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Changing Firebird Doors Question....

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Old Aug 23, 2005 | 07:47 PM
  #1  
shipfitter_sjd's Avatar
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From: Bath, Maine
Car: 1992 Camaro RS Convertible & 1983 P
Engine: 305 TBI & 305 4 BBL & 4.7 liter
Transmission: Auto & Auto & 5 Speed Manual
Changing Firebird Doors Question....

My daughter's '87 Firebird needs new doors. Her car has manual windows.

I found someone who would sell some doors at a reasonable price but they have power windows.

How hard is it to convert a door with power windows back to manual windows?

Does it even make sense to do this?

Thanks.
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Old Aug 23, 2005 | 08:14 PM
  #2  
DanTheMan_smlk's Avatar
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yes it makes sense for someone who wants to reduce weight and get rid of a crappy GM window motor that breaks all the time. Some day im gonna hit the junk yard and buy manual doors and repaint the whole car. Have you checked the junk yard?

if you think you can run the wiring, go for it
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Old Aug 24, 2005 | 02:54 PM
  #3  
shipfitter_sjd's Avatar
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From: Bath, Maine
Car: 1992 Camaro RS Convertible & 1983 P
Engine: 305 TBI & 305 4 BBL & 4.7 liter
Transmission: Auto & Auto & 5 Speed Manual
The question remains...........

.........can you take doors that have power windows and convert them to manual operation? Window cranks instead of motors?

Has anyone ever done this?
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Old Aug 24, 2005 | 08:49 PM
  #4  
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Car: 1992 Camaro RS
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Re: The question remains...........

Originally posted by shipfitter_sjd
.........can you take doors that have power windows and convert them to manual operation? Window cranks instead of motors?

Has anyone ever done this?
They did it in the factory. It's definitely gonna be a pain in the ***, but when is it not? You can do it. But you may just want to switch to power windows.
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Old Aug 24, 2005 | 10:12 PM
  #5  
shipfitter_sjd's Avatar
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From: Bath, Maine
Car: 1992 Camaro RS Convertible & 1983 P
Engine: 305 TBI & 305 4 BBL & 4.7 liter
Transmission: Auto & Auto & 5 Speed Manual
You Hit The Nail On The Head......

......with this little kernal of truth: "It's definitely gonna be a pain in the ***, but when is it not?"

Everything on my daughter's car has been a pain in the ***. Almost nothing has gone right or been easy.

With that being said, i do not think I will undertake the project of converting power window doors to manual, or converting a car without power windows to one that has them. I can sense more headaches over the horizon!

Any other opinions out there?
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Old Aug 24, 2005 | 11:48 PM
  #6  
HalfInchWrench's Avatar
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Car: 85Z28 87GTA 91GTA 98SS
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Drill out a few rivets, pull the pw motor and replace it with the pieces from the non pw door. Shouldn't be that big of a deal at all. Put bolts back where the rivets were.
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Old Aug 25, 2005 | 12:07 AM
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Car: '82 Recaro T/A, '71 Trans Am
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I did a manual/power windows swap on a '88 IROC and '89 RS(as the 89 was loaded and being sold and the 88 was a no option stripper)

Its not a big deal to do. The regulators are held in with four rivets. You'll need to remove the rear window slide to get the reguator out of the door.

If it was me I would just add power windows to the car. Go to the junkyard and get the harness. If you look above the drivers side kick panel there is a electrical junction block. Thats the power feed for the power window harness. Its basically a plug and play option.
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