The window channel and glass seal replacement job is the one that people put off because it seems complicated and the consequences of failure — squeaks, rattles, wind noise, water leaks — are annoyances rather than failures.

Do not put it off. The window channels direct water away from the interior. When they fail, water enters along the inner door structure. By the time you notice a wet carpet, the inner door has been rusting for months or years.

The job itself is accessible: remove the door panel, extract the old channels with a pick tool, clean the channel tracks, and install new channels. The fit requires patience — the channel must seat fully in the track around its entire length or it will leak at the gap.

New channels are available for every popular classic. Install them before they fail.