De-quarter-lighted doors????

[Anonymous]

For years, I've wondered if there's a way to remove to quarter lights from a 2/3 door Nova, then what did I see at Billing??? only a blinking GTE without quarter-lights!!!

In case no one saw it, it's a white GTE with 5-spokes, rego F843 - CEW.

I had a very close look at it, 'cos I was very interested, and it obviously used different rubber and glass, but this looked like it came from a MKI Astra or something???

Anyone know how he did it???

[Anonymous]

what?? Please explain??

stop.............................................. ....................................Carry on!!

[Anonymous]

lol...right, you know on 2 and 3 door Novas, the door windows have the separate small triangular windows at the front i.e quarter-lights......well, there was a GTE at Billing that didn't have the quarter-lights....he'd somehow managed to modify the doors to fit a single piece of glass and ditch the quarter-lights!

[Anonymous]

quarter-lights lmfao its glass not lights

[-itchscratch.gif-]

[Anonymous]

???

They're called quarter-lights, and they always have been. On older cars, they opened as a separate window that swivelled.

Here...see this link http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=%22quarter+lights%22&hl=en&meta=

[Anonymous]

I did this to my old beetle, I was able to buy a set of windows and rubbers that were made specifically for it though, so much easier.
I agree that it looks mint without the quarterlights in, it looks more modern and cleaner at the front without them.
You could probably get perspex?? windows made up, but I don't know about the rubber surrounds.

2.0 16v on its way soon!!!! :D

[Anonymous]

I have been after away to do this for ages. If anyone knows then please let me know coz i really hate the quarter lights. It would clean it up no end if i got rid of them.

:)

[Anonymous]

my mates going to attepmt it this week, he was on about cutting the metal bit off, streand rewelding the top and bottom so it doesnt lose its strenghth then just getting the glass custom cut to fit and it should all be fine....all for the sakes of being able to smoke ffs....lol

[Anonymous]

One thing I liked was on the Spider. The tops of the doors had gone, so that when the windows were down and the roof off there was no door frame. There is no reason why someone couldn't do this to a hatchback nova, I mean there are loads of cars(eg calibra,celica etc.) that have no tops to the doors and just seals that push against the glass to keep water and thieving scum out!!!! I reckon it would look pretty trick when you open the doors.
just an idea

2.0 16v on its way soon!!!! :D

[Anonymous]

Yep.....I was thinking that too John.....it looked mint on that Spider (I want that car!!), and it should be easy to do on a 3-door too, with a bit of playing around with the rubber. I may try it on my old knackered door to see how easy (or otherwise) it is.

In case peeps didn't seen the GTE I'm talking about, here's pic of it:

http://www.novabug.co.uk/hq4.jpg

It was in the competition for best of bread, and parked in the main arena when I took the pic.

John.....I'm glad you mentioned the Beetle thing, 'cos I was going to. It's a very popular mod with beetles, so wondered if you could buy a kit to do it! Pity we can't buy a kit to do the same on the Nova...well, not yet anyway!

Like I say, in that GTE the owner had fitted different rubber etc, and had had to remove the extra surround trim to make it fit. The rubber was rounded in the top corners, and it definitely had glass windows. It just looked like the glass and rubber from a MKII Astra....the doors are about the same size and the glass is about the right shape, so maybe that's what he used???

[Anonymous]

I like the idea and was going to do it, bit it sems alot of work because theres not alota space in them doors, especially if you have speakers in the door! I thought of perspex because its lighter than glass, harder to smash, and you can get it readily tinted! It should be relatively easy to bend as well. The question is how would you position the runners so the window goes up and down nice and easy?

You Know When You've Been Novataken!!!!!!!!

[Anonymous]

5-door novas aint got quarter windows av they its just one piece i fink not sure though:-/

[Anonymous]

i was gonna atempt it with perspex but bottled it

i cant belive i missed the car :(

Micky@novaload.net :)

[Anonymous]

pukka-novasr.....your right about 4 and 5 door Novas...they don't have the front quarter-lights. Why they fitted 'em to the 2/3 door, we will never know!

As for Perspex windows.....I'm kinda thinking of replacing all the side windows with Perspex, maybe even my sunroof!
Pity I can't do the windscreen too, 'cos it's got a crack at the near-side....it's been repaired and is fine for the MOT, but looks un-tidy :(

NOVATAKER.....your right about the lack of room in the doors......I bet it was a task and a half to do it. For one, you'd have to cut out some of the frame-work of the door.....there's cross-sections of metal below where the quart-light sits that you'd have to remove.
Then there's the question of which winder mechanism to use? Would the normal Nova ones allow enough clearance? I don't think they would, so you'd have to use different ones...maybe Astra cable-drive ones that take up less space, or of course, Nova cable-drive ones from a 4/5 door?

Pity no one seams to know the owner of that GTE! I'm gonna put on Ad on the Trader to try and track 'em down!

[Anonymous]

What about the glass from the rear window, looking at the picture of that cra with it done, they look very similar. I haven't actually had a look to see if it is or not, but it is similar!!!

2.0 16v on its way soon!!!! :D

[Anonymous]

I don't think it is the rear glass because the bend of the glass would be coming out rather than towards the car..............if u get what I mean. :D

Ease Yourself Back Into Conciousness !!!!!
:D

[Anonymous]

not if you used the opposite sides, back left on right front and vice versa. but I dont think it would be the right shape anyway.

2.0 16v on its way soon!!!! :D

[Anonymous]

I think the best thing is to track down this Gte owner! Rich.Dale, the Best way to do it would be to put that link to the picture in the trader and have a heading like is this car yours?? If so email me or even the whole of the Novaload crew cus we wanna know how you sorted your feckin windaz!

You Know When You've Been Novataken!!!!!!!!

[Anonymous]

What if he is like Ian though (no offence Ian) and he doesnt want anyone to copy him? he's gonna keep it to himself I reckon. It does look lovely though, so different. do we have his number plate ? if so if anyone on here that works for dvla can find out who he is! Ok so its a bit underhand but fuk it.

[Anonymous]

actually i have a mate ...wel i know someone who works for the babylon that checks police records for his mates when they buy new cars, so he might be able to find out.

[Anonymous]

Be careful with Perspex, it scratches really easily. The windows on the white GTe look very good indeed. Doing what jkhilton said, removing the top part of the frame sounds like it should be possible, but probably very tricky and possibly a bit unstable. Worth a go though it'll make your car individual.

Jim


"It doesn't matter if you win by an inch or a mile, winnings winning!"

[Anonymous]

you take a saloon window and put it in

[Anonymous]

hahahahaha......I've just got an e-mail from a lad who says he know the owner of the GTE!

Well, he says this:


I know the bloke I will try and get hold of him

But no matter how much money you offer him he wont tell you what car the glass came out of.

I have tried.!!!!!!

One other thing is that they don't wind down so I personally don't see the point. I will get back to you mate

:O they don't wind down :O slight problem there then I think! I'm sure it can still be done though...somehow.

[Anonymous]

Had a look 2day in the scrap yard
Mk 1 nova 5 door to small
Mk 1 Astra don?t know none in
Mk 2 Astra 2 door was 2 long by about 2inch (But u might b able 2 get it cut down??)
Mk 2 Astra 5 door was 2 small
So was Mk 1 & 2 Cavalier & Carlton,
That?s the only Vauxhall?s that was in I?m afraid

Must admit looks fcukin mint though (I want it, I want it)


[-itchscratch.gif-]

[Anonymous]

what about manta glass??

Ohh Ahhhh
Ger Orf Moy LAAANNNDDD

Traater, Traila, Comboine Bailer

[Anonymous]

I thought about Manta glass, but the doors on Mantas are fooking huge, so I doubt it would be the right size.

I'll see if that lad who e-mailed me can find out from his mate...i.e. the one who the GTE belongs to, but like he said in the first e-mail, he's reluctant to tell where the glass came from!

I want to have a close look at a MKI Astra, 'cos I'm still positive it was from one of them!

I've also had the idea of a 2-door Chevette....maybe? It also looks about right, in fact the rubber is a better match to what it was like on the white GTE. On the white GTE, the rubber was rounded in the bottom rear corner too, but the MKI Astra rubber is squared off in that corner, so doesn't match perfectly, BUT, the Chevette rubber IS rounded in that corner, so is a better match!

Of course, saying all this...it may have come from a totally different car...not a Vauxhall or Opel at all!

[Anonymous]

i know a mate whos trying an escort window, if not just get one cut to size?!?

[Anonymous]

How much would that cost any one any idea, coz as I say the Mk 2 Astra 2 door looked about right but was about 1 to 2 inch to wide.

It looks the dogs; I so want to do it to mine


[-itchscratch.gif-]

[Anonymous]

I might do a cardboard template and go see some glass people on my next days off, I?ll let you know how I get on

[-itchscratch.gif-]

[Anonymous]

how about pug 106 glass. saw one today and it looks of similar size and shape. obvioulsy what ever car you take it from it WILL need some work doing to it!!

Ohh Ahhhh
Ger Orf Moy LAAANNNDDD

Traater, Traila, Comboine Bailer

[Anonymous]

I reckon ur right bridgo.. its probably a case of finding the closest thing ,and then modifying it.

[Anonymous]

I'm gonna have a practise on my old knackered driver's door.....it's fooked anyway and just sat on the patio so I may as well have a play!

I'm gonna make a cardboard window and try and see if it's easy to make it wind up and down....maybe try and mod the original rubber and glass runners. If it works easily enough, then I'll take the card template to the scrappy and see if any cars are near the size.
I wasn't going to bother with this myself, but if I can get it to work, I may have to :D

[Anonymous]

will you tell us if you find out mate , matey mate , matey mate mate mate mate?

[Anonymous]

ooo...don't know about that...may cost ya!

Only jokin' ;) I've got to do it first, which is the hard part!


v5uk......I don't think MKII Astra glass would fit, because it's far too rounded.....the glass for the Nova door would have to have a much sharper angle in it, that's why I recon a MKI Astra or Chevette glass would be about right.
I'm putting together a pic showing the different window glass next to each other for comparison....I'll post it up later.

[Anonymous]

okay M8 thanks
I think between us all we will get there in the end, gonna look well smart if we can do it

[-itchscratch.gif-]