Changing Outer Door Window Seals
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: May 1999
Posts: 4,445
Likes: 0
From: Mandeville, Louisiana
Changing Outer Door Window Seals
Hey guys, I just bought a '93 Vette and have to change the Outer Door Window Seals....the ones that run from the side view mirror to the back of the door. I believe they are riveted on.....can anyone give me directions on replacing these? Is this something I can do myself?
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 20,292
Likes: 239
From: Summerland B.C. Canada
It's an easy project.
Remove door panel. Window down.
Loosen the 2 adjustable felt bumpers
remove screws from door weatherstrip (both ends)
Carefully drill out rivets on window seal
Remove old one
Work the new on, from one end to the other. Before you do this check to see that all the little tabs actually line up with the holes. I bought G.M. pieces and had to break one tab off because the hole location was behind the glass and could not remedy.
Once installed and your happy with the fit, install the rivets. If memory is correct, I left one out because the glass was in the way. Not sure though
Reverse the order and your done.
Remove door panel. Window down.
Loosen the 2 adjustable felt bumpers
remove screws from door weatherstrip (both ends)
Carefully drill out rivets on window seal
Remove old one
Work the new on, from one end to the other. Before you do this check to see that all the little tabs actually line up with the holes. I bought G.M. pieces and had to break one tab off because the hole location was behind the glass and could not remedy.
Once installed and your happy with the fit, install the rivets. If memory is correct, I left one out because the glass was in the way. Not sure though
Reverse the order and your done.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 2,384
Likes: 124
From: Reno/Sparks Nevada
If you do this, I can only caution you. BE CAREFUL WHEN YOU DRILL THE RIVETS OUT. I have heard several horror stories of drilling through the outside panel. There is very little room behind the rivet. I think what happens is they are able to remove the strip but what is left is a remnent of the rivet still in the door. When that gets drilled out to the original size hole the drill can suddenly punch through and go right through the outside panel.
Art
Art
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 2,320
Likes: 2
From: Salem Oregon
Originally Posted by MrRenoman
If you do this, I can only caution you. BE CAREFUL WHEN YOU DRILL THE RIVETS OUT. I have heard several horror stories of drilling through the outside panel. There is very little room behind the rivet. I think what happens is they are able to remove the strip but what is left is a remnent of the rivet still in the door. When that gets drilled out to the original size hole the drill can suddenly punch through and go right through the outside panel.
Art
Art
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 3,793
Likes: 9
From: VA
I always use a much larger drill bit than the rivet and just drill off the head. Then pop the body of the rivet out with a punch. Most of the time the body falls out by itself when you drill the head off.
Getting the old ones off is pretty easy. Getting the new ones on right was a PITA. Don't do it on a day when you're short of patience.
Getting the old ones off is pretty easy. Getting the new ones on right was a PITA. Don't do it on a day when you're short of patience.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 2,286
Likes: 2
From: Stamping Ground KY
I took the windows out when doing mine, it's what the factory manual said (they always tell you to remove too much), and I didn't want to be drilling near the glass. I managed to break a window anyway, but it was purely operator error.
Taking the windows out probably remedies the problem of too many tabs that AGENT_86 had, I got my strips from eckler's and had no problems on the install.
Taking the windows out probably remedies the problem of too many tabs that AGENT_86 had, I got my strips from eckler's and had no problems on the install.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: May 1999
Posts: 4,445
Likes: 0
From: Mandeville, Louisiana
What did you guys use to install the rivets? Will any pop rivet hand gun work? Do I need any particular size? Will this work:http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...temnumber=7356
Last edited by Eric 96; Oct 23, 2004 at 03:18 PM.
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 3,793
Likes: 9
From: VA
Originally Posted by Eric 96
What did you guys use to install the rivets? Will any pop rivet hand gun work? Do I need any particular size? Will this work:http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...temnumber=7356
I think that there were a couple rivets that were a little hard to line up right, but it's been a while since I did it so my memory is fuzzy. A rivet gun with a narrower nose might make it easier to line them all up.
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Team Owner
Joined: May 1999
Posts: 22,830
Likes: 13
From: Columbus Ohio
CI 3-4, 8-9-10 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '06-'08-'10
Originally Posted by steve9899
I always use a much larger drill bit than the rivet and just drill off the head. Then pop the body of the rivet out with a punch.
Works every time.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 24,337
Likes: 25
From: San Diego , CA Double Yellow DirtBags 1985..Z51..6-speed
If you order from Ecklers, theyll send you the rivets but they'll be the wrong size. I think you need some 3/8" long ones... I dont recall what guage.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,229
Likes: 0
From: Kansas City MO
Originally Posted by CentralCoaster
If you order from Ecklers, theyll send you the rivets but they'll be the wrong size. I think you need some 3/8" long ones... I dont recall what guage.
I did not even use rivets. I screwed it in on each end and it holds fine. I did this job 3 weeks ago. It started off being a pain, but got easier. I followed the 2 tech tips that were written up on this subject. I did not take the door panels off and did not have a problem. good luck.
Elite Torch Red Member
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 57,805
Likes: 23
From: Exit 89 GSP,Lakewood,NJ The Land Of Mojo
Cental/South NJ Events Coordinator
CI 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12 Vet
CI-II Burnout & Drag Champ
St. Jude Donor '03-'04-'05-'06-'07
DON'T ORDER FROM ECKLERS!!!!!
Spend the extra $10 and get them from www.tld-corvette.com
I put the Ecklers on and the fit and finish is horrible. The oversize rivets are needed to make them stay on.
Also be careful, the seals bend very easily(you'll see when you remove the old ones).
I didn't drill out the rivets, used a chisel and knocked the heads off.
You can use a standard rivet gun, you just have to get into some funny angles. There is a cut out in the door to make room for the gun for the rivet near the mirror.
I did have to loosen the felts to make room.
Like others said if you have no patience, save it for another day. That was my experience with the repro pieces, TLD sells the GM stuff which I would hope would be better.
Spend the extra $10 and get them from www.tld-corvette.com
I put the Ecklers on and the fit and finish is horrible. The oversize rivets are needed to make them stay on.
Also be careful, the seals bend very easily(you'll see when you remove the old ones).
I didn't drill out the rivets, used a chisel and knocked the heads off.
You can use a standard rivet gun, you just have to get into some funny angles. There is a cut out in the door to make room for the gun for the rivet near the mirror.
I did have to loosen the felts to make room.
Like others said if you have no patience, save it for another day. That was my experience with the repro pieces, TLD sells the GM stuff which I would hope would be better.
Pro
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 639
Likes: 0
From: 1985 L98, Auto. O'FALLON, IL
Originally Posted by Mr Mojo
DON'T ORDER FROM ECKLERS!!!!!
Spend the extra $10 and get them from www.tld-corvette.com
I put the Ecklers on and the fit and finish is horrible. The oversize rivets are needed to make them stay on.
Also be careful, the seals bend very easily(you'll see when you remove the old ones).
I didn't drill out the rivets, used a chisel and knocked the heads off.
You can use a standard rivet gun, you just have to get into some funny angles. There is a cut out in the door to make room for the gun for the rivet near the mirror.
I did have to loosen the felts to make room.
Like others said if you have no patience, save it for another day. That was my experience with the repro pieces, TLD sells the GM stuff which I would hope would be better.
Spend the extra $10 and get them from www.tld-corvette.com
I put the Ecklers on and the fit and finish is horrible. The oversize rivets are needed to make them stay on.
Also be careful, the seals bend very easily(you'll see when you remove the old ones).
I didn't drill out the rivets, used a chisel and knocked the heads off.
You can use a standard rivet gun, you just have to get into some funny angles. There is a cut out in the door to make room for the gun for the rivet near the mirror.
I did have to loosen the felts to make room.
Like others said if you have no patience, save it for another day. That was my experience with the repro pieces, TLD sells the GM stuff which I would hope would be better.
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 110
Likes: 0
From: Decatur Al
Regarding the rivets, my experience was that Mid-America provided steel ones and the cheap rivet gun that I have jammed because they would not pull all the way through the tool. I went to the local Ace hardware store and bought some aluminum rivets and they worked great!
P.S. You can use a magnet to tell aluminum from steel.
P.S. You can use a magnet to tell aluminum from steel.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 2,286
Likes: 2
From: Stamping Ground KY
You have to double clutch the included rivets; you basically pull the rivet, then open the riveter back up, push it to the stop again, and pop it a 2nd time.
Mojo is right about the tight angles, I didn't get one rivet flush and now I have a nice grey streak in my new window (I have fixed the offender with a chisel and hamer). dammit.
Mojo is right about the tight angles, I didn't get one rivet flush and now I have a nice grey streak in my new window (I have fixed the offender with a chisel and hamer). dammit.
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Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 22,209
Likes: 12
From: OBAMA IS HITLER
Originally Posted by Mr Mojo
Instead, order from Chris May at Superior Chevrolet, cost will be $59.99 (for both) + very reasonable shipping for the GM seals:
http://www.superchevyperformance.com/
