I'm going to try to take off the door skins on my 63. I want to fix the window crank mechanism, get out any dirt/leaves in there and also treat with POR 15 to prevent rust. I must say this is a weird set up compared to the other cars I've worked on. A couple of questions for anybody out there has done it:

1. Once all the "acorn" nuts are off, I assume the skin should come loose, but how does the outside door handle come off, get re-attached etc?
2. Two of the nut/bolt fasteners along the bottom edge of the door appear to be "spinning" within the inside of the door skin. I'm sure I can get them out, but they are rusty and might have to be cut out so what's the option if I have to replace them?

Thanks in adavnce for any "skinny" on the door skins. Thx PRL

Take a slotted screwdriver or better yet something slim but firm plastic shim and slip it between the skin and the door shell. Apply some pressure in an attempt to separate them and that should keep the T-stud from spinning. Be careful of the painted surfaces. Run those studs through a tap on reinstall and a little dum dum to keep them in place.

You will have a couple of nuts that are not acorn shape holding the body side moulding on.

You will also have a couple of philips head screws at the top of the door hidden behind the trim at the top of the door skin at the vent window area. Take the philips screw out of the front of the moulding (seen from inside the hinge area). The moulding should slide forward and out. Again, be careful of ther paint. Then 2 more screws will be visible.

Door handle attaches to skin and is very clear to see once removed.

I think that is it from memory.

If Dave's still learning, he's doing well. The only thing that I could add would be a comment on the outside mirror: if it's a remote mirror, it will still be attached to the interior door panel AND the door skin. If you just want to perform maintenance and work on your window mechanism, you can leave the cable attached. Place a furniture pad on the ground next to the car. Carefully set the door skin on it and lean it against another furniture pad or fender protector laid across your fender. If you need to totally remove it, I think (and it's been a looooooong time,) that there's an allen set screw that holds the adjustment knob to the escutheon on the door panel.

I have a small forked interior trim removal tool that I use instead of a screwdriver. It has a crook on the end of it that makes it easier to apply the pressure you need and the fork goes on both sides of the stud so the pressure comes from both sides.

I've also had some luck, and I emphasize luck using a pair of vice grips on the really stubborn ones. Protect the paint on the door skin and then pinch the door skin against the door - pretty risky but a good last resort on the one that's really corroded.

Don't loose the studs, they have a unique head on them. You'll be doing a lot of grinding on the head of a regular machine screw if you loose one. I put this at the last because it's so risky. No problem if you're in the process of repainting.

Let us know how you come out.

Ed

You guys are great. I'm "going in" this week...I'll let you know how the door skin project goes. Thx PRL

BTW-Is the Riv the only GM car that ever has this "skin" arrangment? It's the only one I've ever seen.

IT'S A RIVIERA HISTORY MOMENT!

The 1963 Riviera was the first GM car to have rimless window glass. The doors skins were made to be removable so that the glass could be adjusted with the window up against the seal. I don't know if that was for adjustment after the vehicle was sold or during initial assembly.

Ed

I've removed both skins on my 63 and can't add much to the good advice above. The hardest nut to remove was the front center one, no room to get a socket on it and almost no room to swing a wrench. Tape a towel over the front fender to protect the paint. I could not see a set screw on the remote mirrors, I removed the adjustment cables with needle nose pliers. Be sure to put them back in the same place. One more tip - when you reinstall the skins, be sure the lock engages the pin and the lock actually works before buttoning it up. I missed this on the first one and had to tear it down again! Good Luck.

It will look like this once removed...

WOW. look how accessible the wiper motor/washer is.......

After fooling around with wiper arms, arm estucheons, shroud grill, removing the hood, hood brackets etc, etc to get at the $*&^@#!&%^ motor, this view looks downright attractive

alex
roa11550

There`s no need to remove the lower door skin bolts. Leave them in place and carefully pull back the upper door skin. Place a large-enough wedge at the top edge and most tasks can be accomplished thru the created opening.
Tom Mooney

Tom-
It seemed to me that my door skins needed to be lifted up ever so slightly to get the top lip to release from the door for removal. I might have been imagining that, but when I put them back, I kind of hung the skin with the fuzzy glass wiper down between door and glass, then brought the bottom of the skin toward the door.

Am I remembering that wrong?

BTW - Pete (original poster): I sent you a private message. If you see a little white envelop blinking at the top of your screen, click on it. That's me!

In reply to RivNut:

Yup, the rimless windows were indeed part of this. I may be mistaken but the skins were installed after the windows were in assembly to make installation and any needed correcting of the windows easier.