Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

Is the center post trim held by the typical spring clips?
Jerry

Not the same type the long molding is held with. As you see, there is no flange for a clip to go behind. They have a stud welded on (you can barely see the discoloration just towards center of peaks at top & bottom where they came off). I can't remember if they were the smooth type that press into a permanent receiver in the body or a speed clip or if they are threaded. Parts book calls out clip so am thinking press on speed clip & not threaded. You will probably have to pull the center post upholstery loose anyway to see & remove.

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HH56,

Thanks for the reply. I didn't make myself clear. I want to remove the interior trim so that I can install shoulder seat belts.
Jerry

Not too sure on that one--it's been too long since I messed with a sedan. The parts book just calls them fasteners but I seem to remember something almost like a tack going into a fairly dense nailing material -- but that might have been the windlace. Maybe you could start at the bottom with a stiff putty knife type implement & move it along to pry off a few inches until you hit one & get an idea. Down low, at least any misques would be out of sight if you had to repair something.

Don't know for sure, but I think the 54 might probably be similar enough so maybe Kev has enough of his apart to tell.

Funny you ask, I was just looking at that recently.

The B-Pillars have multiple layers of a tar based insulator cardboard which the upholstery material is folder around. The trim in question is held on with a twist on speed nut on the back side. So you have to install the trim before the upholstery goes back in.

Otherwise you would have to use a push-in style bullet clip in the trim hole from the outside.

Can you tell how the inside vertical upholstery support is held on? The parts manual lists 16 fasteners for a 56 but the question is whether they are spring clips or tacks into some kind of strip on the edges.

On the edge there are triangle tabs for the wind-lace. I haven't pulled all the insulator away, but I know there are metal fasteners down the middle of the insulator board. But the head of the fasters are round like the head of a carriage bolt. So it must snap into the B-pillar as the fastener head would be hidden by the upholstery. So I think the B-pillar is constructed much like a door panel. Where the snap fastener is pushed into the insulator/backboard and then the upholstery is glued down over the top of it and folded about the back on the board. The the completed B-pillar panel is snapped onto the B-Pillar. I hope that all makes sense.

So I think if you used a wide putty knife, or a door panel tool you would slide the tool in between the panel and the inner edge of the wind-lace. Then you should be able to feel the fasteners and pop them loose. The fastener run inline from top to bottom right down the center of the panel. My panels are all brittle from years of moisture exposure so they are just coming apart in my hand.