Finally got my industrial hand rivet tool and let me tell you. BIG difference and ease of installation. Of course the door had some hairline cracks that needed to be reaired where the old rivets were.

I read a thread here where it said to make it easier to remove the motor and the other junk to bend the metal. Well I did and it was a pin to get it back to what it was and to align to the tracks. But, with some carefull bending inside the door and cut wrists, knuckles and fingers, I got it. A friend did have to help with the rivet tool but that was easy as pie for them.

So if you don't have the right tool, don't bother or things will go bad fast. Worth the $150+ bucks for it. Especially since I am going to have to use it again to replace both door lock solenoids.

 

I just used some 1/4" bolts when I converted my 83 over to PW/PL. I couldn't justify the cost of buying the big rivet gun.

 

I think I just used 3/16" bolts with nylocks... Why would you bother re-riveting it?

 

The general consensus from what i gathered was bolts may come loose. Mind you, nylocks can be good in lighter applications. But from my experiences, I found that re-riveting is quicker and a lot easier than using bolts.

 

I used bolts with threadlocker red on them....those biatches aint going anywhere..I also cut off a piece of metal off the door to make it easier to access the motor...so i basically left everything in tact with the regulator and removed the motor by itself...piece of cake..

 

Did mine with a $20 rivet gun frpm Harbor Freight, got some rivets from a friend at a glass shop. One thing to note, on a 92 at least, if you cut off the rivets and then remove the rear track from the door and the window, the regulator slides out with very little drama, and reinstalls decently as well. I tried the nut and bolt method on the left door, and could only get a couple of the bolts in, I'll be pulling the panel and riveting that one as well.

*note* Be sure the electrical connection on the new motor is oriented the same as the old one, it is indeed possible to install the assembly upside down....

 

i did both my doors, and i am not worried about the bolts coming loose at all

just my

 

I went to at least three Harbor Freights here in So. Cal. and could not find the right rivet gun. Finally, after doing a search on the web, came across a rivet company that's been around for a while and the tool came the following day after I ordered it. Luckily enough, the peel rivets I ordered came the same day from Clips & Fasteners. The rivet gun was pricey, but I do also have other vehicles that use rivets to hold door lock acutators, window motors, etc. and sometimes, the local stores don't have the screws or the lock nuts in stock. Hey, we all have methods of installation. There's one for everyone. Hell, Third Gen has helped me A LOT since I joined in rebuilding my car.

 

I didn't cut any part of the door, and I didn't spend a ton of cash on some giant pop rivet gun. I did mine the easy way and it only took a few minutes on each door.

Here's the easy way:

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/body...tall-easy.html

 

Well the rivet gun was $150. Didn't need to cut my door at all.

 

wish i had 150 for a rivet gun like that

 

I was able to use part of my tax refund to buy it. And I have used it for other things on my other cars too where it calls for a 1/4" rivet. Now it would be nice to have a good sized air compressor to use and air gun and rotate my tires more easily.

 

now that i got , along with a bunch of other nice tool, but that was also when i was bringing in $2,400 a week too and i SURE dont get that now working for the man