I am looking at replacing the package shelf in my '69 XR7, the old one is pretty badly warped. I can’t seem to find the correct gold color, but when I do, how do you take the old one out? Does the rear seat back get removed somehow? Thanks for any tips.
It is really simple; 10-15 minute job. On my Cougar there were a couple tabs with fasteners on the front side of the package tray to hold the package tray down which the top of the rear seat covers them. Pop the back seat out, undo the fasteners (if you have a rear defroster unit it will have to removed as well) and the package tray should just slide out. Keep an eye on your sail panels, mine were removed prior to removing the package tray. Might be able to get away with leaving the sail panels installed but might be a good idea to remove the sail panels first if it looks like the package tray will rub and damage them.
Be careful with the sail panels. If they are original or have been replaced properly, they are glued into the rear window frame and won’t come out without ruining them.
It sounds like you have never removed a rear seat before. If that is the case it is an easy job. The lower section needs to come out first. It is held in place by 2 brackets that are welded to the floor pan. To remove it you need to push the lower section straight back towards the trunk area. This will release the section from the brackets. Once released lift the front edge upward. If it does not lift you need to push it farther rearward. Once you do have it released you can then pull it forward and take it out of the car. The back section has 2 bolts at the bottom that will now be visible, a 3/8 or 7/16th socket as I recall. Remove the 2 bolts. Then lift the back section straight up to release the top clips. Once free remove it from the car. You should now see 2 small metal T shaped clips held in place by 1 phillips head screw each. Those are the clips that hold the front edge of the package down down. The package tray is held down at the back edge by the gasket for the rear window. Best of luck with your project.
Randy Goodling
CCOA #95
Mike,
The vinyl on my old package tray was looking quite old and “alligatored”. Plus I wanted to install tunes in the car and mount rear speakers on the package tray.
I used my old package shelf tray and made a new one using thin backerboard I bought from an upholstery shop. I traced out the old tray onto the backerboard and cut it using a pair of scissors. I purchased vinyl with the color and grain pattern that matched as close as I could find. Cut the vinyl approx 3 inches longer than the package tray. Spray a fine mist of upholstery adhesive to the back side of the vinyl and the top side of the backerboard, don’t over do the adhesive, too much and the vinyl will slide around instead of stick (Ler from my mistake!). Let the adhesive set for 3 to 5 minutes then place the vinyl on to the backerboard. Work from the center to the edges to remove any pockets. Pull the vinyl around the edges and tuck them under the backerboard and clamp the edges down until the adhesive sets.
Coach Jack
Thanks, no I have never done this in a Cougar before, but it sounds very similar to doing it in a '64 1/2 Mustang, which I have done many times before, thanks for the detail!
Mike
Now I am wondering about whether or not the package tray I have, and the sail panels, are original or not. I know the headliner has been replaced, since there are no shoulder belts (I plan to replace those soon too), but take a look at this picture and see if you think the package tray and sail panels are originals. They look old enough, and they are warped, but they are both covered in some kind of mesh cloth, not vinyl like Coach Jack indicates. I plan to replace the sail panels too, as soon as I can find the right color/texture. So what do originals look like, and with a medium saddle leather interior, are they even the correct color? They look gold.
69-70 package trays were not vinyl. The package tray was covered by mesh through which you can see pre-punched speaker holes. However, your package tray covering doesn’t appear to be the correct color nor does it look like it’s faded so it may have been replaced. Sail panels were not mesh nor were they a standard type of vinyl. They are covered in a thin almost paper-like materiel with a visible grain pattern. I think both your package tray and sail panels have been recovered at some point in time.
Thanks, that is what I suspected too. On the color, maybe they should be “tan”, like the plastic molding around the windows and the sun visors?
Mike,
JCB is correct, I totally forgot to mention that I have a 67 Cougar, thus vinyl. But you can still do the same with what ever material you decide to use.
Coach Jack
So, are the sail panel and package shelf color supposed to match the headliner, or the trim around the doors and sun visors?
The headliner, roofrail windlace, sun visors, sail panels, coat hooks, seats, package tray should all be pretty much the same color. There will be a slight variation due to the different materials.
Yes, removing the back seat would be very much the same as in your Mustang.
Randy Goodling
CCOA #95
Not sure but what is the correct procedure for installation? Is it headliner first, then rear window, then sail panels then package tray and finally back seat??
Headliner, sail panels, glass, package tray then back seat. Since the rear of the package tray goes under the gasket, you can install that before the glass if you like. I did mine afterward and just pulled up the gasket to slide in the package tray.
On my car, which has a Saddle (tan) interior, the original package tray was dark brown/black.
Thanks for all the info guys, now I have a better idea how to proceed, and since I have to also replace the headliner, I guess the rest can all be done more easily anyway.
I’m thinking about doing my package tray next weekend. If I understand correctly, I don’t have to mess with the rear window gasket for the old ratty tray to slide out. Tried to phone WCCC, but they are out on phone support. The site says theirs are “not 100% correct”, but “these colors are truly wrong except black” and the “fit is good and the overall this is a durable attractive piece”.
My interior is black, so that’s no issue, and I plan on adding some 6x9 speakers and run some wire to the dash for the 8-Track install project. Any other pro-tips…?
No need to mess with the window gasket.
If the one you have is just faded, try painting it. Factory stuff generally fits better than reproduction.
I got my package tray from WCCC. it replaced the not as good fitting NPD unit in the Car(tag still on it).
The big difference was the Speaker Grill Holes, so I put rear deck speakers in (the interior was completely out wiring was a cinch). the NPD unit did not have the openings.
The next thing was the WCCC tray had scoring on the back edge where I bent it up slightly to go behind the rear window gasket, it follows the contour of the back window and body.takes a couple of fittings to get the amount of bend just right, go slow and don’t break the board.
If memory serves, the speaker holes in the body under the package tray are 4 X 10, not 6 X 9 so you will want to purchase or make adaptors so you can install those speakers without cutting holes in the package tray.