[JLMounce]

I’m in the final stages of my interior overhaul and I’m at the point of installing the new rear upper panel and armrest. The armrest does the brunt of the work with two screws low and forward that screw into brackets near the door sill.

There are 5 screw holes in the metal formed plate where screws anchor through the top panel into the interior bulkheads.

Here’s the issue I’m having. Although the repop panels match the factory pieces almost exactly. The factory panels had screws run directly through the steel skeleton, nowhere near the steel cutouts meant for these screws. As a result I can’t sink screws back into their original locations.

At the factory, was this common to just run a machine screw through the upper panel into the bulkhead? Or are the mounting holes pre-drilled in the bulkhead?

If that’s the way it was done I guess I should just get some new self-tapping screws and secure where everything lines up. If that’s not the method can anybody provide any insight on installing the rear armrest panels?

Thanks in advance!

[mback12000]

I had a similar problem installing original panels just from a different car - they didn't all line up. If you try to catch the original holes you end up tweaking the panel when you tighten them. I assume they were drilled right through the panels when the car was built so that's why there close but vary enough to be a hassle, but that is just a guess.

What I did was after positioning the panel where I wanted, one hole at a time use an awl to poke through the panel hole and "discover" where the underlying hidden hole is in the sheet metal. If it isn't close enough, just keep your drill handy and make a new hole in the sheet metal. Put the screw in, go onto the next one.

Originally Posted by JLMounce

I’m in the final stages of my interior overhaul and I’m at the point of installing the new rear upper panel and armrest. The armrest does the brunt of the work with two screws low and forward that screw into brackets near the door sill.

There are 5 screw holes in the metal formed plate where screws anchor through the top panel into the interior bulkheads.

Here’s the issue I’m having. Although the repop panels match the factory pieces almost exactly. The factory panels had screws run directly through the steel skeleton, nowhere near the steel cutouts meant for these screws. As a result I can’t sink screws back into their original locations.

At the factory, was this common to just run a machine screw through the upper panel into the bulkhead? Or are the mounting holes pre-drilled in the bulkhead?

If that’s the way it was done I guess I should just get some new self-tapping screws and secure where everything lines up. If that’s not the method can anybody provide any insight on installing the rear armrest panels?

Thanks in advance!

[JLMounce]

That's kind of what I figured was happening. I've struggled enough on this I'm just gonna drill new holes. Not like I'm cutting up a TA. just a 350 HO car that's been modified so far from factory that it doesn't matter anymore.

[mback12000]

You'd need x-ray vision to see the few duplicate holes. But cockeyed screws will be noticeable. Drill them and don't look back.

[killakev]

I don't recall there being many more screws that hold the rear door panels in. Like you said the armrest screws mainly hold it in place. The upper metal shoulder(as I call it) that's under your new skins slides snuggly into the upper portion of quarter window area. I don't ever recall any screws going through that. I(s this what you're referring too?

[JLMounce]

No, I was referring to the metal plates that attach to the arm rest and cover the side panel, between the wall and the seat.

I did as mback12000 mentioned and just ran new holes into the bulkhead and mounted everything where it fit best.