E24 seat back cover removal

[C.R. Krieger]

OK; we'll see who's faster (or not primarily preoccupied celebrating the Queen's Diamond Jubilee ). I have screwed up sport seats in my E24. Although I've taken apart many an E28 seat, they don't have the folding levers on the sides. So how the hell do I get those off? C.J.? Johnny? Chris? Paul?

[don]

Mr. Krieger:

Gently pry off the knobs...beware some previous owners have glued them on.Remove the two screws on the plastic cover.
Hope this helps.
http://www.malloc.nl/BMW/635CSi/pages/en/52.html

[wkohler]

don is right. It's a funky setup. It's imperative to remove the screws and try not to drop them. The lever will come out that way and the seatback can come off straight. I've seen people try to bend them around the lever and I always tell them, "Would BMW honestly have done it that way? No."

[C.R. Krieger]

Mr. Krieger:

Gently pry off the knobs...beware some previous owners have glued them on.Remove the two screws on the plastic cover.
Hope this helps.
http://www.malloc.nl/BMW/635CSi/pages/en/52.html

Danke sehr! I owe you one!


BTW, 18 minutes here. 1:06 at bigcoupe. I knew that Jubilee would throw everybody off ...

[C.R. Krieger]

Not enough information. Pulled off the lever covers and the slotted plates (no screws; a pin at the bottom and a clip at the top). Still can't get the backs off over the tilt levers. Help ...

[wkohler]

Look through the slot. There's a Philips screw in there, beneath the lever, that holds the actual lever in place. You need to put a screwdriver through the slot in the seatback, undo the screw, then the lever will hinge up and out, and pull it through the slot.

[Karl Grau]

I knew that Jubilee would throw everybody off ...

I decorated but I'm embarrassed to say I was caught unprepared and to use some leftover William & Kate wedding stuff to bring it off.

[Cactus]

I've seen people try to bend them around the lever and I always tell them, "Would BMW honestly have done it that way? No."

That's solid advice for most things on these cars.

[johnnye23]

Remember our conversation when I warned you about most every job on an E24 takes 4 times the amount of time vs. doing the same job on an E28.

Last known photograph of C.R. smiling as an E24 owner !

[C.R. Krieger]

OK; another little tip: The screw is only on ONE SIDE. There isn't one on the other lever (although there's a tempting looking hole there). Of course, it couldn't be the side where you'd expect it to be when working on the car from the outside. Oh, NOOOO! It has to be on the inside lever ...

Yeah; Johnny, you're right. Every single thing is more difficult, but it's still generally within expected parameters. F'rinstance, when I went to change the headlamps, I found only four metal screws holding the grilles instead of the five plastic fasteners that everybody screws up and strips out on the E28. Then, there are the two 10mm nuts inside the corner lamps to pull. But it's not a deal-breaker.

Turns out E24 buckets have only THREE big damn screws where the E28 has FOUR!

Nonetheless, there hasn't been much smiling with this one yet. I opened up the seat and found the left screw for the backrest completely missing - and the tilt motor's only powering the left side. Shit. Fortunately, I have a remaining skeleton E28 sport seat in the garage.

I just yesterday noticed the unique rear window trim that channels water off the roof around the window. I wonder what that's worth these days ...