Wiper Door questions (2)

[Dave R.]

I have a 1969 Corvette that someone must have painted at one time and neglected to replace the clips that hold the lower windshield trim onto the wiper door. I have since purchased replacement clips and tried to install them this afternoon. Is there some sort of trick or at least an easy way to install these things? I can't seem to get them to go on fully; I can get it started but the clip won't go all the way on.

Second; my wiper door no longer opens when I try to trun on the wipers. The door used to open as recently as three weeks ago but now it won't do anything. The only thing I have done, that I can recall, is I replaced one of the vacuum things under the steering column. You know the things you pull down to keep the headlights up?

Any help with these things would be appreciated.

[Terry F.]

Re: Wiper Door questions (2)

There are molded in areas on the underside edge of the wiper door that is used to locate the clips. You can't just put the clips on anywhere. They should snap into place. After the clips are in place you can carefully slide the stainless trim in place. I would use some masking tape in any close to the area exposed locations to prevent scratches. You might even pry the clips slightly apart before installing them because they are rather tight and a little too tight sometimes. Feel around under the edge of the door and you will feel the location of the recesses. Refer to you operators manual for the door opening procedure. All the switches have to be in the right position to work. Sometimes, the door can sort of get stuck in its sequence of opening and closing. My memory sucks but I seem to recall that if certain wiper switches get turn on or off with the car not turned on, it will cause the problem you have assuming you didn't knock something loose under the dash when working on it. Good luck, Terry

[Jim T.]

Re: Wiper Door questions (2)

Dave in your post you mentioned "the things you pull down to keep the headlights up?". The things under the steering column are for keeping the headlights up, but only one of them. The other one is used to raise and keep the wiper door up for intermittent wipers use, or to just leave the door up and the wipers off.

[Dave R.]

Re: Wiper Door questions (2)

Thanks Jim; I just got the car and I'm still learning what those things do. Regarding the trim clip installation. Terry's suggestion sounds like the trim is off of the wiper door, the clips are put in place and then you carefully slip the trim into place, under the clips.

My trim is currently being held in place by two rivets,or something looking like rivets, on either end of the door. I checked my assembly manual and it lists them as screws but, I can't see how I would unscrew them.

Am I missing something here or what?

[Chuck S.]

Re: Wiper Door questions (2)

They're called drive rivets. The have ridges on them like screw threads, and twist as they are driven into a pre-drilled hole.

GENTLY tap a thin putty knife or scraper blade under the head to raise it slightly off the trim, then gently pry them out with a small screw driver, allowing the rivet to turn as it comes out. Try to not damage them; they are original and you can re-use them with a little loctite.

[Dave R.]

Re: Wiper Door questions (2)

Is it best to try and do this with the wiper door off of the car? It looks like a pain in the neck to get to the bolts holding it in place.

[Chuck S.]

Re: Wiper Door questions (2)

With the door in the "up" position, you should have plenty of access if I understand the fasteners in question. I can not emphasize enough...do not stress the door linkage trying to install the clips or remove the rivets. With the door down, the fasteners of the side trim and the wiper door trim are nearly rubbing...impossible to do anything there.

If you can avoid removing the door...and the linkage and grommets are all in good condition, it's better not to mess with it. The linkage is fragile and the stress of trying to get the bolts out can cause you great unhappiness when you break the linkage. Under the very BEST conditions, the wiper door bolts are usually rusted solidly in place such that they end up broken off in the threaded hole. All that discussion about removing broken off bolts...I gained a lot of experience on the threaded holes in my wiper door; successfully I might add.