Secret to removing side trim from 66/67 bucket seat backs?

[AR67GTX]

Trying to refresh my 66 bucket seat backs and would like to start by removing the chrome trim. The top bridge piece was no issue but so far the side trim is defying my more gentle efforts of persuasion. I thought they were just a friction fit but appears there is some sort of interference locking on them that I haven’t figured out how to defeat yet. Trying to avoid damage to the trim pieces.

Thanks

 

[66 Sat]

There's a screw holding it in - have a look at the photo and you can see the hole on the curved section. I think the chrome adjuster tab comes off first (grubscrew), take out the screw, and then slide off.

 

[66 Sat]

I think I just answered the wrong question!

 

[AR67GTX]

Well, so far I’m just working on the seat backs. Haven’t gotten to the seat skirts yet.

 

[RussT Plymouths]

Each side has these 4 clips that can slide inside the chrome, evenly spaced. I slid this one to the end for the picture. They grip into the steel, and it seems to take more than a gentle effort to get them to release. I pushed on mine from the inside edge and once I got them started it wasn't to difficult.

 

[AR67GTX]

So the clips stay inside the chrome trim and not on the seat back? I’m not clear on how you got them to release off the seat. I tried using a block of wood laid against the outside edge of the trim and small hammer to rap the wood in an effort to knock them off the seat but that didn’t do much. Are the teeth in the clips gripping the inside surface of the back?

 

[RussT Plymouths]

Both the inside and outside surfaces. I think I started at the top with a wide blade screwdriver, it's been a couple months.

 

[AR67GTX]

Thanks - I’ll give it another try tomorrow.

 

[AR67GTX]

Well, I'm not having any luck. My clips seem to be locked into a notch cut in the edge of the seat back metal from what little I can see and I can't get them to budge without doing harm to the chrome. Did you use any sort of thin blade tool to ease their grip off of the metal or just pry with your fingers?

 

[RussT Plymouths]

I started with a wide flat screwdriver, and while pulling with my fingers, gave the driver a twist. Go easy, you're just trying to add a little pressure while pulling with your fingers.

Next I started with a nail-puller and a scrap 2x4, prying from the inside and pulling with my fingers on the outside. If the molding seems to be bending, move down until you're at one of the clips. Remember you're trying to add a little pressure, not pulling nails out of oak. I like the nail-puller because it's wide and spreads out the pressure. Add some tape to the tip of the puller if you're worried about leaving marks, but this is on the inside so shouldn't be seen.

I guess you could try to work a palette knife in the sides to try to loosen the clips, but I didn't need to.

 

[AR67GTX]

OK - I finally got them off from a different direction. I see now that what you termed clips are 4 louvers like deformations punched in the edge of the seat back shell that alternate side to side and the lip of the trim catches on. I mis understood, thinking they were separate clips.

I started at the bottom where the little end piece is held to the chrome strip by a punched in divot that fits in a hole in the end piece shank. I gently pried on the inside end of the trim around the divot to spread it apart until it disengaged from the trim and could be pulled out. Spreading the inside edge of the trim gets it over the shell deformation at the curved bottom area. Taking a small block of wood and small hammer I then tapped it up and off the top of the shell. After it got past the second deformation it basically just slid/pulled off.

Now to the plater. Also need to look at the skirt bottom to see what shape they are in.

Thanks

 

[RussT Plymouths]

Can you post a picture of the seat back edge? Yours sounds different than what I have, mine is basically flat.

 

[AR67GTX]

Here is the side of the seat back.

Here is the end piece that I first removed so that the trim could be slid off the back from bottom to top.

 

[RussT Plymouths]

Your trim piece looks the same as what I have but the attachment method is definitely different. Good you were able to get it removed without any damage. Learn something new about these cars every day.

 

[AR67GTX]

Maybe a change in supplier or if your car is a 67, maybe a change from 66. This car I’m working on is a 66.

 

[RussT Plymouths]

Mine is out of a 66 also, but you're probable right about the change in supplier.

 

[AR67GTX]

Another possibility - seat backs on my car may have been swappped for 67 ones over the 50+ years. Hard to know.

Thanks again for the help.

 

[Dean Prevolos]

Interesting write-up on this subject, I have to do the same to my 67 Charger. I purchased the interior from Legendary and haven't started the process yet. But thanks for the detailed description. This post will be a big help. Thanks AR67GTX for starting the thread.