It's pretty hard to imagine that power windows in a car weren't usually standard, or even an option. Back in the day, how fast your windows rolled up and down depended on your arm strength. And while the simplicity of a manual window can be a nice thing to have, the simple fact is it's really nice to have power windows, especially if you're the only one in the car. Anyone ever experience the fun of having four manual roll-up windows in a car open and it starts raining? Put simply, it stinks, especially in places where sudden downpours and sheets of rain can happen without warning.
Fortunately for classic car lovers, converting your manual windows over to power motivation is easier than ever. Thanks to the folks at Electric Life (www.electric-life.com), you can convert your classic Chevy to power windows in a few hours. In less than a day you can have silk-smooth operating windows and the ease of electric control.
Follow along as we take this '57 hardtop and show how easy the Electric Life kit is to use. Aside from a few normal tools, you'll need a door handle removal tool, a door panel removal tool, a pair of wire cutters, and a pair of strippers. This month we install the front window controls and keyless entry mechanisms in both doors; next month we'll show you how to hook up the rear windows.
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 These are the front and rear...  These are the front and rear regulators from the Electric Life kit. They both use the factory mounting holes of the manual regulators, and come with all the necessary hardware to mount in the door. |  Here's the wiring. Hooking...  Here's the wiring. Hooking up the kit is pretty straightforward and easy, with all the wires color-coded to correspond with the included installation chart. While this '57 had a Painless Wiring Harness installed (watch for this installation in another story soon), you can still install the Electric Life kit if your Tri-Five or other Chevy that has the original wiring harness and fuse block. |  While we had the door panels...  While we had the door panels off, we also opted to install Electric Life's power door lock/keyless entry kit. Using simple power actuators and a control harness, this kit makes getting into your Tri-Five quick and easy. |
 After door panel removal,...  After door panel removal, remove the access plate on the bottom corner of the door. We already had the door panels off before we started the install, but no sweat-they're easy to remove. All you need are two special tools, a door handle/window handle removal tool and a door panel removal tool. You can get them at most parts stores for less than $20 together. |  Next up, remove the access...  Next up, remove the access plate on the front of the door. With the window secured from falling, remove the screw that secures the front of the window to the regulator. You'll see it through a factory access hole in the door. After you've removed the screw, then lower the window back down. |  With the window out of the...  With the window out of the way, start removing the screws/bolts/nuts that hold the regulator to the door itself. Because of their age, most Tri-Fives usually have some combo of fasteners holding the regulators in. |