I need to remove the rear window and to do that I need to remove the top rear targa pad and the side pads by the seat belts. I've removed all the screws but the top pad will not budge. What am I missing?

There don't appear to be any screws in the bottom set of holes and I was able to unscrew the screws in the front of the pad.
Click to view attachment

I bet there are still screws in the pad

I hate the way they are installed with the little phillips head screws that strip or get lost in the padding but when you do get them all out, the pad usually removes easily. If someone can suggest a better (easier to use) fastener, I'm in.

The targa pad is a bitch.

The hardest ten screws to get out on the whole car.

(or, can be)

When I did the windshield, I replaced all of the screws on the front blosters with a Stainless Phillips Oval, I think it was an 8 x 3/4 or 8 x 1.

Worked well when I put it back together

All screws out mine won't come off.........

Did you remove the top latches? There is a screw in there
that holds the bolster to the latch

You don’t need to remove the targa top pad to remove the rear glass. The back pad and side pads will need to come off. That is all I have had to do.
Craig at camp

I was warned to NOT REMOVE THE TARGA PAD years ago.....so I didn't. I refinished the vinyl in place and when I change the rear window to my 8 year old purchase of a defrost rear window I WILL NOT remove the targa pad. The comments in this thread reinforce my position. I'll get the window in there. Than you Craig for sharing your experienced opinion.
Thanks to all,
gg

I bet there are. You will find that you may need a small pick to pull a small amount of padding out the hole in order to see them. Happens ALL the time when I am parting cars. It is a real PITA

Take your time or the cracks just get bigger. ask me how I know?

1. a flashlight
2. a smaller, thinner Phillips screwdriver ( # ?)
3. patience.
4. probe and turn until you feel the tip enter the screw.
5. it is not necessary to remove the screw from the padding....for now.
6. to re-install ? get a few awls or a mechanics 'pic' (a few)
7. you don't need to reinstall all forty screws.....just the plugs.

I have had it where I remove the screws only to find that there were 2 screws there. I assume one gets pushed aside and the installer just puts in another screw. Use a light and make sure the screw you thought was removed actually was.

I checked again. Got the 7 screws in front loose. I was able to get most of them out. The rest are loose. I used a mirror and a flashlight and could not see any screws in the bottom. It seems that with the front screws loose the pad would wiggle a bit. I even tapped it with a mallet.

Does anyone ever glue these down?

Are you referring to this screw? There's another one on the other side. I can't get a screwdriver in there!
Click to view attachment

Those screws don’t need to be pulled. Look thru the rear window and you can see the screw and/or screwdriver tip when inserted into the lower screw recesses. Also, take an ice pick or awl to feel for the screws. You will feel the indent of the Phillips cross or a open hole if it has been removed already. The one that I removed yesterday had 3 different styles of screws. None of them stock. 3 were #8 brass WOOD SCREWS.

Got it! There WERE 2 extra screws. I had to look again very carefully to find them. I got the window of without removing the targa bar and was able to look and see that there were no screws on the bottom. At least it wasn't glued on!

The targa bar still was a PITA to get off over the latches.

Thanks to all for your help.