Why did cars have these?

Why did cars have these?

Author
Discussion

wildcat45

Original Poster:

8,056 posts

188 months

Monday 31st August 2015
quotequote all
Seeing a picture on the unusual car colour thread brought back something I've been meaning to ask.

Back in the 1970s and 1980s the fashion changed in car design and cars started having one piece front side windows. No quarter light: so the leading edge of the window went down in a line with the A post.

The first car we had that did this was a Chrysker Horizon.. On the door frame there was a little protrusion. See here.




I just noticed the feature on a Pirsche 928.





Other cars of that generation had then, but not all.

It appears to be outside the car and not in contact with the glass. Some sort of seal or guide? Cars don't have them now. Wonder what it was for. Any ideas?

HustleRussell

24,602 posts

159 months

Monday 31st August 2015
quotequote all
I've noticed this. I reckon it stops rainwater from streaming up the moulding and finding it's way up to the top of the window.

Slow

6,973 posts

136 months

Monday 31st August 2015
quotequote all
Land Rover Discovery 300tdi's still have that little bit produced up until like 1998 or something.

No idea what its for though

Silent1

19,761 posts

234 months

Monday 31st August 2015
quotequote all
Slow said:
Land Rover Discovery 300tdi's still have that little bit produced up until like 1998 or something.

No idea what its for though
Lots of defenders still have them and it's because once you're traveling more than about 20mph the air going past the car pulls the windows out slightly so if you try and close them whilst move they don't go back into the crease at the top and unless you pull it in with your little finger you have to wait until you're stationary to do it.
Both of our defender 130s on the farm have them missing and it's a PITA when you forget.

Artie Fufkin

226 posts

182 months

Monday 31st August 2015
quotequote all
^^^This

Riley Blue

20,915 posts

225 months

Monday 31st August 2015
quotequote all
^^^^^^ This - glass guides.

wildcat45

Original Poster:

8,056 posts

188 months

Monday 31st August 2015
quotequote all
Thanks. Something I've been wondering about since 1979 but never got round to asking.

Djtemeka

1,802 posts

191 months

Monday 31st August 2015
quotequote all
wildcat45 said:
Thanks. Something I've been wondering about since 1979 but never got round to asking.
Took your sweet time didn't you? laugh

dubloon

64 posts

104 months

Monday 31st August 2015
quotequote all
Back in the day glass ran in straight parallel runners right up to the top of the door,with a small quarter light in front. Once the front channel was shortened it became tricky to locate the glass as the window closed.

Pickled Piper

6,334 posts

234 months

Monday 31st August 2015
quotequote all
Aerodynamics. It changes the airflow from lamina to turbulent. Stops the windows being sucked out.

wildcat45

Original Poster:

8,056 posts

188 months

Monday 31st August 2015
quotequote all
So a kind of Vortex generator?

poing

8,743 posts

199 months

Monday 31st August 2015
quotequote all
And who said the internet isn't educational! I guessed it was something to do with rain but it's actually a lot more interesting.

Thanks for the answer, but more than that, thanks for asking the question.

Silent1

19,761 posts

234 months

Monday 31st August 2015
quotequote all
Pickled Piper said:
Aerodynamics. It changes the airflow from lamina to turbulent. Stops the windows being sucked out.
Really? On a defender it's definitely a guide for the glass.

DoubleByte

1,239 posts

265 months

Monday 31st August 2015
quotequote all
Pickled Piper said:
Aerodynamics. It changes the airflow from lamina to turbulent. Stops the windows being sucked out.
Very funny !!!!

As if anyone who designed that Chrysler knew anything about aerodynamics smile

Mr2Mike

20,143 posts

254 months

Monday 31st August 2015
quotequote all
Pickled Piper said:
Aerodynamics. It changes the airflow from lamina to turbulent. Stops the windows being sucked out.
Laminar

And it's purely to guide the window back into the runners when it's closed as others have said.

Conscript

1,378 posts

120 months

Monday 31st August 2015
quotequote all
What a weird coincidence. I was sitting in our car today (2005 Xtrail) and I happened to notice the same little bumps on the leading edge of the window. Get home, and see this thread. Mental.

Tango13

8,398 posts

175 months

Monday 31st August 2015
quotequote all
Djtemeka said:
wildcat45 said:
Thanks. Something I've been wondering about since 1979 but never got round to asking.
Took your sweet time didn't you? laugh
In fairness to the OP he did have to wait for the internet to be invented... biglaugh

wildcat45

Original Poster:

8,056 posts

188 months

Monday 31st August 2015
quotequote all
I just remembered my Dad wondering about them when I was a little kid. The picture of the 928 jogged my memory. Isn't this World Wide Web thing great!

300bhp/ton

41,030 posts

189 months

Monday 31st August 2015
quotequote all
Silent1 said:
Slow said:
Land Rover Discovery 300tdi's still have that little bit produced up until like 1998 or something.

No idea what its for though
Lots of defenders still have them and it's because once you're traveling more than about 20mph the air going past the car pulls the windows out slightly so if you try and close them whilst move they don't go back into the crease at the top and unless you pull it in with your little finger you have to wait until you're stationary to do it.
Both of our defender 130s on the farm have them missing and it's a PITA when you forget.
You sure Defenders have these?

lel

395 posts

122 months

Monday 31st August 2015
quotequote all
i had a feeling this thread was going to be about those mysterious black nipples before i clicked, I'm happy i know what they're for now