1963 Rear Window Defroster Install

[Riviera63]

This last week I did the installation of a rear window defogger on my 1963. I wanted to add this as I know that this is a somewhat rare accessory option for the 1963 model year. I would like to share this on the forum to hopefully help others if they should choose to tackle this. It was not a hard installation but, somewhat time consuming because of the different items you need to remove to do the actual installation. Actually, the hardest part of the installation was hauling my aging body in and out of the trunk and rear seat areas. 

 

If you are deciding to add this to your first generation Riviera you should first determine when you car was built. Buicks built before March 1, 1963 did not have the wiring included in the wiring harness for the different options. If these early cars were to have the rear window defroster, Electro-Cruise, Guide-Matic, cornering lamps or an electric antenna a separate accessory specific wiring harness had to be added for any of these options to be installed. If your car is an early build you will need to find (or possibly make) the wiring harness for your particular accessory. I do have the necessary wiring for an early build rear window defroster if someone needs it. PM me if you are interested.

 

If you have a car built after March 1, 1963 like mine was, you will have one of 2 different wiring harnesses. You will either have a wiring harness with the wiring included for all of the above mentioned options or you will have a wiring harness with all of the options except Electro-Cruise and Guide-Matic. As of March 1, 1963 the Twilight Sentinel was cancelled as an option on the Riviera. See picture 1.

 

Having the wiring in place made things much easier. There are three plugs you will need to locate. One for the resistor, one for the power back to the blower and one for the switch. These were all located very easily. Light green tape was used to hold the plugs to a wiring bundle and the plugs are specific to its job so it is easy to match them up. See picture 2. 

 

The power plug is easily located by the fuse box/parking brake. See picture 3. The switch plug is easily located by taking out the ashtray assembly. See picture 4. To locate the resistor plug I removed the dash. With the dash removed it is easy to locate to the left of the glovebox. This also makes it easy to route back into the console area where I mounted the resistor to the metal console brace. There was even a hole in the brace so that I could mount it with a screw. See picture 5. The defroster has two speeds. The resistor is necessary to provide the low speed. 

 

I found the most time was spent removing items to run the power line back and the removal of items to remove the rear package tray. The holes for mounting the grill and the air holes are already pre-cut in the metal under the package tray. Before removing the package tray, I used an ice pick to poke the holes up through the package tray for the grill mounting studs, removed the insulation from the area where you will cut the holes in the tray and traced the air holes on the underside of the tray. My package tray was fiberboard covered by vinyl. I was able to cut the holes in the package tray using an exacto knife. 

 

A template was provided to me for drilling the hole to mount the switch. I did make copies of the template if someone should need one. See pictures 6 & 7. When drilling the hole for the switch you need to drill through a thin metal skin and a plastic layer under that metal that bridges from one side of the console to the other. While drilling hold that plastic layer tight against the back of the metal layer. If you don't the drill bit could poke through and break that plastic bridge. This is not necessary on the 64 & 65 as the switch is mounted under the dash with other accessory switches. I know Steve Lorenzen had a 64/65 set up awhile back.

 

The blower motor ran fine but, I sent it out to Steve Lorenzen to have him rebuild it anyway. Since Steve was disassembling it to rebuild he could remove any rust on the fan blade and that underside area and then repaint so that it looked like new. He decided to leave the outer shell alone as it was in good shape and still had the original sticker from the factory. Steve also mentioned that the paint on the outside still had the original "lines" from the factory on it so he thought it best to leave it alone. There are 2 holes in the trunk tension rod brace which made it easy to ground the blower motor. The blower runs smooth and strong. 

 

I hope this is a help to someone. If anyone has any questions I will be glad to answer them. 

 

Bill

 

Edited June 26, 2022 by Riviera63 (see edit history)

[Jim Cannon]

Very cool!

 

Thanks for posting this.

 

[Riviera63]

1 hour ago, Jim Cannon said:

Very cool!

 

Thanks for posting this.

 

Jim,

 

You are welcome. Thanks should also go to you for taking the time and effort to make the owner's manuals and service bulletins available to us. The service bulletins were very helpful with this installation. I refer to these on fairly regular basis. 

 

Bill

[XframeFX]

Thanks for your comprehensive instructions/images Bill!

 

So, to add for 1963 Riviera's:

1) Easy to identify between early and "after job" instrument panel harness. Just check the Fuse Block. The later harness had the left column for live circuits. The middle and right columns were for switched circuits. The early harness had no middle column. The early harness also had the power antenna on it's own harness.

2) Rare? That template for drilling the switch hole sure is! Good thinking to PDF it for others. Seldom see both AC & Rear Defogger in '63.

3) Strange how the resistor is up against the combustible Glovebox?

4) I've found the later 1963 harness w/o Electro-Cruise & Guide-Matic has a green tab protruding from the wrap on a branch to the console (under console switches. I am curious to know what colour tab the all-inclusive harness has?

 

Anyone stripping a parts car, always retrieve the fuse block and firewall bulkhead connector (1963).

 

I re-wrapped my instrument panel harness after a few additions such as 4-way flasher. A mistake, Packard Electric did a masterful job with a quality vinyl wrap. If unhatched, leave as is!

 

Yes to value from Jim's Service Bulletins. They include instructions to Wiper/Washer removal instructions that the Shop Manual should've had. Learned on my own on that issue.

[Riviera63]

8 hours ago, XframeFX said:

Thanks for your comprehensive instructions/images Bill!

 

So, to add for 1963 Riviera's:

1) Easy to identify between early and "after job" instrument panel harness. Just check the Fuse Block. The later harness had the left column for live circuits. The middle and right columns were for switched circuits. The early harness had no middle column. The early harness also had the power antenna on it's own harness.

2) Rare? That template for drilling the switch hole sure is! Good thinking to PDF it for others. Seldom see both AC & Rear Defogger in '63.

3) Strange how the resistor is up against the combustible Glovebox?

4) I've found the later 1963 harness w/o Electro-Cruise & Guide-Matic has a green tab protruding from the wrap on a branch to the console (under console switches. I am curious to know what colour tab the all-inclusive harness has?

 

Anyone stripping a parts car, always retrieve the fuse block and firewall bulkhead connector (1963).

 

I re-wrapped my instrument panel harness after a few additions such as 4-way flasher. A mistake, Packard Electric did a masterful job with a quality vinyl wrap. If unhatched, leave as is!

 

Yes to value from Jim's Service Bulletins. They include instructions to Wiper/Washer removal instructions that the Shop Manual should've had. Learned on my own on that issue.

John,

 

You are welcome. Just to clear up your item # 3 question. The resistor is not mounted/up against the glove box. I found the plug for the resistor next to the left side of the glovebox. I routed the plug back into the inside cavity of the console behind the ashtray assembly. I attached it to the right side metal console brace. In my picture you can see the tail end of the wiper switch. No combustibles near the resistor.

 

Bill

[XframeFX]

7 hours ago, Riviera63 said:

The resistor is not mounted/up against the glove box.

Yes, your image explains it well. So, I mounted mine incorrectly, on the other side of the mounting position. Oh well, it's not likely I'll be de-fogging my rear glass!

Now, I too have both AC and Rear De-Fogger. Rare for 1963!

 

 

 

 

Edited June 28, 2022 by XframeFX
. (see edit history)

[Riviera63]

4 hours ago, XframeFX said:

Yes, your image explains it well. So, I mounted mine incorrectly, on the other side of the mounting position. Oh well, it's not likely I'll be de-fogging my rear glass!

Now, I too have both AC and Rear De-Fogger. Rare for 1963!

 

 

 

 

John,

 

I have no idea what the correct mounting position is. I just chose that spot because I felt it is was easily accessible and there was room to work. Thankfully a hole was there already as drilling a hole in that area would have been problematic. Actually I may have a situation where it could come in handy. Ironically it would be during the summer. We have days where it is hot and humid. When I back out of the garage on those days the windows fog up because it is so much cooler and drier in the garage relative to the outside conditions. 😎

 

Bill