Removing rear seat bottom and back

[BruteForce]

Ok, what's the trick? I've been sweating over it for an hour. It can't be this hard! To remove the bench, it seems I have to push the bench rearwards to disengage it from the metal hook coming up from the floor, but it seems to need an awful lot of force. Is there some way to insert a lever or something? Does the bench have to come out before the back can be removed?

-72 Dodge Challenger

[BruteForce]

I went back to the garage and made a supreme effort and got the rear seat unhooked (my fingers, arms and shoulders are going to be pretty sore tomorrow). Removing the seat revealed that the back is indeed screwed down, and it was now no problem getting that out. Also, there was at least 5 pounds of sand under the bench, left over from 1987 when I had the trunk sandblasted. (Yes, I've been working on this car for 20 years!) Since sand holds moisture, I'm surprised it hadn't caused the floor to rot out. But the car has been a garage queen for those 20 years, so it hasn't been rained on.

Before I reinstall the bench, I'm going to take maybe 1/16" off of the hook that holds it on, to make it much easier to get out next time.

I decided to take the rear seat out in the first place so I can run the wire for the new electric fuel pump.

[MEK-Dangerfield]

Wow,

  Most of us don't have to back of the seat bolted down, so removing both the back and bottom takes me all of 30 seconds.    I'm glad you figured it out before you dislocated a shoulder.



  Mike

[Super Blue 72]

Glad you got it out! 

Like MEK, I don't think the bottom of my rear seat was bolted down..... I think....my poor memory... 

[LAA66]

The seat back bolts can be removed with the bench in place. Push down on the base to expose the fasteners. Use a 8" extension and 1/2" socket setup to fit back to the bolt. Once the back is out the bench comes out really easy. Installation is the reverse of this procedure.

[426HEMI]