I replaced the lifter channel on the driver side door glass today.  The one I had was in bad shape, so I figured I should replace it.  It can be very difficult to install the lifter channel on the glass, if not impossible to do with just your bare hands.  Here’s how I did it using some pipe clamps, and some regular wood clamps.  It was very easy using this method.

First, I took the glass and set it on the pipe clamps.  Like this:

In order to protect the glass, I used a couple of pieces of left over lifter channel weather strip (rubber), and placed them around the glass at the one end of the pipe clamp.  Like this:

I then positioned the lifter channel, and lifter channel weather strip.  I used the blue clamps on each side of the weather strip so it wouldn’t move while putting the lifter channel in place.

Once the lifter channel was partially pushed on to the glass using the pipe clamps, I was able to remove the blue clamps:

Slowly tightening each pipe clamp (alternating each clamp every 1/4 turn to 1/2 turn), the lifter channel gets pushed into place.  Here it is, completely pushed on to the glass (all that is left to do is trim the excess rubber off with a razor blade):

I’ve been looking for some good/used vent window frames for the car.  Ends up you can’t buy new reproductions for 1965-1967 Beetles.  You can buy them for every year up to 1964, and every year after 1967, but not 1965-1967.  Very strange to me, considering these 3 years encompass some of VW’s highest production years.  You’d think there would be a market for nice reproductions.  I guess not though.  So, I finally gave up on finding a good used set.  I ended up sending mine out to Koch’s in California to be completely restored.  I already purchased all the new rubber from Wolfsburg West, so I sent the rubber along with the frames.  Koch’s completely stripped the frames of the old rubber (what was left of it), re-chromed them, put the new rubber on, and put them back together.  They look brand new! I think they did a FANTASTIC job on them, and I am very pleased.  Here’s a few pictures the from today after receiving them back from Koch’s:

Can’t wait to get these installed, and put my doors back together.  Stay tuned!  =)

So, the seat cover issue is finally resolved.  It ends up that TMI changed their templates a couple of years ago for the ’66 Beetle so that they would fit more snugly.  Two things could have happened with my issue from March 30th, 2012.  1) Wolfsburg West had some old stock on their shelves, and somehow I received it.  2) TMI started using the old templates again by accident.  It seems most likely that it would be old stock on Wolfsburg West’s shelf, but it had the new part # on the packaging.  At this point, I don’t really know.  The good news is that Wolfsburg West and TMI took care of the problem and sent me new seat covers.  Specifically, I’d like to thank Rich Morris over at Wolfsburg West for keeping on this and taking care of the issue.  I really appreciate the time he took, and all the emails updating me on the status of the situation.  I was kept in the loop every step of the way.  I want to thank Jonce Fancher over at Fanchers Upholstery for doing a nice job on the seats too.  They look great!  Here are the new seat covers, installed: