Hi All,
Seems like the motor for the drivers side door power window in my '79 Z28 is shorted or frozen. I can put power right on the terminals, all I get is sparks. So I pulled the inside door panel and have a good view. What is the best way to get this puppy out? Seems like there are 3 bolts holding the motor in, but they are hard to get at. I've heard I'm supposed to cut holes in the door panel for access to these bolts? Seems like with a certain amount of agony I _might_ be able to get them out without chopping up the door. Or is there a better way? TIA-


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-ibjoe
now: '73 LT1; '79 Z28
then: '67 coupe; '88 IROC; '95 Z28

ibjoe;

It's been quite a while since I've worked on one of the "newer" cars, so don't trust this totally! (I've a 64 Chevelle 2 door wagon which I converted to power windows)

I believe in this vintage car, the window regulator is held in with four rivets! (on the older cars, it was four bolts) You will have to drill out the rivets to remove the assembly.

Before removing the regulator assembly, make sure that you have a friend handy to hold the glass! Please don't think that you can grow that required third hand when needed. It's really a two person job.

The regulator assembly should fit through one of the opening in the inner panel. That's how G.M. got it in there. One possible problem is that in some cases, the unit has to be in the "up" position (or maybe that's "down") in order to feed through. If the motor is damaged, you can't move it around and that could lead to problems.

Once you get the assembly on the garage floor, you have to think of a way to prevent the gears from rotating once the motor is removed!!!!!!!! If you can, find a set of holes that line up and but a bolt through it. If you have to, drill a hole through the bracket and gear, then put a bolt through it. IF YOU DON'T DO THIS, WHEN THE MOTOR IS REMOVED, THE WHOLE THING WILL GO "SPRONG".

At that point, remove the motor and put on the new one. Don't forget to then remove that bolt.

Put the assembly back into the door and use bolts to replace the rivets.

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Wes. Vann
Technical Reference Section

Wes, thanks for the response. Converting a '64 to power windows, wow, good trick! Was that hard? Yes, the regulator is riveted in. I had the idea I could remove the motor without taking out the regulator, but I guess it would be cleaner to take out the assembly and go from there. The window is stuck fully in the UP position. I don't know if it will remove this way or not. I'm not quite sure how the glass is attached, but with some more peering I guess I should figure that. Thanks for the tip about "sproing", I'll be careful to pin the gears before removing the motor. Anyone else out there know if the window needs to be up or down to remove the regulator/motor? Or any other tricks / gotchas? Thanks,


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-ibjoe
now: '73 LT1; '79 Z28
then: '67 coupe; '88 IROC; '95 Z28

ibjoe;

Yes, converting the 64 was a pain due to having to locate a regulator that was "modifiable". As I recall, it was out of a 67 Buick Skylark.

Be sure to reread that comment about having a friend handy!

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Wes. Vann
Technical Reference Section

OK, got it out, like you said, Wes. Drilled out the rivets, easy once I ground the ends flat. The regulator hung loose. Removed the lower slide, now it could move more. Pulled it toward the front of the car, got the one of rollers out of the window slide. But there was not enough room to get the last one out. I removed the stops on both side slides and tried to pull the window out with the regulator on it, but it would not come past the top of the door. I ended up removing the back bolt holding the slide on the window, sliding the regulator roller past it and off. Then it was fairly easy to fish the regulator out the access hole in the door. I went back to see why the window didn't come out, turns out that if I had removed the back side slide bracket it probably would have lifted out and I could have unhooked the regulator from the top.
Putting it back in it looks like if I bend or cut the window slide just a bit I could put the window in and test the sliding action, then put the regulator in, slip the main arm roller past the window mounting bolt, through the tweaked slide, hook it all up and then bolt it down.
Now to lock the regulator, find a new motor, and put it all back together!
BTW, I did have my girl friend standing by during this to lend a hand, but she isn't that strong and couldn't hold it for long. I ended up using tools to keep things in place, it is possible for one person. She made a lot of helpful remarks, though, like "just quit working on that car and sell it". True, it is my 2nd Camaro, if anyone wants a very original stock '79 Z28 that needs a bit of tlc email me.
Wes, once again, thanks for the advice!


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-ibjoe
now: '73 LT1; '79 Z28
then: '67 coupe; '88 IROC; '95 Z28

ibjoe;

Don't go "tweaking" anything! The tracks vary greatly from car style to car style so I can't make any specific recommendation but you should be able to get it back together with out tweaking.

You may have to think about temporarily removing one of the side tracks or even unbolt the track along the bottom of the glass (if it's removable). Just keep your eyes open for anything that is an "adjustment" point and make sure that you put it back where it was.

Once again, G.M. managed to put it together (without tweaking), and as such, you should be able to also.

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Wes. Vann
Technical Reference Section

I gotcha Wes! You are right, I was experimenting with the linkages, and I find that the roller at the end of the main regulator arm WILL slip in the back of car side of the track bolted to the glass bottom. So I should be able to put the window and guides in, then slip in the regulator and bolt it down.

I guess I need some clip-on nuts with bolts to replace the rivets, I wonder where is a good source for those, I can try the hardware store. #10, or 1/4"?

I need to re-lube some spots. The original factory grease is still in pretty good shape, I'd like to find something that lasts as long. Is regular general purpose chassis grease good for this, or can you recommend something better?

Actually, my girl friend bought this car for me as a birthday present! Her idea was that since it was a later model, a '79 versus the '73 I already had, I could get rid of the '73 and spend less time working my car! Little did she know.. now I have TWO project cars!

Once again, thanks for all the help!

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-ibjoe
now: '73 LT; '79 Z28
then: '67 coupe; '88 IROC; '95 Z28

What you are looking for are "nut plates" and a good hardward shop will have some, although normally they are pretty small in size.

If you go by an automotive paint supply shop (paint and body), there should be a rack of "UFO" brand clips and such. Look through them. They tend to be costly on a per part basis, but you should only need four per side.

Wes.

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Wes. Vann
Technical Reference Section

I just wanted to pass along I got it back together now, and it works great! I don't think the motor was actually bad, it was a combination of binding and bad connections.
see:
http://www.camaros.net/forum/Forum10/HTML/000646.html
for more info about that.

Anyway, it went back together pretty well. I put the vertical slides in. Slid in the window. I left a block holding it up, in the rounded part. Fished in the regulator/motor. Tried to get the (car tail end) roller in the window horizontal slide. Slipped in easily. This is where a friend holding the window really helps, you are right Wes! But then I found I had the sissor arm rotated wrong so I had to take it out. Couldn't get it back in again! Ended up taking off the nut holding the slide on the window, that made it easier. Jostled the other roller into the slide. Bolted the regulator in loosly. Put the other horizontal slide back in. Tighted up the regulator bolts. I found at the hardware store "UUS extruded U-bolts" these looked to be just the ticke for clip on nuts. But then I just used 1/4" coarse 1/2" long bolts with nuts & lockwashers. I could get to the back side OK, and I didn't want to take a chance messing up alignments with the extra space the clip on nuts would take up. So now I just have to put the door panel back on, and fix the switch, which is still broken.
Once again, thanks for the help, Wes.


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-ibjoe
now: '73 LT; '79 Z28
then: '67 coupe; '88 IROC; '95 Z28