# Little triangular car window **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 19, 2007, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-triangular-car-window/404732 "2007-05-19T16:32:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2007, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-triangular-car-window/404732/1 "2007-05-19T16:32:43Z")
What is the proper term for the little triangular windows on the driver’s door and the front passenger’s door of a car? They could be manually opened outward. They have pretty much disappeared from U.S-made cars. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2007, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-triangular-car-window/404732/2 "2007-05-19T16:33:52Z")
They are called “wing vents.” ---
**Author:** ![LucyInDisguise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucyindisguise/32/18064_2.png) [@LucyInDisguise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LucyInDisguise)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2007, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-triangular-car-window/404732/3 "2007-05-19T16:37:28Z")
[QUOTE=Walloon] What is the proper term for the little triangular windows on the driver’s door and the front passenger’s door of a car? They could be manually opened outward. They have pretty much disappeared from U.S-made cars. [/QUOTE] Wing Windows. Unlike the operating system type, these always allowed a breath of fresh air to be directed right where it was needed most. 😃 I miss mine greatly. ☹ Lucy ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2007, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-triangular-car-window/404732/4 "2007-05-19T16:43:09Z")
I used to love these on my dad’s 1971 Ford pickup. You could open them so far that would actually act as ramscoops and force air right into the cabin. Cheap a/c on all but the very hottest days. ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2007, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-triangular-car-window/404732/5 "2007-05-19T16:50:41Z")
Holy crap. I completely forgot these things even existed. Where did they go? ---
**Author:** ![Tenar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@Tenar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tenar)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2007, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-triangular-car-window/404732/6 "2007-05-19T17:34:58Z")
We always called them “breeze windows”. ---
**Author:** ![LucyInDisguise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucyindisguise/32/18064_2.png) [@LucyInDisguise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LucyInDisguise)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2007, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-triangular-car-window/404732/7 "2007-05-19T17:53:04Z")
[QUOTE=Bearflag70] Holy crap. I completely forgot these things even existed. Where did they go? [/QUOTE] Some automotive engineer decided that we shouldn’t have the ability to choose to drop our gas mileage a notch or two for the sake of ventilation. Ruining our gas mileage completely by running the A/C would make much better sense. 😕 Lucy ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2007, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-triangular-car-window/404732/8 "2007-05-19T18:30:31Z")
I’ve always heard them called “vent windows.” They gave Bill Cosby one of his best bits. Someone was bitching him out through one of those and Cosby asked the guy if he remembered his birth. Dude: What do you mean? Cosby: Because you’re going to relive it when I pull you through this window. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2007, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-triangular-car-window/404732/9 "2007-05-19T18:52:32Z")
We call them “wind wings,” and my van has them. This is a good thing because I pulled all the AC out of it (it needs freon, which is environmentally dodgy, it’s expensive to convert to the new refrigerant and the cooling power isn’t as great, plus I live in Oregon and it just isn’t hot enough to justify the expense.) Also, since it’s a cargo van there isn’t any other ventilation aside from the front windows. On hot days I wear a full cotton skirt which I spray down with water. Then I open the wind wings to blow right across the steering wheel and spread my skirt hem along the wheel and hold it there. Instant evaporative cooler! I just have to put the skirt down when I’m passing a semi… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Rhubarb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/59ef9b/32.png) [@Rhubarb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhubarb)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2007, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-triangular-car-window/404732/10 "2007-05-19T19:27:52Z")
Another vote for vent windows. The last time I had them was on a 1985 Toyota pickup. They were especially handy for venting cigarette smoke (an option I no longer require, btw). I would WAG that they were discontinued for economic reasons. It’s cheaper to build and install one big window than a big one and a little one. I’ll go one better than vent windows. In the early-mid 60’s, pickups had floor vents around ankle height that could be opened up to ventilate the cab. In a day when A/C was an uncommon option in vehicles, these were extremely welcome. ---
**Author:** ![Das\_Glasperlenspiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/das_glasperlenspiel/32/2944_2.png) [@Das\_Glasperlenspiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Das_Glasperlenspiel)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2007, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-triangular-car-window/404732/11 "2007-05-19T19:27:58Z")
We called them “no-draft” windows. Agree with the cheap air conditioning and not getting blown around with a window open. Also good for flicking cigarette ash without it blowing back in your lap or the rear seat. Not that I smoke anymore. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2007, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-triangular-car-window/404732/12 "2007-05-19T19:45:57Z")
Almost every car and truck now has curved side windows, and curved wind wings are trickier to make. Remember the little rain gutter that used to send water from the windshield up and over the side windows? That quarter inch thing grabbed so much air, that cutting it off boosted the gas mileage by .25 mpg. The fat chrome seam behind the wind wings probably had the same problem. ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2007, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-triangular-car-window/404732/13 "2007-05-20T03:44:57Z")
[QUOTE=SmartAleq] This is a good thing because I pulled all the AC out of it (it needs freon, which is environmentally dodgy, it’s expensive to convert to the new refrigerant and the cooling power isn’t as great, [/QUOTE] It cost me $83 ($35 to have what little R12 left in the system removed and $48 for the conversion kit from Schucks) to convert my Toyota pickup from R12 to R134a. It now blows nice cold air even on the hottest days. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2007, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-triangular-car-window/404732/14 "2007-05-20T04:20:29Z")
[QUOTE=Tuckerfan] I’ve always heard them called “vent windows.” [/QUOTE] “Vent windows” where I grew up in West Texas, too. ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2007, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-triangular-car-window/404732/15 "2007-05-20T04:32:10Z")
Here, they were always known as “quadrant windows”. I liked 'em. ---
**Author:** ![kayT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayt/32/3633_2.png) [@kayT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayT)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2007, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-triangular-car-window/404732/16 "2007-05-20T06:21:33Z")
Another vote for “wing window”. Gone but not forgotten! Everyone I know wishes they had wing windows but not one car mfgr will put one in a car. I guess it’s the curves, as Asknott said. Saves Ford 50 cents on every truck to leave 'em out. ---
**Author:** ![Ellef](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8dc957/32.png) [@Ellef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellef)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2007, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-triangular-car-window/404732/17 "2007-05-20T06:22:20Z")
IIRC in the UK they used to be called “quarter lights”. ---
**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2007, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-triangular-car-window/404732/18 "2007-05-20T06:22:50Z")
My Dad had a 1973 Lincoln Town Car that had wing vents. However, they weren’t “wings.” You would push the switch to lower the window, but the first thing to lower would be a small triangular piece, followed by the entire window if you didn’t stop. [Here’s a good picture of what they looked like.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:79TC.jpg) Notice the line at the front of the driver’s window, making the small triangle. That’s the wing window that rolled down first before the window did. Interesting concept, but IMHO practically useless, as there was no “wing” to direct the flow of air into the car. ---
**Author:** ![nivlac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3bc359/32.png) [@nivlac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nivlac)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2007, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-triangular-car-window/404732/19 "2007-05-20T06:36:52Z")
Sorry, I’m not much of a fan of those vent windows. They’re a favorite thing for car thieves to break to get into your car. Had only two car break-ins and both times a vent window was busted to get into the car to steal a stereo or just to make a mess of my dashboard. I’m glad they’re not found in any car I now own. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Rieux](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Dr.Rieux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Rieux)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2007, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/little-triangular-car-window/404732/20 "2007-05-20T06:42:29Z")
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