86 GT Fiero. Outer door window seal replacement problem. Please help!!

I am replacing my dry rotted inner and outer door window seals. The inner is not the problem. I have already removed the inner door trim and inner window seal, I have also removed 3 of the 5 mounting screws to the outer window seal, but the remaing 2 are untouchable behind the glass with the window all the way down with half to three quarter of an inch still in the way of the 2 remaining screws. The only thing i can think of without the heartache of removing the glass itself is to take off the outer door panel and remove the rubber bumper inside the bottom of the door that stops the window assembly at the bottom, in my own theory i could very carefully roll the window down enough to allow access to the 2 remaing outer window seal screws. Can someone please tell me if my theory is correct or if there is a better way without as much work. Any help would be much appreciated. In process of restoring my 86 GT I bought in 96.

Unfortunately, the windows have to come out. I've never tried accessing the seals the way you mentioned, but as a general rule you should avoid removing a body panel unless you have to. The studs can, and often do, decide to break loose from the enduraflex plastic making the panels a nightmare to get off and later need epoxy to get back on.

I finally got the outer seals out, and without removing the body panel and without removing the window. All you need is a 1/4'' flat ratchet, thickness is about 3/16'', length about 3'' bought at Lowes. Next you will need a P2 phillips tip and cut about 3/4 of the butt end off with a dremell tool, so the only part of the phillips tip that sticks out of the ratchet is just the tip. Next cut a small piece of plastic to fit onto the backside of the ratchet and bit. This is going to be used to hold the bit from backing out. Wrap electrical tape over the cut plastic backing you just made and around the ratchet itself, this serves 2 purposes, holding the bit in place and keeping the metal from scratching the glass. The inner seal will have to be out first and the window all the way up. Gently push the glass toward where the inner seal was, but not too much pressure or the glass will break. Next ease the ratchet between the glass and outer seal to the 2 elusive screws. After they are both removed just roll the window all the way down and remove the last three screws. On installing the new outer seals start with the screws you used the phillips ratchet on then the easier ones last. Note: you may need something like a pair of wire strippers or small angled needle nose plyers to help hold the screws in place as you start them. Spent a total of $3 on the ratchet and p2 bit with 20 min. of labor for each outer seal. Thanks for the response RAGTOP Hopefully what I learned will help others out.

I had the same problem as joefiero and I registered on this site for the sole purpose of thanking joefiero and I want to say his solution to the outer window seal problem is brilliant ! Thanks joefiero !