I have a 77 Eleganza II and the PO left a metal latch for the bedroom/living area windows in a spare parts box (see linked album below for all
photos). I assume this is one of the original latches and that the installed plastic ones are replacements. If anyone has 3 or 4 of these metal
latches they'd be willing to part with, please let me know as they seem to be superior to the plastic ones. Here's how I came to that conclusion:
I purchased a new plastic latch (Hehr H695) to replace one that had broken. In order to make it fit, I had to trim some plastic from each end of the
wedge-shaped latch mechanism so that it could slide into the existing strike plate. There are also two L-shaped pieces above and below the latch
mechanism that are designed to hook behind the strike plate and prevent anyone from defeating the latch by spreading the windows apart. Unfortunately
the L-shaped pieces don't work with the existing strike plate, so they also need to be removed to allow the latch mechanism to sit deeper in the
strike plate. Alternatively it might be possible to modify the strike plate with a Dremel tool in order to allow the L-shaped pieces to hook behind
it, but I wouldn't want to try this due to the risk of ruining the strike plate or the whole window (the strike plate is spot-welded to the window
frame).
So, the modified-to-fit plastic latches are barely better than no latch at all. Once you spread the windows apart about 1/8", all you need is
something that provides enough sideways leverage to slide the window (e.g a hunk of duct tape or a suction cup) and you can open it from the outside.
The original latches are nice because they're all metal with a sliding lock that fits behind the existing strike plate, thus preventing the windows
from being spread apart. I acknowledge that a good-sized rock can make this whole exercise moot, but besides using metal latches are there any
alternatives besides switching over to the beautiful, flush-fit, fixed windows?
https://photos.app.goo.gl/VWbweb427AiQePPb8
photos). I assume this is one of the original latches and that the installed plastic ones are replacements. If anyone has 3 or 4 of these metal
latches they'd be willing to part with, please let me know as they seem to be superior to the plastic ones. Here's how I came to that conclusion:
I purchased a new plastic latch (Hehr H695) to replace one that had broken. In order to make it fit, I had to trim some plastic from each end of the
wedge-shaped latch mechanism so that it could slide into the existing strike plate. There are also two L-shaped pieces above and below the latch
mechanism that are designed to hook behind the strike plate and prevent anyone from defeating the latch by spreading the windows apart. Unfortunately
the L-shaped pieces don't work with the existing strike plate, so they also need to be removed to allow the latch mechanism to sit deeper in the
strike plate. Alternatively it might be possible to modify the strike plate with a Dremel tool in order to allow the L-shaped pieces to hook behind
it, but I wouldn't want to try this due to the risk of ruining the strike plate or the whole window (the strike plate is spot-welded to the window
frame).
So, the modified-to-fit plastic latches are barely better than no latch at all. Once you spread the windows apart about 1/8", all you need is
something that provides enough sideways leverage to slide the window (e.g a hunk of duct tape or a suction cup) and you can open it from the outside.
The original latches are nice because they're all metal with a sliding lock that fits behind the existing strike plate, thus preventing the windows
from being spread apart. I acknowledge that a good-sized rock can make this whole exercise moot, but besides using metal latches are there any
alternatives besides switching over to the beautiful, flush-fit, fixed windows?
https://photos.app.goo.gl/VWbweb427AiQePPb8
