59 Power windows

[Jack in Alaska]

All of our motors run and the switches are ok. The rear door windows go down but are real jerky and need help to come back up. They seem to get cocked one way or the other and jamb. The front driver door window is fine going down but will not come up w/o help. The front passenger door window works fine as do both vents.
What could be the problem ??? Is there a clutch system as the motor keeps running but the window will not come up.
As we have not taken the door liners off yet we would appreciate some guidance on the problem.
Thanks in advance for any help.

[W. Higgins]

Hiya Jack,

Your front window that goes down and not up is most likely the window motor drive coupling. There is a little rubber coupling between the window motor and regulator designed to soften the transition between the two. A star shaped disk fits into a star shaped female end on the coupling. The rubber part goes bad and rounds out, so that is why it is fighting you going up. Eventually, it will have trouble going down, too.

Your rear windows sound like the same coupler problem if you are helping them up because of slipping, too, plus they are possilby out of adjustment and the mechnaism needs cleaning and grease. That is covered in the repair manual.

There are a few different things people do. One, of course, replace the coupler with a better used one (all four or seven [depending on what model you're parting out] are the same), NOS ones show up on Ebay on occasion, and if they are in the condition your front one is, still partially working, you can snug a hose clamp around it to get some more life out of it. Crimp-type band clamps make for the neatest application.

Of course, make sure all your window mechanisms are clean and greased to prevent from putting unnecessary load on the other couplers.

Again, welcome to the forum. I think Alaska gives you the most distant '58 - '60 of the group.

[hoodie]

Jack, welcome to the forum.
How the hell can ya work on a car in sub-zero weather ???
Walter is right , those little couplers can cause a lot of problems . As you take your door panels off , leave them off until you are completely satisfied . on , off ,on , off can piss ya off.
Jack , If you have not done so already list your vin # . Chris Whalen is tring to keep up with all the 58-60 's that we find.
Thanks , George Hood

[Jack in Alaska]

George,

We only fix things with large nuts and bolts in the winter so we can wrench on them with mittens on.

The VIN of my 59 Linc. is H9YA423367. It was purchased new in Kansas but has been in Alaska since 1978.

FYI there are 3 others in Anchorage, stored outside, and in fairly grim but running condition one being a convertible. There is another conv. in a garage in mid Anchorage but can not find out where. I will keep on the trail. In Palmer. Ak. there is a 59 Cont. personal limousine with the divider, two radios and two A/C's in excellent running condition. Heard it was for sale for $13k. The same man has owned it for almost 40 yrs. It came from Hollywood, Calif. many years ago
That is all I know for now. If I told you more I would have to make it up...ha.

Maybe you could pass on my VIN to Chris.

Thanks for the reply.............Jack

[W. Higgins]

George made a good point on the door panels. Also invest in the proper tool to pop the clips or else you risk breaking the masonite board where the clips hang on. The less you handle the door panels, the better.

The VIN of my 59 Linc. is H9YA423367

That sounds pretty late, would you share the rest of the data off the plate, including the date?

In Palmer. Ak. there is a 59 Cont. personal limousine with the divider, two radios and two A/C's in excellent running condition.

Oooh oooh, I wanna know more. Does he have it advertised somewhere with pictures, or just doing it word of mouth?

Whooda thunk there were so many '58 - '60's in Alaska?

That is all I know for now. If I told you more I would have to make it up...ha.

Well, that's not unheard of around here, but it would be the exception.


Keep us posted on your progress.

[Jack in Alaska]

Walter,
My car is 20 miles from here so can not get the numbers until Thur.
The Vin No. I gave is also the same one that is hammered into the body at the trunk lid edge.

I will attempt to find out about the 59 Cont. limo.

[JR2]

I own half of Jack in Alaska's Lincoln and I have it in my garage. I went out and wrote down all the info off the data palate.

Body 57A Color 01 Then there is a string of numbers 909A16F


Hope this helps

Click http://pictures.autotitlesofalaska.com/ ... F0059.html for a pic of the car taken a couple of years back when we used it in my wedding.

[W. Higgins]

Wow, two Alaskans coming out of nowhere.

Thanks for the data plate information. In case you're interested, it translates:

Body 57A - 4-door Landau Lincoln (base model)

Color 01 - Presidential Black

Trim 909 or 909A - I have no code for this. The lowest trim number in my book is 918. That's odd.

Date 16F - I think I grouped that correctly, the month tends to come after the day: 16 June, 1959

Axle code - Should be 1 or 2 but don't see that in what you offered.


Thanks for the pictures. Nice car. Always liked the trim on the non-Continentals better in '59.

I will attempt to find out about the 59 Cont. limo.

Super, can't wait.

[Jack in Alaska]

Thanks John for getting the numbers. Had to pull the cover off again didn't you.

John is my son and he and I purchased the car 3 years ago to use in his wedding. We still have it and are slowly improving it. We put wide white Coker radial tires on it last week. We store it in his garage in Eagle river about 20 miles north of Anchorage.

[W. Higgins]

John is my son and he and I purchased the car 3 years ago to use in his wedding.

Do you have five more kids to marry-off? It would give you a good excuse to go after the other Lincoln's for sale that you know about.

[Chris Whalen]

Jack and son John, welcome to the group. Thanks for the VIN and data plate info. Handsome car, handsome wedding couple. Image #10 a GREAT shot. And you have me beginning to think about radials, now.

George and Walter, thanks for the info on the window drive coupling. I too have begun to have to help back the two back door windows after rolling them down. Front windows are fine.

[W. Higgins]

Chris.... your thoughts on the 909 or 909A trim code?

And more ponderings on the stripped drive couplings have caused me to think it's not a bad idea to install clamps on all working units before the coupling strips, as a preventative measure. I don't know how long they last once a clamp is put on after they strip, but surely it would buy them much more life if done before.

I know this has all been discussed before, but this is they type of clamp I think would make for the neatest application:



I've never tried one of these so I don't know if they offer the right size or if it's going to be some goofy in-between applicaton. Link to specs below. I have some NOS couplers hidden somewhere, I'll dig them out later and take some measurements.

Hose clamp specs:

http://www.hosexpress.com/clampsandtools/earclamps.htm

[Jack in Alaska]

Are there other cars of that vintage that uses the same coupler??? Merc/Ford or GM/Mopar ????

Does anyone have a part no. for the coupler???

Walter............your NOS couplers are for sale for how much???? ha

This site is great for learning about our "Abes".

[W. Higgins]

Are there other cars of that vintage that uses the same coupler??? Merc/Ford or GM/Mopar ????

I don't know of an interchange for the coupler.

Does anyone have a part no. for the coupler???

I don't have a parts book handy, but the half worn-off number on the paper bag one of the NOS ones is in looks the same as the hand written number on the paper tag of the other, which reads: BAK 5723580 3

Walter............your NOS couplers are for sale for how much???? ha

Sorry friend, no such luck. I have 15 window motors to maintain, I need all these things I can get


I goofed a little trying to describe the arrangement from memory, the star shaped piece is an insert with a female "D" shaped part to receive the other shaft. I rubbed the end of the piece with a China marker so it would photograph better. This is the star shaped piece that rounds out:




and an overall shot for good measure so you know what you're dealing with:



Hope this helps.

[toddallen]

Walter,
The rubber portion of the coupler looks just like the later model couplers, and have the "D" insert for the motor shaft. How is the rubber portion mated to the metal part? The later couplers are more plentiful, and do not have a tendency to fail. both ends of the later coupler have the "D" insert. Would there be a way to mate a later rubber coupler to the metal piece to repair a damaged earlier version?