weight reduction ploys?
Slight Plug - The clamp studs {screws) are in stock with Sue Miller and all proceeds go to Cancer Research UK.
Eric in Burnley
1967 S3SE DHC

[elanman999]

Eric,
That's interesting and as my car is a "trigger's broom" that could be why I have one at 4mm and the other at 5mm.
Cheers
John.