Differences In Quarter Window Latches

I bought a set of tinted quarter windows (year unknown) from Dennis Martin and decided today to remove and disassemble all of the latch hardware to clean up and restore. I also took my original 69.5 latches apart thinking that I was going to use them for spare parts. What I learned was that the 2 sets of latches were completely different from one another.

Original 69.5 set were completely made of metal, the threaded anchor pin going through the glass was shorter, the metal connector linkage that goes between the 2 latch pieces had a notch cut into one end for it to catch a small piece of steel screwed to one of the latch halves when completely shut.

The tinted set latch pieces were all made of plastic, the threaded anchor pin was longer, the plastic washers had a larger diameter and there was no positive latching notch cut into the linkage piece.

I was lucky enough to have all of my 69.5 metal latch pieces clean up like new so I'll just use all of that version on the newer tinted windows.

Funny how the rear deck trim pieces on the 69.5 were also made of metal then were made of plastic on all later models. I would guess that Ford was saving money changing these parts to plastic.

 

Interesting, I would love to have a set of the 69.5 latches! Those quarter windows look familiar...

 

They got your finger prints all over them

 

Are the latches actually interchangeable?

 

I don't know but I'll check tomorrow to see if the holes in the glass are the same size. I know the metal latchs will bolt back up to my car as they are original but the plastic latch has longer slots so I don't know if they would work yet.

 

Even I didn't know that.

Of course....I have never parted or owned a 1969 1/2.

 

I have parted 3 or 4 - 69 1/2. I should have extra latches. PM me if interested.
I never took the time to notice a difference.

Thanks,
Rick

 

Very interesting.

 

Hmm, I will check out our 69 1/2 and the 70

 

i also have noticed that the screws that go into the sail panal that hold the latch on are different from side to side on some cars.
i've seen phillips head screws on one side and hex head machine screws on the other.the hex head machine screw side has a nut welded in ...

 

I've owned this 69.5 since 1989 and have stripped it down to it's last nut and bolt but have never worked on a different year Maverick before. Every now and then I see other year's parts that I can compare with. With the talk concerning "what are the differences in the 69.5" it would be cool to be able to strip a 69.5 next to a 72 and really document the differences one part at a time

 

you would have to get an early and a late year production model...most years are split.

......

 

I matched the 69.5 window up with the newer tinted one and it matched perfectly. Even the hole in the glass was the same diameter. Even though the slots are longer in the plastic latch mount, both of the latches are centered to pick up the mounting screw spacings in my C pillar for the latch.

It certainly appears that they would interchange

 

Awsome.. I am thinking I want the steel ones.. for my shelf of course

 

I read an old Motor Trend, I think, article on the first Maverick's. One of the complaints they listed was that the quarter windows rattle when open. I know mine rattle at times but it doesn't bother me. Maybe going to plastic was Ford's way of fixing the rattle...