Adding power windows has long been a popular aftermarket option for restyled pickups, as much for practical reasons as for comfort convenience. Worn-out window regulators will give people fits, and replacement parts have become increasingly harder to find, not to mention the lack of availability or the cost of retro units. So, if the vehicle is to have smooth, trouble-free window operation, it’s often easier and cheaper to replace the old regulators with new electric ones. 

In the past we adapted wrecking yard units into our vehicles, and this was great if you had a good background in window geometry and enough fabrication skills to get the job done. Still, there were problems: You didn’t always know the condition of the parts being used, even though they may have looked fine. But with today’s technology and the availability of well-engineered aftermarket parts and window kits, the norm for most fabricators is to go straight to a kit  designed for the vehicle being built. 

One such company is Specialty Power Windows (SPW). Not only are the company’s parts proven, but it also manufactures its own parts and offers a lifetime warranty along with the kits. The company guarantees them against becoming obsolete and will replace any parts with newer ones for no charge should any part become unobtainable. SPW offers a large assortment of power window and switch kits, available for all sorts of vehicles, and also offers two- and four-window kits. 

These SPW kits come complete with all of the necessary templates, hardware, switches, brackets, channels, packing, motorized regulators and wiring harnesses. This helps make the installation easier, and an instructional video is provided as well as easy-to-understand instructions in every kit. So even if you have never installed a power window kit, it doesn’t get much easier than this. Follow along as we document the installation of one of SPW’s       ’55-’59 GM truck power window kits in this ’55 Chevy, and see what’s involved and how straightforward it can be.