[jamieandthemagi]

Advice needed - window winder & door interior

Window Winder
anyone got any tips on replacing the winder mechanism & cable in the doors - my cable has 2 strands left & thought I would do this before it breaks.
It looks like a pig of a job, & any advice on adjusting it properly would be well recieved.

Door plastic - water prevention
should the plastic inside the door card, actually tuck into the base of the door ? my was just stuck to the back of the door card & I was getting water in the footwell, via water going into the door at the a pillar & draining down the door & into the footwell.

Door interior handle
Anyone got a piccy of the bracket that holds the interior door handle - my bracket looks distinctly "not factory".

Door handle exterior
my door interiors are full of lovely waxoyl, but theres a bracket that holds the exterior door handle in place, that looks quite rotton - is this replaceable ? cant really see how its fixed to the door skin, but door skins from the usual suspects dont appear to have this bit on them.



cheers guys

 

[frogeye]

When I removed my door panels, there was a sheet of clear polythene (or similar) glued to the frame of the inner door - with holes for the winder and lock lever to go through. Fairly certain this was original. Matt

 

[cucinando]

Yeah same, I had plastic attached to the frame of the door in my GTV. I don't know that it would prevent water getting into the footwell, I assumed it was to stop (well, slow) water getting into the bottom of the door.

The clamp you want (and they do rot badly - I had one that was a 1cm band of rust) is available here from Alfaholics. It screws onto the back of the door handle with the door skin clamped between the outer and the clamp.

 

[eedneco]

FWIW...
I find that 3M strip caulk works well to seal the plastic sheet against the inboard surface of the door frame. If you look along the lower side you'll see some drains punched into the sheet steel, which to me always have seemed to be to allow water between the plastic sheet and the steel to drain back inside the door, and to exit the normal drains at the lower outboard edge of the door. So I've run the strip caulk so as to be just below those drains, but no lower.

The sheet metal piece you write about on the inside of the outer door handle is removable, it bolts onto a couple studs that are integral with the handle, and it pushes against the outer door skin, and should have a "hairy" pad glued to it where it touches the door skin.

I didn't have to replace the window cable as such so I can't advise on that.
Neil

 

[alfavirusnz]

The original plastic was just stuck to the door frame with black caulking, however I think it is better to tuck i into the bottom of the doors to divert moisture back inside the doors and the moisture then exits via the drain holes. Just caulk all around the bottom of the solid pieces of door frame where you cant tuck the plastic back.
Window cable is no problem and looks more complicated that it is-just don`t release the cable fastener until you have the unit inside the door and secured. Leave the clamp on the window loose until everything is in place then clamp lightly at halfway open and then operate the handle-you may have to minor adjust by releasing the clamp on the window and repositioning but no problem. Before you start though take a good look at the existing layout and if necessary take notes or photos-it gives you a reference. It will also tell you how much cable is on the drum at certain window positions to get things clear in your mind.

 

[jamieandthemagi]

Door interior handle
Anyone got a piccy of the bracket that holds the interior door handle - my bracket looks distinctly "not factory".

 

[gpfleming]

Do you mean the interior handle/armrest? - like Plastic Arm Rest / Door Pull | Classic Alfa Romeo spare parts and accessories?

If so - mine are located onto the door frame by a pair of long M5 threaded studs that are mounted at a downwards angle as they come out of the door (!) - don't have a pic unfortunately. I suppose it does look a little homemade but I'm pretty sure it's original.

edit - found a pic! - you can just see the forward most stud in this pic - the 2 of them are attached to a plate which is riveted to the door frame - thinking about it some more - maybe that's not original after all! - both my doors are the same though and the armrest sits in exactly the rightplace with the door release handle sitting in the recess.

Regarding the winder mechs - I replaced my drivers door one a year or so ago (the car came with a Alfasud one fitted! - it wasn't pretty). I bought it from one of the usuals. When I eventually got it fitted it was horribly rough and graunchy - almost like it the mech itself was assembled with no lubrication at all. I tried to spray some lube into the mech but because of the way it was assembled the lube never got to the place it was needed. I had no alternative but to disassemble it, grease it properly and re-assemble. This was the WORST job ever - I had to drill out the rivets holding it together - keep hold of the cogs and springs AND try to remember how the wire wrapped around the drum etc - nightmare. I cannot stress how difficult this was - esp. with only 2 hands! As I suspected - the mech itself was bone dry inside - not an ounze of lube or grease in there - no wonder it felt and sounded horrific! I did eventually get it done after several goes and once refitted to the door and glass, the winder was beautifully smooth - the way it should have been.
With hindsight, I really should have sent it back to the usual that sold me it - but obviously didn't. I hope mine was an isolated one and they don't normally come like this. Good luck.

 

[jamieandthemagi]

Which of the usual did uyou get it from, il avoid that one as theres choice.

 

[Alfajay]

Which of the usual did uyou get it from, il avoid that one as theres choice.

I would imagine that all of the suppliers - both the usual and the unusual - buy the window lift mechanisms from the same manufacturer. It isn't as if there is a huge market for Alfa parts from 1970's.

plastic attached to the frame of the door in my GTV. I don't know that it would prevent water getting into the footwell, I assumed it was to stop (well, slow) water getting into the bottom of the door.

I believe that the plastic is to prevent the door panel from warping due to moisture. The door panels are made from porous fiberboard, which will buckle when moisture causes one side to expand. I have painted the inside of door panels with Thompson's Water Seal to try to make them more water resistant. I have heard of people make door panels with plexiglas instead of fiberboard to - of course, when you do that, you have to glue, and not staple, the covering on.

 

[alfavirusnz]

That picture of the plate with the 5mm threaded stud is exactly how I`ve always found them. It looks like Joe the home handyman has been there but in all honesty it must be an Italian thing as when I had my Ferrari behind the door panel was similar standard. They always have surface rust on them as well so I always derust and paint with protective paint before putting back. Reason they are attached to the door is because those arm rests they secure get a hard time and need to be secured to something solid.

 

[daveydog]

Here's the left side door mechanism. The whole door handle area is prone to water leakage but that's just the way it is. The rubber door handle gasket that's being sold these days is no good for water prevention but it does work to prevent the paint from being scratched by the handle.



Giving these cars a good pressure washing at the car wash is probably the worst thing you can do to your car. So much water is going to get through the door and into the interior that it's going to look like a mushroom forest in there once the spores germinate.

 

[alfavirusnz]

Water is not really a problem provided the protective paint is doing its job and the water can freely drain away. I create extra drain holes and drill additional holes at strategic places. As an additional maintenance item I take off the door cards from time to time and remove the muck that accumulates (mainly dust that turns to earth if allowed to gather) although since drilling additional drainage holes where dust used to accumulate no longer have problem and door insides as dry as.