Window questions: chrome or aluminum?

[kenikh]

I just installed my new chrome rear vent windows last night. I had to swap the glass as mine is factory green tinted and they look great.

A question: the opening rear windows have an aluminum sill plate below them; mine were sanded to prep for the paint then painted black. I have no idea what the original finish was; were they polished, sandblasted, anodized or ???

I am also awaiting arrival of my chrome vent windows to complete my backdate of the door windows. My sill plates on the doors were also painted black, but I haven’t stripped them yet. The same questions about finish apply here, but I don’t know if these are chromed brass or aluminum under the paint. Any clues?

[andyjboy]

In '69 all exterior aluminium trim was clear anodised.

You stated in your post that "I am also awaiting arrival of my chrome vent windows to complete my backdate of the door windows" - your car isn't a Targa is it ? All lwb models except the Targas had fixed front quarterlights & the frames were aluminium (anodised).

[kenikh]

Yeah, it's a coupe. I am putting in earlier vent window type frames, even though they aren't technically "correct". I liked the idea of vent windows; I miss them from my VW days.

[roblav]

It seems to me that 1965-1967 window frames were chrome plated brass and that 1968 was aluminum.

[hdavis]

My 68 seems to be aluminum

[kenikh]

I believe 1968 was the one year they were out of aluminum.

[hdavis]

I'm fairly sure mine is polished aluminum, I know because it had been painted black and I had to remove the paint. If it had been chrome, it would probably have suffered with the paint remover, and wouldn`t have polished as well as it did.

[kenikh]

Paint remover doesn't bother chrome; I just knocked the paint off of some chromed window frames the other day with aircraft remover and had no problems. If your car is a '68, they are definitely aluminum.