Why the window uprights?

[mach1]

OK, so this will probably be in the top 10 of the stupidest questions somewhere but I've just had a week off and ran out of things to think about....

At the moment I'm in the lucky position of being able to afford a second car for sunny days and naturally my thoughts have turned to the Chimaera. While looking I've become curious as to why the doors have the triangular stays on top that the windows go up into. (Apologies, it's the best description I could come up with). Newer TVR's just have a plain door & the window stays up OK. My old TR had a plain door and the window was fine & didn't leak.

Apologies if this is just too stupid for an enthusiasts forum, but please could someone help???

Cheers,

M

[mongoose]

I thought it was just a styling exercise?I remember them being referred to as "crazy in and out quaterlights"in one magazine article.I do like the way they are inside and out in one piece,very nice

[anonymous-user]

You will probably find they help keep the window sealed against the hood and A pillar a lot better than without them.

My old Manta used to get wind noise on the frameless doors, my Spitfires tend to break seal at high speed.

Don't have that problem with the Supra, then again it is a Toyota.

[Cider Andy]

Yeah, I'd go along with the nice design theory, although they do hold the forward edge of the window in place too. Aren't they designed as a throwback to the 'classic' British sports cars, like the MGB roadster, to have the look of a real quarterlight?

[V8 Archie]

I don't know about the design, but without it you window would be 1/4in outside the roof when it's up. That's part of the reason the windows are so slow to lift.

[razorman]

I had a slight air leak at speed and found that by just bending the metal guide very slightly it was enough to pull the window into the rubber seal and stop the noise so they do come in handy.

Just remember to put your hand on top of it as you get in or could quite easily take your eye out.

[V8 Archie]

razorman said:

I had a slight air leak at speed

The roof does start to lift when you get over the ton. At 150 I could just about get my little finger into the gap.

[IM]

V8 Archie said:

razorman said:

I had a slight air leak at speed

The roof does start to lift when you get over the ton. At 150 I could just about get my little finger into the gap.

You took your hand off the wheel at 150!!!!

[Seasider]

V8 Archie said:

That's part of the reason the windows are so slow to lift.

They are not slow if you put a full 12v via a relay to the motor

[Podie]

mongoose said:

I thought it was just a styling exercise?I remember them being referred to as "crazy in and out quaterlights"in one magazine article.I do like the way they are inside and out in one piece,very nice

It was in one of the Classic Car mags... may even still have it somewhere...!!

[mach1]

Thanks for the answers, believe it or not that has been really puzzling me.

So it looks like they are there for a very practical reason as well as being a bit of an overlooked styling masterpiece.

Really must start concentrating on just getting a car now....

[RTZ62]

From my 'experience' its there to surgically remove your eye when getting into the car with the roof and window down!

TVR obviously had a second line of business in opothalmic replacements.....!

[hut49]

OK a further take on the purpose of the upright. It's there to support the window runner - without the upright the angled piece would be very unstable as it is not an integral part of the door. One push and it could easily rip off the mounting, without any reinforcement. To be strong enough to remain rigid when the window is down the angled piece needed to be either 2-3 inches thick and have a broader mounting to distribute the load on the dooe frame(in which case it would have created a very thick and inelegant pillar/blindspot) or it needed a support at the top end. Which is what it got. So it's more about stability when the window is down and the door open rather than pushing the raised window against the rubber seal. In my opinion....

[mgaut]

RTZ62 said:

From my 'experience' its there to surgically remove your eye when getting into the car with the roof and window down!

... or in my case, catch you right under the chin

[V8 Archie]

IM said:

You took your hand off the wheel at 150!!!!

On a straight runway, no other vehicles about and the car sat very steadily, yes. I wouldn't recommend doing it at any other time.

And yes, I'd been keeping a very careful watch on my tyres too.