52-60 Convertible Window How To Guide

[wheelert69]

“And you may ask yourself, ‘Well, how did I get here?’” — David Byrne

Welcome to my attempt at making sense of early convertible window assembly,
aka TheSamba post I wish existed when I started.
A little background: I bought my '56 convertible a few years ago in classic Baja form—sitting for decades, didn’t run, needed everything. What could go wrong? Shop #1 tore it down to the bones… then let it marinate for two years. Shop #2 did beautiful metal and paint work but doesn’t do full reassembly. So, I got back a jaw-dropping shell, plus a lot of baggies and bins full of parts I didn’t personally remove. Great.

Cue hours of scrolling TheSamba, factory manuals, late model YouTube vids, and still… no comprehensive “how to” on early convertible windows.
So, here’s my best crack at it. I’ve been around VWs for a while, but this is my first convertible and I’m no pro. If you’ve got a better way, please speak up. If your only point of reference is a Super Beetle you vaguely remember working on in the late '90s… maybe just ride along for the pictures.

I will do this in sections as time allows.
Troy

[wheelert69]

Phase 1 – Disassembly & Cleaning
If you're lucky enough to be the one tearing it down, take photos. Lots of them. Bag and label every door and window separately — Future You will thank Present You a hundred times over.

Supplies:
• 10–15 gallons of cleaning vinegar
• 1 wrapping paper storage bin with lid (yes, really)
• 1–2 cans of Gibbs Brand spray (do not sub in WD-40 or PB Blaster)
• Razor blade scraper
• 0000 steel wool
• Basic metric hand tools

My Method:

1. Vinegar bath: Fill the bin with enough vinegar to submerge your first set of parts — window frames, regulators, channels, etc. Don’t let them touch. Snap the lid on and let it soak overnight, or up to 48 hours. The vinegar works wonders on rust, especially inside gear teeth and threads. Change out vinegar as needed and make sure purts stay fully submerged.

2. Final tear down, rinse, dry, protect: Pull the parts out, screws should easily come apart now. Rinse and dry then coat generously with Gibbs spray immediately. I coated mine a couple of times makeing sure to get inside all the pivots and gear assembly. It prevents flash rust and halts corrosion from kicking back in, and according to the can, it's safe to use before painting if you go that route. (the factory did not)

3. Glass cleanup: If you're reusing the original glass, disassemble completely and clean with plastic razor blades and 0000 steel wool. If you’re like me and want fresh stuff, Bob Koch sells repro glass that fits perfectly.

4. Chrome prep: If your frames need rechroming (they probably do), get them ready to send out. Before you do, remove a few key components:
o The two captured nut plates threaded into the 1/4 window frame
o The wooden lower guide block at the corner of each rear drop window — I had to recreate mine, but you might get lucky and save yours (more on this later) If you have access toa 3D printer this would be an awesome part to make from PTEF or similar.

[vw356]

Great information. Thank You for making this thread.
_________________
Current projects:
1950's Volkswagens!
51,52,54's,55,56's,57,58's,'60's And then a bunch of '60's, but the '50's are my favorites..

[esde]

You are saving me a ton of trial and error here! Thank you so much!!
_________________
modok wrote:
Bent cranks are silent but gather no moss. I mean, ah, something like that.

[wheelert69]

Appreciate the kind words.

Phase 2 – Preassembly
If your freshly chromed frames came back looking as good as mine, congrats — you’re ready to start putting your German Jigsaw Puzzle back together.

Supplies
• Baby shampoo or dish soap mixed with water in a spray bottle
• 3M Super Weatherstrip & Gasket Adhesive
• 1" wide x 1/16" neoprene self-adhesive rubber strip
(I mistakenly ordered 2" thinking I could fully wrap the glass bottom — you can’t)
• 2-part clear epoxy (e.g., Gorilla Glue Epoxy or JB ClearWeld)
• Razor blade or craft knife
• Masking tape and a Sharpie (1" and 2" rolls help but aren't essential)
• 3/16" hole punch & hammer
• Smooth plastic trim tool (don’t use a screwdriver unless you want torn seals and regret)
• Qty 6 Bench Dog 3/4" Low-Profile Workbench Clamps (must-haves in my book) Available via Amazon etc
• M6 x 1.0 metric tap
• A handful of small C-clamps or spring clamps
• Small awl
• Basic metric hand tools
• Optional: ¾” 4x4 plywood + fender stand — perfect portable work surface

VW-Specific Parts to Order
Too many seals, nuts, and one-off fasteners to list here. I used the Wolfsburg West convertible diagram and sourced items from WCM, WW and Chucks. Make sure you get everything including every single window hardware kit. That alone saved me hours, if not days, later.
Take your time. Double-check your list. Triple-check it. Missing one tiny seal can halt your entire build.
Link to WW diagram as of this post https://www.wolfsburgwest.com/wolfsburg_new/convertible/index.cfm?type=1

My Method
Full disclosure: I didn’t plan on documenting this when I started. I was knee-deep in mystery parts and daily curveballs, not snapping photos. So while I’ve added pictures where I could, most of this is based on detailed notes and trial-by-fire steps to save you from the same mistakes.

1. Work Surface
I built a temp workbench with a 4x4 sheet of ¾” plywood on a fender stand. Total game changer. It let me drill holes for clamps, spill epoxy, punch seals, and spray Gibbs freely — all without destroying my real workbench.

2. Vent Windows
These are the most straightforward to reassemble. Main seals are clearly side-specific. Here are the key things I wish I knew earlier:
Identifying Left vs. Right
The vent latch tab always faces the interior. Each seal has a matching notch — once you spot it, it’s easy to line things up.

Main Seal Mods:
1. Expand the pivot shaft hole
Use a 3/16" punch to create or widen the hole for the pivot shaft at the base of the seal. Mine had almost no clearance straight out of the mold.
2. Trim the latch tab slot
Carefully enlarge the slot for the latch tab using a razor blade. Just enough to allow the tab to pass through cleanly and let the seal sit flush.
3. Clear the top pivot screw path
At the top of each seal, make sure the pivot screw can pass through and reach the vent pivot piece mounted to the leading edge of the glass.

Step 1: Install & Trim the Vent Wing Flap Seal
Before you start, confirm orientation:
• Smooth curved edge faces inward
• Lip/flap edge faces outward — it folds back against the glass when latched shut
Inside View

Outside view

This is one of the more stubborn seals to install, so go slow.
• Liberally soak the seal and channel with soapy water repeatedly — rechroming probably tightened the fit.
• Use your plastic trim tool to gently press the seal into place.
• Avoid stretching it — seals shrink over time. If anything, bunch it slightly.
• Make sure it’s fully seated from top to bottom. Gaps = wind whistle.
• No glue needed here — mine held snug once installed.

Step 2: Glue in the Felt Channel
Pretty straightforward, but a few tips:
• Run the felt all the way to the top, then trim the bottom just above the mounting tab so it doesn’t interfere with installation.
• Use 3M adhesive to secure it, and press it in with your trim tool (or flathead). You want full contact in the groove — new chrome and fresh felt can make for tight tolerances, so be thorough.

Step 3: Test Fit Frame Before Gluing the Main Seal
This is where I screwed up by getting ahead of myself with the adhesive. Here's what I now recommend:
• Lay 2" masking tape across the top of the doors and rear quarter windows. Let it wrap slightly into the inner channel. Label each section front/rear/side to stay oriented when fitting scraper seals later.
• Use your awl to poke through and mark the clip holes for the window scraper trim. On my car, a few were covered by filler — I had to redrill or gently open them up.

• Re-tap the 3 captured nuts using M6 x 1.0. Two are at the frame’s leading edge, and the third is buried between the door skins — right behind the vent window latch tab. One of mine was completely missing and required some creative problem-solving.
• Carefully drop the vent window frame into the door — your masking tape should help protect the paint.
• Use the WW vent window frame mounting hardware to align and loosely mount the frame. Then install the main vent window seal.

• With everything mocked up, mark the real clip hole locations on the flap of the seal. The pre-punched holes in the seal didn’t line up on my car at all.
• Remove the seal, use your 3/16" punch to add holes in the correct spots, tighten the mounting bolts, then glue the seal in permanently. Clamp or tape to hold it in place while it cures. Use your trim tool to press the seal firmly into the chrome frame.

Step 4: Vent Window Glass Seals & Pivot Install
• Don’t forget to install the small chrome “Nike swoosh” trim before pressing the glass together.
• Install the rubber strip seal using 3M adhesive — coat between glass and seal, and seal and frame. Clamp while curing. Trim excess carefully with a razor.
• For the top pivot, I found 3M adhesive alone wasn’t strong enough. The torque of the window opening would eventually pop it loose. I recommend a 2-part epoxy between:
o Seal and glass
o Glass and the pivot frame at the top leading edge

Step 5: Final Vent Glass Install
Once your epoxy is fully cured (give it 24 hours minimum), it’s time to install the vent glass:
• Slide the glass down through the seal and into the door.
• Loosely attach it with the two M6 bolts and the factory tensioning clamp.
• Adjust the top position of the glass and use a flathead screwdriver to tighten the top pivot screw into the chrome frame — this will engage the vent pivot bracket epoxied to the glass.
• Tighten tensioning clamp accordingly pushing slighltyupward on vent glass.
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Voilà! Vent window assembly complete. Onward to the harder stuff...

[BulliBill]

Thanks so much for documenting this window process for all of us out here who will be doing this someday! Really helpful, and we look forward to your future additions and suggestions! Maybe add how to remove the door and quarter windows (and your tips) from the door assemblies and the quarter panel. Thanks!

Bill
_________________
I'm looking for these license plate frames for my fleet:
Coeur D'Alene - Lake Shore Volkswagen
Mission VW - San Fernando
Thornton VW - Stockton

Thanks for any help!

[ronjonlasvegas]

Thank you for posting such a detailed how to. I also own an oval vert (1957) that needs a full restoration. My car was also converted into a Baja back in the day. Congrats on the progress on your car, I look forward to seeing how it turns out.
_________________
September 1964 Standard Sunroof walk through SWR/BG original paint.

[wheelert69]

Thanks for the encouragement everyone.
Hopefully I can get another section up by the weekend. I’m spending about 4-5 hours per section so it doesn’t just come together quickly.

My plan is to create sections on:
- window scraper and trim (in case someone is just replacing those)
- quarter /drop window assembly and installation
- front side windows assembly and installation
Then maybe an index of other resources and links I found before I made this thread that might be helpful.

Cheers everyone.
Troy

[BulliBill]

This is a nice thing for you to put together Troy. Kind of a legacy to the hobby as it will help many people with your warnings, great descriptions and photos of the process. Not lots of us will get a chance to play with an old convertible which has some unique mechanisms and challenges, but with your help you'll make it a little easier for those of us in the future to take the same restoration path with success. Thanks for the extra effort you're putting in to help us all.

I don't recall ever seen anyone talk in depth for instance about the dis-assembly of the winder mechanisms from the car and how to bring each one out of the door and rear quarter panel to then begin the process of dismantling and restoration on the workbench. I have two spare sets of convertible doors that I could experiment with, but your work experience here, your prep, disassembly and assembly tips will help make things easier for all to come.

I'm looking forward to your upcoming tutorials!!!

Bill Bowman
_________________
I'm looking for these license plate frames for my fleet:
Coeur D'Alene - Lake Shore Volkswagen
Mission VW - San Fernando
Thornton VW - Stockton

Thanks for any help!

[wheelert69]

Thanks Bill! I certianly hope it helps the community. I'll try and touch on some tear down as I go.

Phase 2 – Preassembly (Part 2: Side & Quarter Windows)
Vent windows assembled? Installed? Good. Now it’s time for the rest of the side glass.

A Strong Recommendation (Learned the Hard Way)
I originally tried pressing the side glass into the frames using a makeshift jig — scrap 2x4s, plywood, heavy-duty bar clamps — and got nowhere. I’d walk away frustrated, come back the next day, try again… same result. I even tried a dead blow hammer on the glass edge (don’t do this). Still no luck.
If those clamps couldn’t seat the front glass (which is mostly square), how was I going to press the irregular, moon-shaped rear drop windows?

Hours of searching later, I found the Bench Dog 3/4" Low-Profile Workbench Clamps. Combined with suspended plywood (not particle board — it’ll crack under clamping force) on my fender stand, they were perfect. I drilled holes, dropped in the clamps, and had a secure, even press. What had taken me three days and risked shattering glass now took 5–10 minutes per window, with almost no effort.

Commercial for Bench Dog over. Moving on.
________________________________________
Supplies
• Glass to frame rubber seal set
• Scrap 2x4
• Optional: small hardwood strips (¾" x ¾") to spread force and protect chrome frames
• 12 wood screws (2½–3" long)
• 2x2 ft plywood or particle board
• Baby shampoo/dish soap + spray bottle
• Masking tape
• Optional: 11"x14" polycarbonate sheet, 0.093" thick, to support glass during pressing

Tools
• Qty 6 Bench Dog 3/4" Low-Profile Workbench Clamps
• M6 x 1.0 metric tap
• Razor blade or craft knife
• Plastic trim tool
• ¾" hole saw or spade bit
• Jigsaw
• Safety glasses
• Carpenter’s square (optional but helpful)

Step 1: Side Windows
Not going into exact measurements here — if you’ve made it this far, you’ve got the skills. One picture of my jig will tell you most of what you need to know. But here are the lessons I learned the hard way:

Tip 1 – Check Front Glass Orientation
Logos etched on the glass should be readable from outside the car. The easiest way to tell left from right is the chrome tab, which faces the outside of the car when installed.

Tip 2 – Drill for Clearance
When laying out clamp holes in your plywood, add ¼"–½" clearance so when you unthread the clamps there’s enough room to pull the frame out easily. (you'll notice in the photo that I didn't do this )

Tip 3 – Work the Corners
Go slow. Bunch the seal into corners rather than stretching it. Use lots of lube and a plastic trim tool (or very careful flathead use). If your seal ends up stretched in a corner, you can patch with black silicone later — but it’s extra work.

Tip 4 – Mind the Bevel
The seal’s bevel should sit flush against the chrome. If it doesn’t, it’s probably stretched. I went back with lube and finger pressure (a lot of it) to work the seal in fully. Expect sore hands — or maybe you'll get lucky and have it fit first try.

Tip 5 – Protect the Glass
Wear safety glasses. Support the glass in corners to prevent lateral flex and breakage. This is where my polycarbonate sheets came in handy (they appear blue in the pics). It took more pressure than I expected, so be patient and keep control.

Rear Quarter / Drop Windows
With the front side windows done, it’s on to the rears. Same general process, but a few quirks worth noting.

Tip 1 – Tap the Nut Plates
Run an M6 tap through the floating nut plates to clean the threads, then reinstall them in the drop pivot at the lower front edge.

Tip 2 – Check Glass Orientation
The logo should be readable from the outside. On the rears, the chrome tabs face the inside of the car.

Tip 3 – Make a Frame Cradle
Trace the outline of your chrome frame onto scrap plywood or particle board, then cut it out with a jigsaw. This becomes a custom cradle for the Bench Dog clamps to press the glass evenly into the curved frame. Wrap the cradle edges that contact chrome with two layers of 1" masking tape to avoid scuffing.

Tip 4 – Mind the Corners
Same rules as the fronts: avoid stretching the seal, keep the bevel tucked into the frame, and use lots of lube. FWIW, these went together much easier than the fronts for me. Trim any excess seal "tail"with a razor blade.

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Optional – Rebuilding the Wooden Channel Guides
If one or both of your wooden window channel “bushings” or guides are missing or damaged, you’ve got options. A 3D-printed version would be ideal, but I improvised:
Supplies
• 2-part clear epoxy (e.g., Gorilla Glue Epoxy, JB ClearWeld)
• Wood urethane (spray or brush)
• Small C-clamps or spring clamps
• Coarse and fine sandpaper
• 1/8" poplar from Home Depot (if I did it again, I’d use a hardwood)

General instructions:
• Shaped with lots of sanding
• Epoxied to the frame
• Finish with multiple coats of urethane
• Sand smooth (fine grit)

Measurements from mine (yours may vary):
• Window frames: just under 12mm (mine were 11.87mm)
• Quarter panel channel: 17mm inner dimension
• Target guide thickness: just under 17mm (must slide easily in the curved rear window channel)
Given these windows probably won’t be rolled up and down more than a few hundred times in their life, my DIY version should hold up fine.

Let the epoxy cure fully, the urethane dry completely, and sand smooth if needed.
________________________________________

Preassembly Complete!

Grab a cold beer — you’ve earned it.