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How do i remove panel by rear seat on my -55 4-door sedan?

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  • #1

    Interior: How do i remove panel by rear seat on my -55 4-door sedan?

    I think I covered my question totally in the title...

    I need to cut out some rusty bits just in front of the rear wheels/behind the rear doors & weld some fresh steel in place.

    So:
    I've taken out carpet & rear seat & was gonna loosen the lower side-panel behind the door/in front of the wheel-arch & got a flat wide screwdriver behind & started bending carefully... but it wouldn't budge.

    There aint no screws to see & I thought it might be just pressed in place with the same kinda clips as door-panels usually are fastened with (haven't tried the door-panels yet), but then I thought that it might be some other secret to it, so...

    It's probably the same on most 53 - 58 sedans & maby even some Larks?

    Does anyone know?
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  • #2
    On my '55 President 4dr there is one screw holding the panel in place located about 3 inches down from the top and a 1/2 inches in from the back. Other than than it tucked inside the windlace tacking strip at the front of the panel. There was a strip of cardboard attached for reinforcement at this point. Other than that it was just held in place by the seat. This might have originally been glued at the tacking strip or it may be just firmly secured from age. If the single scew is removed the panel should remove by just pulling forward carefully on the panel.
    American iron, real old school
    With two tone paint, it sure is cool

    Its got 8 cylinders and uses them all
    With an overdrive that just won't stall

    With a 4 barrel carb and dual exhausts
    With 4.23 gears it can really get lost

    Its got safety belts and I ain't scared
    The brakes are good and the tires are fair.

    Tried to sell her, but got no taker
    I"ll just keep driving my Studebaker

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    • #3
      I thought I had good enough light yesterday night but no!

      Today I went there to take a GOOD closer look & then I saw that there was small nails in the upper/rear corners & down at the bottom...

      & ofcourse there was some mighty strong beefy clips at front/by the door holding the steel strip also

      & now they've been removed on both sides & at first I doubted that it actually would be nails but when I had them loose I saw that they actually were nails.
      Could that be because it's a Belgium-assembled car or is it like that on US- & Canadian-made ones also?

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      • #4
        Probably everyone did that as those panels wouldn't usually (I imagine) be removed like you would say - a door card to repair the mechanism.
        John Clements
        Christchurch, New Zealand

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        • #5
          There are small spiral NAILS [like a long screw thread] as you found out, which hold the side panels in place.
          At the rear panels and the panels in the side posts between the doors.
          They don't remove easily or cleanly.
          I tore down a parts car and had to rip out the panels, then grab the nails with a visegrip pliers to twist them out.
          The factory wasn't concerned with removal, only quick and easy install.
          If you are careful while ripping out the panels you can use them for templates to make new ones and use screws to install.
          The originals were quite crispy and brittle and not very strong after 56 years. Kind of fell apart.
          South Lompoc Studebaker

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          • #6
            Oh well, the panels are quite awryte still even after dismantling, now I just have to use some nice old-fashion chrome screws & lovely washers when I install it again!

            But first some metal-work...

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