To clarify 69 FB rear seat removal -with pics

[SA69mach 39]

OK, not to detract from other posts on this, but I found a lot of confusing and incorrect information about the rear seat cushion removal for a 69 fastback, both online and nothing relevant in the Ford shop manual. Yes, I read it laboriously, since I could not budge my seats.

 

I am taking out and replacing the rear seat belts, so I need to get in behind the rear seat.

 

Contrary to the shop manual directions to "Pull seat cushion UP and FORWARD to remove", well, ya don't.

 

Like many conventional rear seat cushions, you must push DOWN on the cushion and BACK to release the retainers. There are two. When the cushion base is released, push/pull the seat back DOWN to release from under the retaining hooks there.

 

I 'smacked' the seat cushion open handed DOWN, and jabbed my other palm into the seat front to disengage the lower hook. When both release, the seat base tilts up and forward. Continue this movement to pull the seat back out of the retainers.

 

If I had some decent pictures of the retainers before I started this would have been a lot easier.

pics below so you can work it out too....

 

My favorite car

Seat back (upper) retainer

Seat cushion (lower) retainer. Note how shallow the 'hook' is on this part. This is what you have to 'unhook' with the smacking and pushing to release the entire seat.

Passenger side rear footwell. Note the location of the retainer, since this is where you need to PUSH DOWN or smack it down, to release the cushion.

It is the same relevant location on the driver's side

 

I hope this is helpful to someone else.

[stangman68 95]

OK - what about getting it back in....for the life of me, i cannot get it to snap back in correctly????

[coz 108]

Guys aren't helping my confidence any.... replacing my Mach1 interior and re-wire is my Spring project. As soon as it gets warm enough to open the garage door I'm going to be pulling the seats, dash and carpet. I guess I have some reading and cussing to do...

[Wycked69 20]

Releasing / removing the rear seat bottom is pretty much the same for all the classic mustangs. some are "tighter" than others but when installing the rear seat cushion, I simply slide the rear portion up under the back hooks (sometimes you have to pry them up just a little), and then pushing down on the front while kicking the leading edge with your knee will lock the seat down in the retainers attached to the floor pan. This process is usually required to be performed on each side. Removal is the same process in reverse. Its the knee kick and downward hand force while kneeing the leading edge that usually does the trick

 

I can only imagine how tough it was to remove form the rear hooks first as SA69mach explained.

[RogerC 122]

Am I missing something here? I've removed the back seat cushion in numerous cars (mustangs, t-bird, sable, cadillac, buick, impalas, escort ZX2 and others) and the process is pretty much the same. Never had one take more than a couple of minutes to pop it out. Even luxury SUVs when working on developing an armor package when I worked for an armoring company. ???

 

Wycked is pretty much on top of it.

[RPM 1,107]

Did I miss a prior post on this? I don't recall seeing one recently. My rear seat has been out in the pics in all my posts and I would have posted pics if I knew you needed them. I'm still a day late and a dollar short. Glad you figured it out.

 

Bob

[SA69mach 39]

Yes, I tend to agree with the last few posts. I have always managed to remove the rear seats from older cars in the same way - push down and back to release the lower hooks, and then out.

However when I searched for posts here and another Mustang forum the results had a consistent theme of "pulling up and forward" I checked my shop manuals and I think the manual has overlooked the Fastback entirely, and also has a confusing comment of "puling the seat up and forward" I guess a lot of posters have taken this comment straight from the manual and repeated it, without having practical knowledge of the removal process.

I wish my search had turned up RPM's posts and pics, but I can only work on the search criteria I put in.

Thanks for the comments. As I said, my post is purely to assist others who perhaps find the same mis-information when searching for "69 fastback rear seat removal"

 

To be clear about this. The seats come out the same as most others. Push down and back to release the hook, THEN lift up and forward.

I was sweating my a@@ off trying to do it the other way, and cursing myself for a fool for believing that is how the seats could be secured.

I am sorry if this has muddled things - It was my intention to clarify for future searches by other fastback owners. There is some useless information 'out there' for the unwary (I know, I was one of them for two hours yesterday)