Mike,

The job is actually done now...it did seem like a strange solution, but on one lower half channel I tried my idea. I scraped and sanded out the entire interior of the old channel frame, primed it black to prevent future rust, added a light adhesive to the rubber backing of the flexible channel, and fitted it in. I test-rolled the window down and it WAS snug, and made the window "sticky" on the way down. At this point with no other immediate option handy, it seemed like the only thing to do was to try and slightly widen the frame (those frames sure are rigid!). With some effort and leverage it did widen, refitted and reinstalled it, and it seems to work fine now. Was that really supposed to be an option? Or were people supposed to figure out that they should have new custom frames made?

One lower bracket on one channel was broken, but it seems to be holding ok with the upper bracket alone.

Needless to say, the other door's lower channel hasn't detiorated as badly as the first. I was antsy to get the doors back together so I decided to ignore that one for now. At least it's easily accessible if I feel like redoing it. Honestly, after doing the whole job, I guess I never realized how easy it actually was to access and remove the channels (like so much on this car).

I did realize that I didn't attatch the interior front door handles correctly--I pointed them "down" and now when I tried to screw on one interior arm rest/handle, the door handle is hitting it. I suppose I need to point the handles "up," (but my back door handles are pointed down ??). I don't have another 122 to compare it to (the manuals don't seem to help here), so I have to figure out positioning as I go.

And all of this has raised another question about the tension one of the window winders, but ho hum, another question for another post...


thanks,

Holly