Cool summertime mod...

[jj big shoe]

When I drive my Pathy on nice summer days I usually would rather roll the windows down than use the AC, but the blast of wind whipping in the window would usually bug me and become unbearable at highway speeds (those of you with a 2-door can attest to that I'm sure) and forget it if you're a girl or the long-haired hippie type (yes, B, I'm referring to you ). So I needed to come up with a solution.

I thought about linear actuators and pneumatic rams, but all that engineering started to make my brain itch, not to mention the cost involved and practicality. So I went with the simple approach.

Its made from 4' of 1/4" round bar, a standard door hinge and two hooks for a wire closet shelf system. All can be bought at Home Depot for under $12 or so. I took the pin out of the hinge and pryed it open a little so the round bar would move easily enough then peened it so it would stay up when not in use. Then I drilled two holes in the hinge to match the hatch glass hook. To mound the hooks, I cut away the plastic trim on the latch and used two short sheet metal screws so as not to interfere with the latch mechanism.

I put too many coats of paint on it so its chipped off a bit, but it holds the window up tight and stays put when not in use.

On one exceptionally windy day I did get a couple whiffs of exhaust, but no more than a whiff. Kinda like when a guy with really bad B.O. passes by you at a gas station. other than that there's no hint of it.

The air now has an escape instead of trying to come in and push out the same window creating so much turbulence that you can't have a conversation with your passenger. Much nicer and the air around the floor gets recycled now as well so my feet and seat don't feel as hot.

 

Edited June 3, 2006 by jj big shoe

[max_stryker]

cool mod

[~Ben~]

I do pretty much the same thing; I just leave that back window open. I guess the only difference between mine and yours would be that mine moves up and down when I hit bumps and stuff, so it could be wearing out those arms or whatever they're called. They're cheap anyway, so I figure its worth it.

 

My 95 XE actually has a button that'll unlock that rear window, so when I'm driving I can press the button and because of the windflow the back window opens up. Only problem with it is if I decide I want it back down, I don't have a button to close it... I've been thinking about just attacking like a piece of rope or something to the end of the window so that I can just pull it closed when I want to from the driver's seat. Not sure if that'd work, but its a possiblity. Not that I ever really need to have it closed; rain can't get through that window anyway when you're driving.

[max_stryker]

I love that feature in my wd, the button that allows the rear hatch window to pop open - i wish i had it in my r50

[GrimGreg]

I saw something similar made for Corvette rear glass hatches once, it was actually an extention you put on the catch end of the latch allowing it to be latched but open about 2".

[Precise1]

Interesting idea... Nicely done JJ.

I'm thinking up something that is off to the sides to prop the glass open for when you have something long to transport.

 

B

[fordsho90]

cool jj nice little mod hows it do over bumps?

[max_stryker]

it looks fairly secure...i bet it does okay

[Spolar93]

nice. i usually just take mine off

[El Pathfindero]

my hatch button doesn't work.......

[jj big shoe]

cool jj nice little mod hows it do over bumps?

It does great. It snaps into the clips pretty snug. I wouldn't go offroading with it open, but speed bumps and dirt roads are fine.

my hatch button doesn't work.......

Neither does mine. In fact, neither does my rear wiper.

[~Ben~]

The hatch button is just supposed to unlock the back; it won't open it for you. But if you're driving along with the windows down and you hit the switch, the hatch will open just because of the wind hitting it. I find it opens more easily when accelerating from being stopped for some reason, so that's usually when I choose to open mine.

[solid snake]

yeah, i sometimes wish the pathy came with a roll down rear window like the 4runners do, tried thinking of a way to do a mod, but got lazy.

[John Boy]

Nice mod!

 

Another thing to do is just put 2 pop out hinges on like on the older mini van side windows. With some good epoxy they should secure to the window and screw them down into the tailgate. Hmmmm.

[KILLVOX]

Nice job JJ. Something else to add to my mod list

[navygz19]

I love that feature in my wd, the button that allows the rear hatch window to pop open - i wish i had it in my r50

Interesting...my Mom had that pop-open button in her '97 Q. It was down to the lower left of the dash by the dash light dimmer thingy. I wonder why Nissan never transferred it to other R50's?

 

Oh yeah isn't it possibe to get arms to attatch that can lock, so as to keep the glass hatch open on it's own? :confused:

[~Ben~]

Oh yeah isn't it possibe to get arms to attatch that can lock, so as to keep the glass hatch open on it's own? :confused:

Yeah I'm sure someone makes those. Either that or it wouldn't too hard to modify the arms a bit (not sure how you'd go about it though). I'll ebay it and see what I get

[jj big shoe]

Oh yeah isn't it possibe to get arms to attatch that can lock, so as to keep the glass hatch open on it's own? 

Yeah, probably. But how much do they cost and do they just support the glass from closing or do they secure it completely? This cost me under $15 and seems to hold the window pretty securely. Plus I finally have something that 88 didn't think of first.

[iLLlegal]

spiffy man. i might do the same thing. or devise a plan so i can takeit off easily

 

hmm

[sammyb33]

i am working on a plan so that i can remove the whole hatch. i think it would look very interesting, be great in the summer, but might not be practical.

 

on the oneside, its great that it would be a huge open space....on the downside it would be a gaping hole for someone to come in an steal my stuff.....

 

well have to see what happens......

[navygz19]

i am working on a plan so that i can remove the whole hatch. i think it would look very interesting, be great in the summer, but might not be practical.

 

I can think of a million ways that can get rid of the hatch that are probably a lot easier than modifying it

[~Ben~]

Is it possibe to reverse the hinges on the hatch so that the hatch folds inwards instead?

 

Imagine taking the hinges and putting them on the bottom of the frame, then creating some sort of clip-in thing so that the glass stays in place inside the car. Then you have full windflow, but you can put the glass back up easily. Only minor problem would be that its slightly less cargo space for you, but doubt that'd matter much.

[jj big shoe]

Are you talking about mounting the window inside the hatch instead of outside? Even if it were a possibility I think that it would not only look funny but it would have to be a pretty good seal for it not to leak since water would pool at the bottom. I think if I was to go through all the trouble of reengineering the rear glass, I'd try to make it roll down into the tailgate like a 4runner or make it removable with quick release mounts like a targa top instead.

 

Another thing to do is just put 2 pop out hinges on like on the older mini van side windows. With some good epoxy they should secure to the window and screw them down into the tailgate. Hmmmm.

You could use one in the center. There's already two holes through the glass for mounting the handle and latch hook. No need for epoxy. I might have to revise mine if I come across one of those latches thats long enough, say five to six inches extended. Right now its at 12" but it'll prolly work fine at half that.

[John Boy]

Are you talking about mounting the window inside the hatch instead of outside? Even if it were a possibility I think that it would not only look funny but it would have to be a pretty good seal for it not to leak since water would pool at the bottom. I think if I was to go through all the trouble of reengineering the rear glass, I'd try to make it roll down into the tailgate like a 4runner or make it removable with quick release mounts like a targa top instead.

 

 

You could use one in the center. There's already two holes through the glass for mounting the handle and latch hook. No need for epoxy. I might have to revise mine if I come across one of those latches thats long enough, say five to six inches extended. Right now its at 12" but it'll prolly work fine at half that.

I'm sure you could pick one up at a junk yard. I would be careful though one good size bump and it could shatter the window. It's alot of stress for only ONE hinge you might want to go with two.

[jj big shoe]

I would be careful though one good size bump and it could shatter the window. It's alot of stress for only ONE hinge you might want to go with two.

Not really. The weight of the glass is held up top by the hinges. There's very little stress on the bottom as long as you don't prop it open completely horizontally and try to load gear on it. I've been cruising around with it open over train tracks, potholes, speed bumps, etc. with no problem. If it weren't held tight and rattled over bumps I could see it cracking or shattering, but there's no worry since it's not banging around back there. Plus it's tempered glass, the same as the shelves in your refridgerator, which is actually pretty tough stuff.