Rear arm rests

[Helirich]

I?m not sure what you call them. I?m referring to the part on the inside that lines up with the door arm rest.

I heard on this forum that you can bust the windshield if you lean on it. So when someone new wants to sit in the car, I like to tell them not to use the windshield as a support while sitting down. It seems like when you tell people this they invariably lean on the rear armrest.

The result.

72011

Is there a good way to fix this?

[dn010]

Rear bolster. Looks like the pad and rivet or bolt that is used to secure it pulled away from the rest of it. You will have to remove it to see how bad it is and use something to fill in the damaged hole, re-secure the pad and then reassemble. Problem is removing it without destroying the vinyl that wraps around under the door seal. See here for some info: https://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?5844-Drivers-Side-Bolster-Repair

As far as the windshield, I am sure it could possibly happen but in the decades of years of using mine to get in and out of the car, the only time my windshield broke was when a dam moving box wardrobe bar fell off a storage shelf above the car during a bad thunderstorm and landed on the windshield. Guess it was better than landing on the hood.

[Helirich]

Of course I have just put some glue on the door seal. I guess I?ll find out how strong it is.

[Rich]

I?m not sure what you call them. I?m referring to the part on the inside that lines up with the door arm rest.

Is there a good way to fix this?

They're part of the rear trim panel. They were never a separate part at the factory.

You need to get the panel out to reattach the bolster from the back. Most of this reply is about that process, not the attachment.

The trim panel needs to come out. It comes out anyway for working on the speaker behind it, also for any seat belt retractor work.

There are a few screws to remove. One up high by the rear headliner, two down low ahead of the battery compartment, plus bolt holding the upper seatbelt swivel.

Then you just need to patiently peel off the vinyl you will find underneath the section of the inner door seal that runs up the rear of the door opening. Use a hair dryer or heat gun (low heat) and a spatula or other tool to remove it without tearing.

Do NOT cut the trim panel vinyl at the door seal as a shortcut for removal since that edge of the panel can never be reattached to the flange for the seal without its vinyl flap in place. To reattach it just wrap the flap back on and let the seal hold it. Use contact cement if the flap has lost its stickiness.

I don't know the best way to reattach the loose bolster permanently, only that you need to work on it from the back of the panel.


From now on let your passengers use the A-pillar OR let them lean on the flat section of the outer trim panel, the spot just behind and above the striker pin.

[painterdave72]

I can revacum form new material on your rear pieces and make them one piece style like later cars so that doesnt happen.. if interested pm me on messenger.. i have plenty of pics on facebook and fanatics and such.. thanks..Dave..

[Helirich]

Sounds kind of like a big job for little piece. I hate to pull that vinyl off. Seems like it will be a problem.

[Rich]

Sounds kind of like a big job for little piece. I hate to pull that vinyl off. Seems like it will be a problem.

You might be surprised at how easy that job is. These panels are held by 3-4 Phillips screws plus the vinyl flap that wraps over the body flange tub underneath the inner door seal. Pulling the seat belt guide off is simple after you pry open the click-lock plastic clamshell that covers it. Keep track of the way the bolt washers come off.

10 minutes per side to remove all the fasteners and the belt guide
<30 minutes per side to pull the inner seal and then slowly working your way from one end to the other with a hair dryer or heat gun, gently peeling the vinyl away fm the flange as you go, and then it's off. Use no more heat than needed to soften the vinyl. A breakaway razor will help you get a grip on the edges of the flaps.

Then less than half that time to put it back together.

Before you start pull the door seal to be sure a PO hasn't screwed up the vinyl flap (torn or cut short). You should see a few partial V-cuts in it made at the factory where the flap has to negotiate a radius in the door jamb but nothing more.

I've had both of mine off twice. Once to replace the degraded/torn rear speakers and once to access the belt retractors. I didn't need to re-glue the flaps. They wanted to go right back over the flange and then were clamped solidly by the door seal.

[Helirich]

I was worried about pulling the vinyl off after 40+ years. I just imagine it getting all torn up or stretched out of shape. I guess yours is as old as mine. I have to go out of town on business, but I will give it a try when I get back. I will update.

[dn010]

The vinyl on mine that wrap around the door seal lip are mostly cracked and destroyed. The door seal does a good job of hiding the damage.

[Helirich]

The vinyl on mine that wrap around the door seal lip are mostly cracked and destroyed. The door seal does a good job of hiding the damage.

That?s kind of what I?m thinking about mine. My car was a CA car for the first 4 years, but it has been a FL ever car since. Even though it has lived in a garage it?s whole life, it still has seen a lot of full Sun 95+ degree days. Hard to imagine a hair dryer getting it hotter than that. lol.

[dn010]

I have had my panels removed numerous times so they endured quite a bit. First they had some of those metal retaining clips on them that dig into the vinyl and lip of the car that damaged it when removing. I also removed them quite early on in my ownership, early 2000's when, while they were available, I didn't realize how scarce replacement panels were or how refurbishment wasn't really available at the time, so I wasn't particularly careful. If you take your time, cut and peal away all the RTV that might be holding the vinyl down to the lip and pry the material up gently (I used a metal L shaped pick to get under the material), you should be fine. Yes, it might crack in a place or two but it will get covered by the seal upon reinstall.

[Helirich]

Got the panels off with a heat gun. Not fun, but worked. Rebuilt the the back side of the plastic panels. Reinforced with some aluminum. Changed the speakers at the same time. Hopefully, the bolster is better.