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Sliding Window Conversion Kit

Posted: Sun Oct 30, 2011 11:58 pm
by mab01uk
Interesting........did not realise these kits were available outside Japan.

Image

Full conversion kit containing everything you need to fit the MK1 style 2 piece sliding windows into the MK3 doors:
Kit Contains the following parts (For 2 x doors)

2 x Door conversion plates
2 x chrome inner rails
2 x lower rubber channels
2 x upper rubber door frame channels
4 x MK1 catches
1 x Fitting Instructions

Conversion involves permanent modification to inner door skin.

Legal conversion for historic rallying as the last works carswere using this conversion in the early 70's

Price £210.00 (+ 20% VAT)

** Price does not include polycarbonate windows **

More:
http://www.plastics4performance.com/Lex ... 8-856-732/

Re: Sliding Window Conversion Kit

Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2011 8:02 am
by rolesyboy
Interesting but I must warn you when using these kind of kits it is almost impossible to usde McDonalds drive-through and you may have to use your legs to make your order.
On a more serious note why did some of the early 70s Works cars end up with sliding windows? I thought the only reason for fitting these kits was for the retro look (which would have been of no value in the 70's)

Cheers

Re: Sliding Window Conversion Kit

Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2011 9:21 am
by guru_1071
rolesyboy wrote:Interesting but I must warn you when using these kind of kits it is almost impossible to usde McDonalds drive-through and you may have to use your legs to make your order.
On a more serious note why did some of the early 70s Works cars end up with sliding windows? I thought the only reason for fitting these kits was for the retro look (which would have been of no value in the 70's)

Cheers

id guess for two reasons

1) the doors are lighter

2) the draft isnt as bad with the sliding windows, and its easier to operate the windows

Re: Sliding Window Conversion Kit

Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2011 2:15 pm
by almondgreen
Mc Donalds is no problem...

Re: Sliding Window Conversion Kit

Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2011 2:25 pm
by cheleker
How do the windows drain?

Re: Sliding Window Conversion Kit

Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2011 2:41 pm
by almondgreen
wrong question...
I drilled some holes like regular MK I Windows and hope the water runs down
and leaves the MK III way.....

But it does not really work

Re: Sliding Window Conversion Kit

Posted: Mon Oct 31, 2011 8:33 pm
by pad4
whats the story behind these.... well i made the kit up for my own car for a couple of reasons, main one being weight reduction, secondly its easier for a navvy to pass paperwork through, thirdly i wanted door pockets on the inside of the doors to put stuff in. there were so many people asking me where i got them from , could i make a set , in the end we just stuck em on the website.

for the drainage you can go the whole hog and fit the mk1, mk 2 drainage bits if you can find them, theres no drains on my doors but then everthing gets wet anyway so im not to fussed

Re: Sliding Window Conversion Kit

Posted: Tue Nov 01, 2011 10:23 am
by minitravellerman
Does anyone know if these allow fitment of standard Mk1/Mk2 glass or would they need to be specially made in glass or poly?

Re: Sliding Window Conversion Kit

Posted: Tue Nov 01, 2011 10:42 am
by 814CWE
minitravellerman wrote:Does anyone know if these allow fitment of standard Mk1/Mk2 glass or would they need to be specially made in glass or poly?
good question!!!

:o

Re: Sliding Window Conversion Kit

Posted: Tue Nov 01, 2011 10:53 am
by ChrisB
You would assume it would be a direct replica of the Mk1/2 - why go through the expense of manufacturing a part which will have to be designed from scratch when you could replicate an original?

Re: Sliding Window Conversion Kit

Posted: Tue Nov 01, 2011 11:07 am
by almondgreen
MK I windows are smaller, so they do not fit....

Re: Sliding Window Conversion Kit

Posted: Tue Nov 01, 2011 1:03 pm
by mab01uk
If you look closely the top of Mk3 on doors are taller than Mk1/2 almost up to the base of the roof gutter, as are the rear side windows. Therefore, as said the standard Mk1/2 sliding glass is too small.........at least it is all flat glass so not that difficult to get laminated glass cut and drilled to suit.

Re: Sliding Window Conversion Kit

Posted: Tue Nov 01, 2011 2:02 pm
by minitravellerman
I thought that - wish full thinking as I have a few sets of glass in the loft!

Re: Sliding Window Conversion Kit

Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2011 5:46 am
by Austin Costin
The origional "works" type conversion used the mk 1/2 side glass/sizing.
If you check out Mikes pictures of his World Cup Clubman you can see how the extra metal was added to the bottom, must have been a regulation to use standard size.

Re: Sliding Window Conversion Kit

Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2011 7:44 am
by pad4
And thats fine if you have the skills, time, tools to start welding extra bits in the doors and start repainting them but if you could do all that i guess you wouldent be looking for an easy way to convert a door really .

Re: Sliding Window Conversion Kit

Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2011 7:45 am
by pad4
its not laminated glass either it toughened that you need,

Re: Sliding Window Conversion Kit

Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2011 12:58 pm
by mab01uk
The black 'shadowlite' tinted glass Mini side windows back in the 1970's were laminated because it could be cut and drilled..........surely toughened would have to be specially made in a custom size as it would shatter if you cut into it?

Re: Sliding Window Conversion Kit

Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2011 1:04 pm
by Dino
mab01uk wrote:....surely toughened would have to be specially made in a custom size as it would shatter if you cut into it?
It is possible as you can have glass cut to size, holes added etc and then toughened.

Re: Sliding Window Conversion Kit

Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2011 1:10 pm
by guru_1071
Dino wrote:
mab01uk wrote:....surely toughened would have to be specially made in a custom size as it would shatter if you cut into it?
It is possible as you can have glass cut to size, holes added etc and then toughened.

its easy to do, it would cost around £20 per bit

Re: Sliding Window Conversion Kit

Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2011 1:16 pm
by Pete
mab01uk wrote: surely toughened would have to be specially made in a custom size as it would shatter if you cut into it?
The toughened glass isn't difficult, putting the holes in is ! Perspex is surely the only way to go with this conversion which as Paul suggests is a worthwhile one in Mk3 onward rally cars specifically, as I discovered in a Clubman I navved in early this year, when you want a door bin for storage and you also dont want to be winding a window up and down with the handle often very close to the door bar on the cage.
In short I find Mk3 doors nowhere near as practical (unless you're going through a drive through KFC ! :roll: ) , the Mk1 door was spot on first time !