How is the wiper door removed? The AIM really doesn't help. Does anyone have step by step instructions? I am trying to line up the door with the fenders and the grill.

Thanks,
Dino

 

Pay close attention. DO NOT attempt to remove the [inner] attachment screws from the sides of the wiper door without spending an inordinate amount of time soaking those screws with penetrating oil. Those little screws are 'shoulder' bolts and they are very brittle and weak; they will break off with the smallest amount of torque if they are not prepared properly. AND, if they break off, they are a total PITA to repair properly. Now, use the wiper override 'pull' switch (under your steering column) to put the door in the 'open' position. Get some penetrating oil (PB Blaster or other...WD-40 is not really suitable for this task IMO) and squirt some in each of the two outer threaded holes at each end of the wiper door and also behind the screw heads and the bushing washers on the inside portion. Let that set overnight. Shoot them again in the morning. Let it set till afternoon. Now use a box-end wrench on the screw head and lightly try to break the screws loose. If they do not loosen easily, STOP and give it another round of PB Blaster. If the screw feels like it is starting to move but still offers resistance, the screw is in the process of stretching and will fracture with any more movement. When the threads are 'free', the screw will drop tension and loosen almost immediately with any movement of the wrench. It is touchy. Do your best to get them loose without breaking them. Finally, if one or more screws break, send me a PM and I can give you the 'skinny' on how to repair them properly. Good luck.

 

Thanks for the info. This is what I believed would be the case. I want to adjust the door left to right (closer to driver side). How would you go about doing that?

Thanks,
Dino

 

The orientation of the door is determined by the position of the actuating mechanism. That is usually mounted properly, but the bushings between the actuating links and the mounting bolts may be worn such that it is a bit out of alignment. The actuating links should have 'free' slippage (no binding) when the door is activated, but there should not be any 'slop' in those linkage components. If there is, the bushings need to be replaced [due to long-term wear]. If you are successful at getting the mounting bolts freed-up and removed, I would suggest that you first install a new $10 bushing kit (it also comes with new bolts). That will remove any 'slop' from the system and put the door back in its 'natural' position. Then, if it still needs to be adjusted, you will have to place [or remove] appropriate shims behind the mounting brackets for the door mechanism to get the door properly positioned. A word of caution: It is entirely possible that a previous owner removed/broke the bolts on your door and, in salvaging it, re-tapped the screw holes with the wrong alignment. This is fairly common, as the repair procedure for these holes is not commonly understood. If that is your situation, and the threaded holes are now out of proper alignment, it may be difficult [or impossible] to correct your problem. My suggestion is to remove the mounting bolts and inspect the threaded holes carefully to see if they appear to have been reworked, or not. If they have not, new bushings...and perhaps some careful shimming...should correct the misalignment of the 'closed' wiper door. If you find that some [faulty] reworking of those threaded holes is present, send me a PM and I'll explain how to proceed; it may still be possible to correct that error.

 

Here is a pic someone posted of the assembly out of the car. It might help.

 

Where the assembly mounting studs, pass thru the firewall. Those holes in the firewall [1970] are shaped in such a way for adjustment. To place the door, side to side or up and down. Possibly 1/8" not alot, it could already be placed towards the driverside.

Were their washers [metal] on the bolts, that fasten the linkage to the door at each side. I'm currently in the middle of mine. The AIM shows washers on the bolts, mine were gone.


Bob

 

In my case, I didn't bother myslef by removing the cover, I just removed the whole assembly as one unit by undoing the all the studs and unhooking the safety switch rod (and maybe few other small things which I cant remember), then I simply slide it backwards and up.

 

Great info, and here a question related to the door. Sorry if I'm like high jacking the op, but it's related. What would be the problem if the door opens but I have to give it a push to completely open the door? Tony

 

Binding links, worn bushings, lack of lubrication (use white lithium grease in tube form...not spray), misalignment of components.

 

15 years ago on my '72 I had some problem with my wiper door also, p/owner had broken one of the bolt bosses too, I managed to grind down the door, and glue in a bolt for threads in the correct position, I used a marine epoxy....still there.....

better to tig weld, but there goes the paint job.....

now having said that, I remember difficulty getting the rest of the bolts outta there, noted the diameter was not far off from a 5/16-18 bolt....so...carefully drilled tapped the door for that size bolt, clean through to the outside edge....that allows the cutting of a slot in the tips of ~1" bolts, held in place with fingertips, and then turned in with a 1/8 screwdriver from over the fender, backwards.... when the tip is even with the door, or slightly recessed, I secure with a dap of RTV, been that way for like I said 15 years and one paint job....

I even electrified the door operation to go with my intermittent wiper circuit I added....

 

Thanks 7T1vette

 

Hate to bring back an old post, but this one isn't all that stale...

I removed my wiper door prior to finding this post about how to not break off the bolts. The first bolt broke and I thought that it was just bad luck, but I ended up breaking 2.5 of the 4 bolts. One broke about half way out and I managed to remove the rest.

So I have two that are pretty messed up on one side and two that are fine on the other.

I would probably be in better shape if I hadn't decided to drill out the other two for tapping. So at this point it looks like I will need to put inserts into the wiper door on the driver side.

Is there some restoration place that is expert at doing this? I would like to be able to get this fixed without messing up the paint. I have the whole assembly removed now, and can see that it will be much easier to mount the door and then install the whole piece as one unit.

I am ready to ship this out to an expert for repair if I am not able to locate a place locally...would prefer sending it to someone who is familiar with the process. Any suggestions?

 

Guess I should have checked my mail before posting this...a local Corvette restoration place replied saying that they are able to do this.

I guess I will see how it goes. I will be dropping it off tomorrow morning.