Window Removal Help

[Elanlover]

Ok, this is driving me crazy now. I'm having a lot of trouble removing g the windows. Sadly, I've removed them before many years ago and I'll be damned if I can remember what I did that time. The trouble I'm having is that they are catching at the back of the door. Back as in near the door lock. All the relevant pieces are disconnected (butterfly and stop bobbins) but it seems the sliders at the rear aren't clearing the metal piece that holds the rubber trim in place. I've even loosened the nut near the top of the door frame that holds the guide track in place but no luck. Any suggestions? Thanks!

[lotustonybassplayer]

Toby's video on the youtube channel, ( the lotus elan m100 restoration series) has him removing the glass, for the window seal replacement. It might help you

[Brit-Car-Nut]

Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xps5s0sbm3w

You need to remove the inner trim to give you more room. See the section around 3 minutes.

[CalElan]

I had a tough job getting the glass to go back in at the rear. Turned out that the rearmost screw head that secures the rubber outer trim was a little proud and was jamming the runner. Perhaps you have the same problem in reverse? There is some flex in the door and once I worked out what was happening I was able to put a wide lever in and gain the mm or so clearance I needed. The videos are worth a watch tho..

[Elanlover]

Well I did get them out. Had to drill out a few rivets to bend the weather strip retainer (I wasn't going to remove the whole thing). The fun will start when I try to put them back in I suppose. So glad Lotus included all these steps in the manual.

[Tuga2112]

Well I did get them out. Had to drill out a few rivets to bend the weather strip retainer (I wasn't going to remove the whole thing). The fun will start when I try to put them back in I suppose. So glad Lotus included all these steps in the manual.

Everytime I took the windows out I had to remove those guide plates and re-rivet then back afterwards. Near the lock rod area the door card side has an indentation to allow the runners to come out and those steps are right in front of it blocking the way.
I can't imagine being able to refit the window with that rubber in place either. I tried just last week and just ended up wasting another batch of rivets

[Elanlover]

While I hope to never need to remove the windows again I wonder if it's possible to cut a section of the metal away (but keep the entire length intact) to make it easier to remove them???

[Tuga2112]

While I hope to never need to remove the windows again I wonder if it's possible to cut a section of the metal away (but keep the entire length intact) to make it easier to remove them???

Id say it seem possible. i doubth theres any structural reason for it to be there. i think its there just to be used as a plate for the rubber seals to have something that is not fibreglass for the self taking screws to hold on to while spreading the load a bit?