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The following article explains the steps required to restore the doors of the 1961 and 1962 Bel Air Biscayne two-door Sedans: outer weatherstrip, trim whisker strip, and window channel. The process is the same for the rather rare 1961 Impala 2-door Sedan, but the kit is a little different. The process is quite similar for other Late Great Chevy 2-door Sedans.
All disassembly instructions show the right door, and all assembly instructions show the left door. This month we will show the disassembly. Next month in Part 2, we will complete the restoration and installation.
Time Frame: Approximately 3 hours
Image 1
Remove the two screws which secure the armrest to the door. Remove the door lock knob. Using a Phillips screwdriver, remove the four interior trim screws with large built-in washers that secure the lower part of the door. Using a handle clip removing tool, remove the door handle, vent window handle, and window handle. (See Photo 1) Remember to slide the tool between the handle and the large trim washer. Using a large flat-bladed screwdriver or scraper, remove the door "nails" from the retaining clips that are into the door. These nails and clips secure the door trim to the door. These nails will run from the top to the bottom along the front and rear edges of the door. Lift the door assembly up and off of the door. Make note that there are two large springs which keep the door away from the window handle and door handle. (One of these large springs will not be located at the vent window handle.)
Image 2-3:
Using a 7/16-inch socket, remove the hex-head bolt with a built-in washer which secures the vent window frame shaft to the vent window crank mechanism. (See Photo 2.) Using a 7/16-inch wrench or socket, remove the three bolts with built-in washers which secure the vent window crank mechanism to the door. Since the vent window crank mechanism is usually stuck on the vent window frame shaft, use a flat-nosed and hammer to drive the crank mechanism off of the shaft. Through one of the access holes in the door, remove the vent window mechanism. (See Photo 3.) Inspect the vent window mechanism to make sure that the lower and rear covers are in good condition and that it turns smoothly.
Image 4-5:
Remove the sheet metal screw which secures the vent window assembly to the upper edge of the door. (See Photo 4.) Using a 7/16-inch wrench, remove the special nut which secures the lower vent window channel assembly to the inner door skin. (See Photo 5)
Image 6:
Using a Phillips screwdriver, remove the three chromed sheet metal screws which secure the vent window frame assembly to the forward top of the door frame. (See Photo 6). These special screws have an oversized flat head. One of these screws is at the top of the vent assembly, another one is located towards the middle of the vent assembly, and the lower screw faces toward the front of the car. With the door window in the "down" position, slide the lower vent window channel adjusting stud out of the hole in the lower part of the door towards the outer door skin. Tilt the vent window assembly towards the rear of the door and inward, and then slide the complete assembly out of the door.
Image 7:
With the door glass in the "down" position, use a Phillips screwdriver to remove the two flat-head Phillips machine screws with built-in star washers which secure the lower channel of the window regulator to the brackets that are spot-welded onto the bottom of the door glass channel. One of these will be accessed through the large access hole to the front of the door, and the other one will be removed through the large access hole to the rear of the door. (See Photo 7.) Slide the lower channel to the rear to free the forward door glass bracket and tilt the front edge of the door glass downward. At this point, the door glass should be free of the channel, and you can slide the door glass assembly up and out of the door by tilting it inward.
Image 8-9:
The chrome-beaded weatherstrip that runs the length of the door is secured to the outer door edge by two flat-head sheet metal screws - one at the forward end and the other at the rear end. Using a Phillips screwdriver, remove these screws. (See Photo 8.) This weatherstrip is also secured to the outer door edge by four "pinch" clips. Use your hands to push the chrome-beaded weatherstrip downward so that the clips are released from the door metal. You may have to use a flat-bladed screwdriver to help the weatherstrip downward so that the clip will release. (See Photo 9.) (Note: the forward end of the chrome bead is bent inward so that it matches the contour of the door. When it comes time to install the new weatherstrip, you will need to bend the bead inward on the new weatherstrip.)
Image 10-11:
The next step is to remove the window channel that runs across the top of the door frame and down the rear of the door. So that you have some kind of idea of how long the window channel needs to be, mark the forward upper end of the window channel where it met the vent window assembly. Using a 7/16-inch socket with an extension, remove the hex head bolt which secures the lower part of the channel. This bolt is accessible through the large rear access hole. (See Photo 10.) After removing the bolt, begin to pry the window channel out of the door frame. Use a large flat-bladed screwdriver or scraper to pry the channel out of the door. (See Photo 11.) The channel is held into the door with seven to nine special clips which are secured onto the backside of the channel. Try to keep the channel in its basic shape because you are going to use it as a template for the new channel.
Image 12:
The lower part of the window channel which is down inside of the door has a bracket which is riveted to the channel. On most 1961's, this bracket is sixteen inches long and is riveted in three places along the channel. The window channel runs almost the complete length of this bracket almost down to where the bolt is located. On most 1962's, this bracket/channel is also sixteen inches long but is secured to the window channel with two rivets at the top of the bracket/channel. The window channel ends near the top of the bracket/channel. On 1962's, the lower bracket/channel has felting installed in it and it acts as a channel for the glass. Using a 1/4-inch bit, drill off the heads of the rivets which secure the lower bracket to the channel. Using a small flat-nosed tool, drive the rivets out of the bracket and channel. Although both 1961-1962 brackets are sixteen inches long, the amount of channel that will be used is not the same because of how the channel is secured to these brackets. If you are restoring the 1961-type brackets, bead blast and then clear coat. If you are restoring the 1962-type bracket/channel, check the condition of the felting material. If the felting material is almost gone, you will want to scrape it out of the bracket/channel, then bead blast, and then finally clear coat.