TheSamba.com :: View topic - Broken pop-out latch triangle

Sun Jul 30, 2006 12:51 pm

I am trying to determine the best way to fix a broken pop-out latch mount. The latch and hinge are fine but the triangluar part that is welded to the body has come loose and can't support the force of opening the window. Since it is still in place I thought I'd drill through in three places oposing the tapped holes for the latch and screw it to the body. The problem is...I don't really know what is under there! Anyone have some advice about a good way to proceed?

Thanks...

Sun Jul 30, 2006 1:29 pm

Ummm yeah there isn't anything to screw it to on the back side other than the outside of the bus. Find a welder and have him tack it back in place.

Sun Jul 30, 2006 3:18 pm

...this is the window right behind the driver's seat. I figure there must be SOMETHING back there because it doesn't appear to be welded to the outside wall of the bus (is it?). Here's a pic. The problem with welding it is that it is under the headliner. Does any of this info change things?

Sun Jul 30, 2006 4:27 pm

you'll have to carefully peal the headliner material back so you can get a few tack welds on it. maybee use a hairdryer or heat gun to soften the adhesive. you will have to be careful and go slow to keep from ripping it.
there is nothing behind the triangle but empty space between the inside and outside of the panel.

Sun Jul 30, 2006 4:39 pm

there is only one way to fix it and that involves a welder. pulling back the headliner is easy enough and a welding shop shouldn't charge much to do it under 20$.

Sun Jul 30, 2006 6:22 pm

Thanks for the insight...off to the shop it is.

Sun Jul 30, 2006 7:23 pm

The reason I said there was nothing, is because mine was missing when I got my 63. There was nothing there but a hole. :wink:

Sun Jul 30, 2006 7:45 pm

Yeah, that's also broken on my bus. And it's currently held in with sheet metal screws, I just never open that one. But don't tell anybody. :lol:

Sun Jul 30, 2006 9:13 pm

just to be honest here, back in 85 i fixed the same section with a larger piece of metal and some sheet metal screws. times were different and so was i

Sun Jul 30, 2006 9:30 pm

Andrew wrote: Yeah, that's also broken on my bus. And it's currently held in with sheet metal screws, I just never open that one. But don't tell anybody. :lol:

In my defense, though, this was already like this when I got the bus. I've just chosen not to fix it yet. :lol:

Mon Jul 31, 2006 3:48 am

I'm glad this came up, my '61 had the little triangle sitting in the parcel tray, it goes to the window just behind the driver, my 1st thought was "I wonder if I can tack weld that back in place " ??

Mon Jul 31, 2006 8:04 am

This must be a weak link in buses. I friend just picked up a '63 15 window and the pop out mount is broke from the inside 'b' pillar. When I bought my '66, same one was torn away. I just tacked the triangle piece back into place with a mig welder. No problems since. And the '65 I just picked up, same window, same thing. Why is always that one that tears away, right behind the driver?
Gary

Tue Aug 01, 2006 9:49 am

The one on the driver side was missing from mine too. I had to go through 6 busses in the scrap yard before I found one that still had one.

Tue Aug 01, 2006 9:54 am

assiegordon wrote: The one on the driver side was missing from mine too. I had to go through 6 busses in the scrap yard before I found one that still had one.

LOL 1/8" piece of steel plate, grinder, drill bit and tap and you would have been ready to rock. I traced the triangle from the latch to the plate. Cut it out with a cut-off wheel, rounded the corners with a grinding wheel, drilled the holes using the latch as a template and tapped them. Bam no searching junk yards. :wink:

Thu Jul 24, 2008 8:26 pm

I fixed mine with JB weld.

Thu Jul 24, 2008 9:28 pm

eth727 wrote: I fixed mine with JB weld.

Genious!

Fri Jul 25, 2008 6:51 am

JB weld has it's time and place; repairing a pop-out window latch plate is not one of them.

Fri Jul 25, 2008 7:09 am

My '67 is the same window behind the driver except its the little triangle thing that should be welded to the popout frame.Not much room for welding and would hate to burn off the paint,so i left it.I keep it closed when i'm driving but open it when i'm not.If anybody did any type of fixes on that please enlighten.

Fri Jul 25, 2008 10:16 am

Broken on mine too, same window, right behind the driver. None of the others are broken. A weak link! Someone fixed it by putting jalousies in! (its now a camper)

Fri Jul 25, 2008 11:38 am

On some busses the plate has a spacer to make it flusher with the pop-out mechanism. I think they bust for two reasons. Either they don't get used so when they do the pop-out is stiff and it wriggles the steel or because when it does open underway it is a scooper so it bangs open and wriggles the steel.