When I recently got my Acad, the passenger-side sliding window worked nicely, but the driver-side sliding mechanism seemed detached from the window. Obviously, this was something that had to be fixed. Here’s how I tackled that small project.

Job at hand:

Fixing the sliding window in the left door of my Acad.

First analysis:

Where I assumed the winding mechanism to be faulty, opening the door revealed the slider between the window and the mechanism to be missing altogether. A brief hope that it had detached from the window and subsequently fallen down in the door proved false – nothing but dust at the inside bottom of the door.

Alternatives:

• Find out where new sliders are sold and order one
• Start ebaying to locate and purchase a second-hand slider
• DIY a new slider

The first alternative was soon revealed to be a dream. The sliders were only used on small series of Acads and the sliding part is no longer available.

Alternative two requires waiting, first to find one, then negotiating a buy, followed by the uncertainty of the delivery. Over the years, I have developped a healthy distrust in the delivery of parcels to our Swedish address. Things from books to certified legal papers have been sent and lost prior to their arrival to me.

Remains the third option: DIY, which of course is always nice!

Let’s get started!

This is what the original would have looked like before it spontaneously detached from my window: Note that the square area used for gluing seems quite under-dimensioned for its task and in my view the most likely point of failure. Surely a better job could be done there.

The thing seems to be pressed out of aluminum (or aluminium, depending on your language preferences). Luckily, I still had a sheet of aluminum laying around from my early biking days when my brother and I traveled northern Africa with our XT500 bikes. In order to enhance the luggage capacity of the bikes, we made aluminum boxes. The material at that time was sponsored by Driessen Aluminium, nowadays Driessen Aircraft Interior Systems. I still had one sheet left, so the material was available.

Before undertaking any manufacturing job with a precision measured in millimeters rather than centimeters, some time ought to be spent on drawing a proper technical drawing. So I did some measuring and designing and came up with this:

…showing the aluminum to be used and my tech drawing. Note that the major features have already been inscribed on the surface of the aluminum.

After some drilling, cutting, and filing I got this:

With the basic shape there, some adjustment to the reality was required. Finally, I ended up with this:

…which fit the winder and the window nicely. Tiem for some cleanup of the old glue residue on the glass and preparing both surfaces for gluing:

…by thoroughly sanding both surfaces.

With everything ready to be installed, the window was removed from the door. In the kitch I prepared some epoxy glue and stuch the two together:

Now it’s just a matter of waiting for the glue to set and installing the window back in the door while attaching the new slider to the winder mechanism.

The result:

Here’s what I ended up with:

…with the glue still drying, I’ll wait a bit before attaching the slider mechanism.

Tools used:

• Electric jig saw
• Electric drill
• Drills of various sizes
• Flat file
• Round file
• Hammer
• Vise
• Sandpaper
• Epoxy glue (two component)

Fun 2CV fact:

Did you know a 2CV plays a minor but distinguished role in my book ‘Nuremberg – A post-war thriller‘? While Jutta hasn’t ever been in such a car before, Ben treats her on a typical open-roof 2CV ride in Amsterdam, complete with fast cornering and, at least in Jutta’s mind, hazardous parking at one of the canals that Amsterdam is famous for. Click the book icon on this page to find out more about my book Nuremberg.

 

Hashing:
#2cv #acad #acadiane #eend #nuremberg #slidingwindowrepair #citroen