Hey everyone,

I'm hoping to tap into the collective wisdom of this forum for a project on my new-to-me 1989 GMC Jimmy (full-size) rebuild project. I'm starting to tackle the notorious split sliding rear quarter windows, and I'm looking for some advice on sourcing glass, parts, and any tips for the repair process itself.

My windows are showing their age—the seals are mostly new (LMC Truck), but the glass is all scratched and chipped, & the hinges on the vent part are a bit rusted and don't turn as smoothly as I'd like. I've done some initial research and have no leads except old, used, rusted ones, but I'd love to hear from those of you who have been down this road before. Here's what I've found so far:

• Parts Retailers: I've seen that places like LMC Truck, Steele Rubber Products, Precision Replacement Parts, Classic Industries, and even Motor City K5 offer various components. Motor City K5 even has a complete "Sliding Rear Quarter Window Rebuild Kit."
• Part Numbers & Diagrams: I've found some exploded diagrams that give me a good idea of the different parts involved. I know that many parts for the 1973-1991 Chevy K5 Blazer are interchangeable.

Here's where I could really use your help:

• Source for Quality Parts: Has anyone had particularly good or bad experiences with the rubber seals and weatherstripping from any of the suppliers mentioned above? I'm willing to pay a bit more for quality that will last. How do the aftermarket parts compare to finding good-condition OEM parts from a salvage yard?
• Salvage Yard Success: For those in the Edmonton, AB area (or anywhere willing to ship them), are there any specific salvage yards you'd recommend for finding solid original parts for these square bodies?
• The Repair Process: This is my biggest area of concern. Are there any detailed write-ups, or even better, video tutorials that someone can point me to for this specific job? I'm especially interested in:
  • Common trouble spots or things to watch out for during disassembly and reassembly.
  • Any special tools that might make the job easier.
  • Tips for getting rusted & broken screws that seemed to be fused in the aluminum frame pieces.
• Latches: I found reproduction latches from McMaster #1891A49 (are they any good?), or is it better to restore the original ones?

Any advice, photos of your own repairs, or links to helpful resources would be greatly appreciated. I'm looking forward to getting this project done and making my Jimmy roadworthy again!

Thanks in advance for your help!
The Big Red Yeti (aka Terrence)

 

Have you checked Ebay? There's this one guy I got my window from on Ebay for 90s jimmy. He has a whole store room of old windows for different models. He's somewhere in Arizona. If he doesn't have it, at least contact him and he could point you in a good direction. I would tell you his name but this was last year and I can't remember.