I am starting my restoration project and have pulled out most of the interior of the car. However, I am stuck on the seat back panel that attaches to the rear firewall. I have already unclipped (or ripped out . . . ) the retaining clips that attache the panel to the firewall, but I am stuck on the engine lid release next to the driver door. Does anyone know an easy way to remove this? I am afraid I will break the weak plastic of the pull and the bushing if i force it.

knob has threads for some "odd" reason

I looked at the Haynes manual and saw the threads but it seems like the plastic will break. I guess I was really wondering if there is any real danger in exerting the force necessary to remove the pull.

no, with some parts cars I have had in the past I found that I had pull the relase knob out and hold the wire behind it with a pair of needle nose then grip the knob with another set of pliers to twisti it off. I put a shop rag over the knob so I would mess it up with the pliers.

Oh and remember lefty losey, righty tighty.

QUOTE (mcbain77 @ Feb 7 2006, 01:20 PM)

I looked at the Haynes manual and saw the threads but it seems like the plastic will break. I guess I was really wondering if there is any real danger in exerting the force necessary to remove the pull.

it has to be removed, so twist it, if it breaks, you have to purchase another one, not the end of the world....

sounds like it's too late, but the pad needs to be "lifted" up to remove the clips from the brackets on the firewall....

At first the whole cable will twist - then the pull knob should break free and unscrew. Leave the othe plastic piece in the backpad. You also might need to peel back the door seals a bit. It is a gud idea to screw that engine pull knob back on to the cable after the backpad is out so you don't loose it and if you need to do some engine work it helps to have the lid open.

Have fun! I can't wait to get my 914 back sooooon - this week hopefully - with a new driver's floorpan. I have a gallon of QuietCar ready to paint the floorpan, inside of doors, backpad, firewall, etc....

BTW - this forum is fantastic. It blows away the Audi forums I am used to.

QUOTE (Mueller @ Feb 7 2006, 12:28 PM)

QUOTE (mcbain77 @ Feb 7 2006, 01:20 PM) I looked at the Haynes manual and saw the threads but it seems like the plastic will break.  I guess I was really wondering if there is any real danger in exerting the force necessary to remove the pull. it has to be removed, so twist it, if it breaks, you have to purchase another one, not the end of the world.... sounds like it's too late, but the pad needs to be "lifted" up to remove the clips from the brackets on the firewall....

Mike, the clips hook in from the bottom, so to remove, the back pad must be pushed down, not up.

QuietCar? Not familiar with it. Some kind of rust preventative / sound dampener?

QUOTE (Mueller @ Feb 7 2006, 12:28 PM)

sounds like it's too late, but the pad needs to be "lifted" up to remove the clips from the brackets on the firewall....

Is'nt it the reverse ? I seem to have it in my head that the pad is pulled down to undo the clips. Seems to me, also, that if the clips were disengaged before the cable is undone, the clips are ripped out.

QUOTE (ChrisNPDrider @ Feb 7 2006, 12:30 PM)

Have fun! I can't wait to get my 914 back sooooon - this week hopefully - with a new driver's floorpan. I have a gallon of QuietCar ready to paint the floorpan, inside of doors, backpad, firewall, etc....

QuietCar? Not familiar with it. Some kind of rust preventative / sound dampener?

take out the 3 or 4 screws about 1/4 of the way up from the bottom. after removing the lid release knob, pull the bottom of the pad back (towards you) and down, and the metal clips will slide out from their little slots on the inside of the fire wall. if the clips have torn off, you can glue them back on with a bit of epoxy.

k

OK McBain - this is going to blow your mind!

There is a link on the upper right "Search" - search and ye shall find! Once you get your fav settings dialed in, forget baout checking the posts every day, just search for the info you need. Of course, even with the Serach dialed, I still read the posts every day

I think there is a www.quietcar.com or something - try Google. It got a gud review here by someone with a VW beetle. My goal is to rip out the ##lbs of the factory tar backpad and floor, inspect grind and convert left-over rust, coat with "rust-proof" pain of some sort, then 3-? coats of the sound-deradening paint.

BTW - my '72 backpad removes by pushing it down.

Just wanted to add that i got the back pad off last night. Besides unscrewing the knob from the cable, you also have to unscrew the bushing from the firewall. The bushing is kind of difficult to unscrew because it is completely round - but it has two holes that you can stick some small gauge rods in to gain leverage.

Thanks for the help guys. Interior is now completely stripped for sanding and POR-15.