C4 Tech/Performance L98 Corvette and LT1 Corvette Technical Info, Internal Engine, External Engine

Changing outer window sils?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Aug 2, 2008 | 02:23 AM
  #1  
dboldt's Avatar
dboldt
Thread Starter
Instructor
10 Year Member
 
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 146
Likes: 1
From: Williamsville NY
Default Changing outer window sils?

Has anyone done this and was it difficult?
Reply
Old Aug 2, 2008 | 07:22 AM
  #2  
Da Mail Man's Avatar
Da Mail Man
Safety Car
Photogenic
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 3,835
Likes: 30
Default

.....there are quite a few recent threads on this...use the search engine and pick which one ya want...i need to do this too sooner then later!
Reply
Old Aug 2, 2008 | 08:09 AM
  #3  
lilredc4's Avatar
lilredc4
Instructor
 
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 215
Likes: 1
From: Radford Virginia
Default

Not hard at all, take your time and follow these instructions, be careful not drill too deep when drilling old rivets out. copy and past the link below it's good info, good luck




https://www.corvetteforum.com/techti...ubTopicID=223&
Reply
Old Aug 2, 2008 | 10:39 AM
  #4  
MikeC4's Avatar
MikeC4
Melting Slicks
 
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 2,510
Likes: 4
From: Austin Texas
Default

You can buy a hand held rivet tool pretty cheap at Home Depot or Harbor Freight. It's a bit difficult to get the angle, but you just got to figure that out when you go to put the rivets back in. You also have to hold back part of the door weatherstrip to get to one of the rivet points( if my memory serves me correctly )....

Reply
Old Aug 2, 2008 | 10:46 AM
  #5  
Aardwolf's Avatar
Aardwolf
Race Director
20 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 13,953
Likes: 706
From: WI
Default

Not a tough project. I used screws instead of rivets, they have to be short if you go this route.
Reply
Old Aug 2, 2008 | 11:05 AM
  #6  
redrose's Avatar
redrose
Melting Slicks
10 Year Member
 
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 2,753
Likes: 15
From: backwoods upstate ny
Default

major fault is drilling right on thru the exterior (painted surface) of the door when drilling the old rivets out...use a DRILL STOP (make one from a scrap of small copper tube, etc -- measure exposed drill length and tape your stop to the drill chuck)
Reply
Old Aug 3, 2008 | 05:48 PM
  #7  
MikeC4's Avatar
MikeC4
Melting Slicks
 
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 2,510
Likes: 4
From: Austin Texas
Default

Originally Posted by redrose
major fault is drilling right on thru the exterior (painted surface) of the door when drilling the old rivets out...use a DRILL STOP (make one from a scrap of small copper tube, etc -- measure exposed drill length and tape your stop to the drill chuck)
very sound advice !! Also, I think you are better off getting a hand held rivett tool and not screws. The screws can eventually work loose from vibration...rivetts will never fall off..

Reply
Old Aug 3, 2008 | 09:15 PM
  #8  
guido7834's Avatar
guido7834
Melting Slicks
15 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,452
Likes: 346
From: SC
Default

Don't agree. If you drill the right size pilot hole and snug the screws, they will not work loose.
Reply
Corvette Stories

The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts

story-0

Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!

 Michael S. Palmer
story-1

Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!

 Joe Kucinski
story-2

150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter

 Joe Kucinski
story-3

8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time

 Verdad Gallardo
story-4

Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)

 Joe Kucinski
story-5

Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!

 Verdad Gallardo
story-6

Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!

 Brett Foote
story-7

Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!

 Michael S. Palmer
story-8

10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know

 Joe Kucinski
story-9

5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2

 Michael S. Palmer
Old Aug 3, 2008 | 11:09 PM
  #9  
RandyJ75's Avatar
RandyJ75
Safety Car
15 Year Member
 
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 3,566
Likes: 4
From: Mt Laurel NJ
St. Jude Donor '06-'07
Default

I used screws on mine, no problems.
BTW, I bought some of those sticky felt pads to cover the screw heads, worked out very well.

Randy
Reply
Old Aug 4, 2008 | 08:42 AM
  #10  
Allentown Ernie's Avatar
Allentown Ernie
Burning Brakes
10 Year Member
 
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 794
Likes: 2
From: Allentown Pa.
Default Sharp screwdriver.

Search for help in taking the door apart and then pullout the old sills. Then I used a old sharpened screwdriver to bust off the old rivets. It saves you from possibly drilling thru the door, anyhow thats what I did. You should loosen the adjusters that hold the window solid and then they go in easily. Have fun, drink a few cold ones and it wont be too bad a job.
Reply
Old Aug 4, 2008 | 11:23 PM
  #11  
dboldt's Avatar
dboldt
Thread Starter
Instructor
10 Year Member
 
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 146
Likes: 1
From: Williamsville NY
Default Outer sils

Thanks to everyone that responded. Those old sils have got to go.
Reply
Old Aug 5, 2008 | 03:32 AM
  #12  
dboldt's Avatar
dboldt
Thread Starter
Instructor
10 Year Member
 
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 146
Likes: 1
From: Williamsville NY
Default Anyone replaced the control switch for outside mirrors on 89'?

Hoe is it accomplished and best place to urchase switch. Thanks
Reply
Old Aug 5, 2008 | 12:10 PM
  #13  
MikeC4's Avatar
MikeC4
Melting Slicks
 
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 2,510
Likes: 4
From: Austin Texas
Default

Originally Posted by dboldt
Hoe is it accomplished and best place to urchase switch. Thanks
Now your calling us "Hoes" !!
Reply
Old Aug 5, 2008 | 11:04 PM
  #14  
coupeguy2001's Avatar
coupeguy2001
Le Mans Master
15 Year Member
 
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 6,050
Likes: 147
From: Phoenix AZ
2021 C4 of the Year - Modified Finalist
Default

use the rivets. If you use aluminum replacements instead of the steel ones, drilling is easy for the next time you do it, and the metal is not much harder than the SMC the door is made of.
Just be sure and use a towel to support the window so the internal door parts don't screw up your window tinting.
Reply
Old Aug 5, 2008 | 11:24 PM
  #15  
MikeC4's Avatar
MikeC4
Melting Slicks
 
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 2,510
Likes: 4
From: Austin Texas
Default

Originally Posted by coupeguy2001
use the rivets. If you use aluminum replacements instead of the steel ones, drilling is easy for the next time you do it, and the metal is not much harder than the SMC the door is made of.
Just be sure and use a towel to support the window so the internal door parts don't screw up your window tinting.
using scews is 1/2-azzed

Reply
Old Aug 6, 2008 | 07:39 AM
  #16  
anesthes's Avatar
anesthes
Safety Car
Supporting Lifetime
20 Year Member
All Eyes On Me
Photogenic
Photoriffic
 
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 4,290
Likes: 140
From: Salem NH
Default

Originally Posted by redrose
major fault is drilling right on thru the exterior (painted surface) of the door when drilling the old rivets out...use a DRILL STOP (make one from a scrap of small copper tube, etc -- measure exposed drill length and tape your stop to the drill chuck)
You are using too small of a drill bit.

You want the drill bit to remove the face of the rivet, then a small punch to hit them out. You don't want to drill through the rivet - ever!

-- Joe
Reply
Old Aug 8, 2008 | 07:08 PM
  #17  
ALS 08's Avatar
ALS 08
Pro
15 Year Member
 
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 633
Likes: 13
From: Hurley New York
Default

I just sheared the rivet tops off with a chisel. A lite tap and there history. Popped on new rivets. Done. Pretty easy actually.
Reply

Get notified of new replies

To Changing outer window sils?

Old Aug 8, 2008 | 10:34 PM
  #18  
NEVRL8T's Avatar
NEVRL8T
Race Director
 
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 11,628
Likes: 1
From: Sherwood, Arkansas
Default

Another riveter here.
Reply
Old Aug 9, 2008 | 10:28 AM
  #19  
Aardwolf's Avatar
Aardwolf
Race Director
20 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 13,953
Likes: 706
From: WI
Default

Originally Posted by MikeC4
very sound advice !! Also, I think you are better off getting a hand held rivett tool and not screws. The screws can eventually work loose from vibration...rivetts will never fall off..

There are tons of screws on the car, you haven't found your fender liner screws all stuck in your tires have you? Four years with the screws here, no trouble. If you don't already have a rivet gun I wouldn't recomend going and buying one just for this.
Reply
Old Aug 9, 2008 | 10:28 AM
  #20  
Aardwolf's Avatar
Aardwolf
Race Director
20 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 13,953
Likes: 706
From: WI
Default

Originally Posted by MikeC4
using scews is 1/2-azzed

Reply




All times are GMT -4. The time now is 07:29 PM.

story-0
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!

Slideshow: How to Protect A Convertible Top: 10 DOs & DON'Ts

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-04-03 00:00:00


VIEW MORE
story-1
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!

Slideshow: The 10 most explosive Corvettes ever built based on power-to-weight ratio.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-20 07:23:03


VIEW MORE
story-2
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter

Slideshow: From C1 to C8 we compare every Corvette generation by the numbers.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-12 16:54:12


VIEW MORE
story-3
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time

Slideshow: Some Corvette pace cars became collectible legends, while others perfectly captured the look and attitude of their era.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-11 09:50:51


VIEW MORE
story-4
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)

Slideshow: Ranking the top 10 Corvette engines by torque output.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-05 11:58:09


VIEW MORE
story-5
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!

Slideshow: A Corvette pace car nearly matching IndyCar speeds sounds exaggerated, until you look at the numbers.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-04 20:03:36


VIEW MORE
story-6
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!

Among a rather large group of them.

By Brett Foote | 2026-05-04 13:56:44


VIEW MORE
story-7
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!

Slideshow: the top 10 things Corvette owners want in the C9 Corvette

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-04-30 12:41:15


VIEW MORE
story-8
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know

Slideshow: 10 Important Corvette 'firsts' that every fan should know.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-04-29 17:02:16


VIEW MORE
story-9
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2

Slideshow: Should you buy a 2020-2026 Corvette or wait for 2027?

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-04-22 10:08:58


VIEW MORE