EK morphs into pillarless Coupe .

Smooth customs · Post by **Smooth customs** » Wed Sep 23, 2009 8:02 pm

Harko

Should have asked the question here, could have given you some options straight away.

Done a few two door and convert conversions where front doors and 1/4 panel conversions to pillarless were needed

fb cruzn · Post by **fb cruzn** » Wed Sep 23, 2009 8:44 pm

Hey Harko, are you going to widen/flare the pillar near rear window?
this is what i was thinking

looks to be more than enuff room for the window to wind down.

hope this helps, ill go back into my hole now

V8EK4us · Post by **V8EK4us** » Wed Sep 23, 2009 9:07 pm

fb cruzn wrote:Hey Harko, are you going to widen/flare the pillar near rear window?
this is what i was thinking
looks to be more than enuff room for the window to wind down.

hope this helps, ill go back into my hole now

That would be fine if the door was shaped like that "inside". This is the problem Harko has (from what I can understand)........

The window needs to move "backwards" as it comes down (virtually straight away) so it clears the internal pressings, hinges etc......remember that this is going to be "pillarless" so front door glass and rear glass "almost" touch... only a weather strip between them, is that right Harko?

I have a couple of ideas, will check them out and if they have any merit I will post 'em up later in the week.

Here is the area the window needs to move back too:

fb cruzn · Post by **fb cruzn** » Wed Sep 23, 2009 10:45 pm

ahhh i seeee

so as the glass comes up it also has to move foward and seal to the front window.
Thanx for clearing that up for me gary.

so something like this

sorry for being annoying

Smooth customs · Post by **Smooth customs** » Thu Sep 24, 2009 3:09 am

When a four door is converted to a two door most people leave the body in a post design, that is where upper door frames and a centre door pillar are retained.
Most times the rear side windows become fixed, and do not wind down.
With Harkos conversion he is building a Hardtop version, that brings into play far more work and complications in many areas.
Body strength being the first, as the verticle centre pillar that helps stiffen the structure by connecting the sills to the roof and adding to the bodies torsional strength is removed. So more underbody upgrades must be added.
The wind down rear windows in this type of conversion can be a frustrating exercise.
With the original lower section of centre door pillar moved back to its new position so the catch system still operates. you now have a thick pillar that will impare the verticle movement of the new window.
By looking at any hard top production car with the inner trims removed will better explain the movements required to make the rear window vanish down behind the 1/4 panel
Some windows go through up to four movements to make this happen.
Based on Harkos previous comments and photo shop postings he will be keeping the rear pillar as thin as possible, this then brings the inner rear wheel well into play as an obstscle in the new windows downward movement.

When doing this type of conversion it is way easier to make some basic hard cardboard pattern of the desired window patterns and measurements of the internal space available where the new window mecs have to go. And then take a trip to the local wreckers and start looking.
Pick later model Jap cars because they are available and will be for many years, and there is a wide selection available
Manufacturers spend millions designing and developeing all the parts required to make their cars functional.
Its way easier to take what they have done the hard work on and make it fit what is being built
Once the correct donar car with all the required parts is found, it is best to cut the complete area out of the body with all the hardware in place.
Then take it home where it can be installed into the converted body.
Using all the donar inner sections keeps everything mounted the way it was designed. and when trimmed no one will be any the wiser.
This is also a benifit if and when a part wears out, replacement is just a bolt in.
I have used this method for over 30 years

Harko · Post by **Harko** » Thu Sep 24, 2009 5:02 am

Thats what I was going to say heh heh

Still , it doesnt help , Ive been to the wreckers who have a great range and it seems all coupes or pillarless sedans dont follow the design I would like.
Hence xp coupe mechanisms , I know from experience that they should work out , or be extremely close.

thropzed · Post by **thropzed** » Thu Sep 24, 2009 11:10 am

Harko, Can still get those XM hardtop rear windows and regulators! PM me.
Cheers Theo Z................

matches · Post by **matches** » Thu Sep 24, 2009 12:18 pm

have you checked out 68/9 camaro rear side window regulators? they tilt the window backwards as it drops but you may be able to swap sides and mount them diagonally so as the window lowers, the rear edge moves backwards and down and the front top corner moves slightly rearward while going down then the front edge will lower further than the rear edge helping with clearance over the wheel well.
just my thoughts, you've probably already thought of it and decided it as a non issue.
Luke.

Harko · Post by **Harko** » Fri Sep 25, 2009 7:17 pm

No Luke I hadnt even considered them , I had no idea how they rolled up and down , Its good to hear someone thinking the way I am at the moment (reverse ,upside down ,diagonal might work

.
Im becoming an angle manipulator extrordinaire with this conversion .

Heres the latest which scared the crap outta me . the angle in the previous picture ,of the roofline meeting the window angle

It was too sharp and the rear window looked way too large .
I was ready to take a walk but after eyeballing it for a while (which seems to be atleast 50% of customising) I thought of lifting the roof after tacking the rear, this gave a better curve over from the window and it flows now... happy

Always wanted to do a relief cut , and here it is

Sputzwagon · Post by **Sputzwagon** » Fri Sep 25, 2009 7:54 pm

G'day Harko (you metal manipulator you

)..
Just wondering what you're going to do with the new gutter line on the coupe?

I tried to explain what I mean on the computer here (as in photo) but can't get my head around the 'flow' (as for a better word) of the gutter from the back window to the new roofline. Yes.. I KNOW I'm thick

.
Scotty.

Harko · Post by **Harko** » Fri Sep 25, 2009 8:54 pm

I know exactly what your saying , It sounds ok when you know what your writing about , then you sit in the crowd and reread it and it barely makes sence , very hard to explain the problems and corrections and why

But in answer to the gutter line , It will just flow into each other , Ive got other sections of roof here to use and hopefully tomorrow Ill trim back the gutter section untill the curve is equal length from the centre to both sides , take a template and see if I can get the flow from the sections I have , failing that Ill have to start pie cutting to get the right curve...
whew , did that make sence

All these diagrams are way cool

Sputzwagon · Post by **Sputzwagon** » Sat Sep 26, 2009 8:47 am

Thanks ,Harko it makes sense now. I've been watching this build with a lot of interest..

I've always liked the idea of a chopped 2 door pillarless coupe, but I personally don't have enough experience (or balls

) or a spare body to have a go myself

. After seeing the work that goes into these classics like yours and Mez's I've got to tip my hat to fellas who have the knowledge to make these cars a reality.

It's easy to draw a wild custom, but an entire different case in actually MAKING one!

That's why my EK will always be a mild custom (I can hear Pete, Timbo & Steve Jackson breath a sigh of relief

) as I will only customize what I can actually do...in other words I'm a wuss

.
I'm not Axeman..I just draw him!

Scotty.

Harko · Post by **Harko** » Sat Sep 26, 2009 7:31 pm

It flows

, all one colour and I can see its lines now .

We like to do things very technical around here

Good support allows things to grow with heat and contract back to its support , without it you get alot of oilcanning and shrunken or bulbous areas .
The roof came out awesome and needs only a skim of filler to perfect it .

This technique alows me to brace up the roof into permanent position within less than a millimeter then weld .
For proportion the USA code is about 10mm tall

Harko · Post by **Harko** » Sat Sep 26, 2009 7:43 pm

Smooth customs wrote:Harko

Should have asked the question here, could have given you some options straight away.

Done a few two door and convert conversions where front doors and 1/4 panel conversions to pillarless were needed

Why the hell wouldnt you be there ???

minifb · Post by **minifb** » Sat Sep 26, 2009 11:12 pm

Looks great Harko....Nice work............ Cheers Mark