RE: removing the sail panels...
Yes, it can be done without breaking the clips or the panels...
You need to remove the upper seat belt anchor (pivot - torx bolt), and the side interior trim panel beside the seat(long phillips screw in the door jamb, and two pop-in clips along the door jamb, and the lower mount screw from the door sill panel)
Slide the seat forward, and remove the screws & pop the clips to free the panel. If you want to remove the panel completely, pop the two metal joiners from the seat belt slots & slide the belt out. Then, with a slight downward pressure on the top of the trim panel(from the roof liner end)slide it over the upper door trim piece& back into the interior.
NOTE: be careful of any of the sticky black goop used to seal the rear window. Sometimes this will be on the pointed-end of the panel in the back corner. Have a shopwipe or rag handy to place over the end of the panel to avoid marking the roof.
The pop-in clips can be carefully pried out with a slot screwdriver. Gently pry towards the front of the car. If they break (50-50), you can either get new ones, or improvise & create them using door panel mount clips & a pair of side cutters.
The sail panel is held in with three types of mounts...
1) a trim tab that slides under the upper roof plate.
2) a crow-foot shaped clip with a thru-bolt in the lower front corner.
3) Three plastic snap-in clips along the back edge.
!-1---\
! 3 \
! \
! 3 \
! 2 \
!--------3-\
To remove the nut for the thru-bolt (2), you'll need a 10mm deep socket, and a 3/8 ratchet with a "wobble" socket, to allow the socket to pivot a bit, due to the angle. put a bit of goop of putty in the end of the socket to keep the nut from falling out & down inside the body frame. Look at the interior of the car in the lower front area behing the sail panel. There should be a round hole about 3/4" wide. You should see a nut on a stud deep inside this. The nut is your target. Carefully loosen it and, making sure its firmly seated in the socket, remove it from the stud & slide it out of the hole. If you've ever played "OPERATION", you should have no problem.
For the 3 rear mounts, (3), you'll need a long thin, pinty tool, which you can even make from a coat hanger if you like. The mount clips have a stud on them, that goes thru the fiberglass edge of the body panel. BE careful, as this edge will shatter easily. Each stud can be seen by looking between the panel & the body, with a light. There is a centre insert that is in the middle of the stud on the clip. press it in with the long tool, and it will let the stud pop back thru the hole. Start with the bottom clip & work up.
If this doesn't work, you can sometimes pop the clips from the sail panel by applying a slight upward and rearward pressure to the sail panel, and giving the front lower edge a firm "rap" with your hand. Again start at the bottom & work up. The clips can then be popped by pushing the pins in the stud n the usual manner. Slide them back into the mounts slots, with the pushpin in the stud facing towards the front of the panel
The last mount (1)will slide out when the others are removed.
Reverse the process to re-install. As you go along, stop & look at how/where theing ar e placed/fitted etc. It will make it easier to re-install.
Happy Fiero'ing...
Windsor62@Yahoo.com
