is there anyway to remove the motor without having to remove the regulator

 

No.

 

No there isnt a way around it. I replaced both front motors in my blazer last week. Take the door panel apart. Bend some short pieces of wire hanger into a s shape and use them to hold up on the bottom of the glass. Then drill the rivots or even easier use a punch to push the center of the rivots and then chisel the remaining portion off. Then unplug the motor. And hopefully by this point the weight of the glass is hanging on those wire hooks. Remove the motor and regulator. Drill the other rivots. Change the motor and bolt it all back together. Good Luck. I did 2 windows in less than an hour and half, but I had a helper. Four hands makes it a little easier.