Rear seat removal?

[ascona]

Anyone know how to remove the rear seat BOTTOM in a 1975 Ascona?
tia
JON

[BQS4]

Jon;
you have to push in on the bottom edge of the front of the seat, i.e., like you're trying to slide it straight into the trunk and lift at the same time.
HTH,
Gene

[ascona]

Originally Posted by BQS4 Jon; you have to push in on the bottom edge of the front of the seat, i.e., like you're trying to slide it straight into the trunk and lift at the same time. HTH, Gene

tHANKS!!
I haven't done it since the early '80's. My memory is fading I guess?
j.

[BQS4]

REALLY!!??!
I was just taking a WAG....lol, seriously, I removed the seat out of a Manta Rallye I'm stripping about a week ago.

[74Opel1900]

I've tried this and it wouldn't budge. How hard to I have to push/pull? Also, what is involved with removing the front seats? I want to detail the car and removing the front seats will be necessary.

[BQS4]

Originally Posted by 74Opel1900 I've tried this and it wouldn't budge. How hard to I have to push/pull? Also, what is involved with removing the front seats? I want to detail the car and removing the front seats will be necessary.

The front seats are easy, grab a 13mm socket and a 1/4 drive ratchet. the front 4 bolts are covered by a flap of the carpet. Lift it and you'll see two braces and 4 bolts. Take the 4 bolts out, and lift the two braces off, but, make note as to which brace went where. Then, reach behind the seat to the back , where the seat slides on a rail like brace on the flooron the rocker panel side. If you reach right behind it, you'll feel a littl "hook". The hook is spring loaded, swing it back towards the trans tunnel and lift the seat up. That's it. As for the back, it takes a pretty good amount of heft to do it, I mean you REALLY have to push the bottom edge of the seat straight back, again, like you're trying to push it into the trunk and lift.

[jerseydave]

I want to detail the car and removing the front seats will be necessary.

Did you get the car back from the mechanic yet?

Also thanks Gene I am getting ready to remove my seats on the Manta in a couple of weeks.

[Aardvaark]

I use a screwdriver or pry bar at the bottom edge of the rear seat bottom
to make it easier. Like already stated, they often require a bit of force to unhook.

[74Opel1900]

Originally Posted by jerseydave Did you get the car back from the mechanic yet? Also thanks Gene I am getting ready to remove my seats on the Manta in a couple of weeks.

Not yet but it "should" be ready this week. I'm going there today to check on the progress in person.

[dcm013]

Originally Posted by BQS4 Jon; you have to push in on the bottom edge of the front of the seat, i.e., like you're trying to slide it straight into the trunk and lift at the same time. HTH, Gene

I remember having a heck of a time getting the rear seat bottom out of my Manta a few years back. Lots of pushin', sweatin', and swearin'. I even called OGTS out of desperation.

If I remember right I had to push down as well as back, in kind of a quick shoving motion, on the front of the seat cushion to get it disengaged from the hooks that hold it in. I think I may have done each side of the cushion separately since there are 2 hooks involved. When I got it right it actually popped out quite easily .

Don

[First opel 1981]

Originally Posted by dcm013 I remember having a heck of a time getting the rear seat bottom out of my Manta a few years back. Lots of pushin', sweatin', and swearin'. I even called OGTS out of desperation. If I remember right I had to push down as well as back, in kind of a quick shoving motion, on the front of the seat cushion to get it disengaged from the hooks that hold it in. I think I may have done each side of the cushion separately since there are 2 hooks involved. When I got it right it actually popped out quite easily . Don

I believe you are correct. Not only do you push back, a quick downward motion is also needed. This is only going from old memory though.
One of the first things I do with any used car I buy is to pull the back seat. You never know what you will find under there.

[74Opel1900]

Great information on seat removal. Now how about getting the rear seat back in? Any tricks there or just pop it back in?

[First opel 1981]

To get it back in is usually a little easier.

You have to slide it into the guides in the back (you will see them once the seat is removed) and then push the front of the seat firmly to the rear while applying downward pressure. Before you start pushing back, make sure the seat frame is on top of the front hooks or you will be locked up. It might take you a few tries the first time.

Once you get the seat out, the above instructions will be a little clearer since you will have a visual as to how it goes together.

[ghcoe]

Originally Posted by Aardvaark I use a screwdriver or pry bar at the bottom edge of the rear seat bottom to make it easier. Like already stated, they often require a bit of force to unhook.

Don't try this! I bent the lower half of my seat as well as screwed up the vinyl along the bottom. Not a big deal since it needed replaced anyway and luckily the seat bottom bent back fairly easily. Would not of made me so mad if the dang seat would have came out though. Still it resided in the back of the car defiantly. I then realized I needed a special "Opel tool J-52619-2".

[ghcoe]

"Special Opel tool J-52619-2"

Just a little joke between my friends and I. Seems we always needed some sort of Special Opel Tool that the manual said we had to have. Turns out most were just simple tools you could get at the local tool store. Now why didn't the manual say you just needed a "steering wheel puller","Torx Head Driver", "Pilot Bearing Removal Tool"? Nooooo, had to be a "Special Opel Tool J-****-**! It is a owners manual! I bet the mechanics didn't even know what one of these tools were.

But anyway I did come up with a rear seat removal tool even if it is not a "Special Opel Tool". After nearly destroying my rear seat I thought there has to be a easier way. After reading here how it came out I still could not get that thing to budge. Leverage is the key, but do not use a crow bar or screwdriver! This is going to be so simple a smile will come to your face!

Ok, cut a piece of wood that will span across to both seat mounts. You will need another piece to put across the lower front portion of the seat. This is to equal out the pressure so you do not bend the seat. The next piece should be just long enough so you can get a 2x4 between it and the piece that spans the seat mounts. Now the lever. Get the picture? If not I included one to make it a bit more clear. Once I got this set up, the seat was out in 2 minutes "cuss free":! Just use one hand to push back on the lever while pulling up on the bottom of the seat and pop, it is out! There was no need to push down first. See I knew there would be a smile!

George.

[opeletti75]

i use the back of my heel and kick backwards one corner at a time and never had a problem getting them out make it a quick kick pops them out easy

[Aardvaark]

Originally Posted by ghcoe Don't try this! I bent the lower half of my seat as well as screwed up the vinyl along the bottom. Not a big deal since it needed replaced anyway and luckily the seat bottom bent back fairly easily. Would not of made me so mad if the dang seat would have came out though. Still it resided in the back of the car defiantly. I then realized I needed a special "Opel tool J-52619-2".

Sorry it didn't work for you. I've used a large screwdriver on two manta's and an Ascona in this manner with no issues.

Your seat must really have been wedged in there. My experience has been like Opeletti75's
with no real force needed. <shruggs>
The factory manual doesn't indicate any problem unhooking the seat forward edge either.
Actually I was a bit surprised the question even came up considering how easy it's been for me.

[ghcoe]

Originally Posted by Aardvaark Sorry it didn't work for you. I've used a large screwdriver on two manta's and an Ascona in this manner with no issues. Your seat must really have been wedged in there. My experience has been like Opeletti75's with no real force needed. <shruggs> The factory manual doesn't indicate any problem unhooking the seat forward edge either. Actually I was a bit surprised the question even came up considering how easy it's been for me.

Not a big deal in this case. The problem with the crow bar was that by time I realized what was going on it was too late. I know years ago that I removed the rear seats out of my Manta's. I do not remember them being that hard to remove, think I would remember that. There was a lot of rust and crud down there so maybe this was not the norm.

Buuuttt, if anyone else has the same problem I did I highly recommend "Special Opel tool J-52619-2".

George.

[Aardvaark]

Originally Posted by ghcoe Not a big deal in this case. The problem with the crow bar was that by time I realized what was going on it was too late. I know years ago that I removed the rear seats out of my Manta's. I do not remember them being that hard to remove, think I would remember that. There was a lot of rust and crud down there so maybe this was not the norm. Buuuttt, if anyone else has the same problem I did I highly recommend "Special Opel tool J-52619-2". George.

Good advise. Don't overdo the prying or kicking if it doesn't come unhooked
fairly easy. Go to George's method.
These cars have been around for over three decads and can have the seat stuck pretty good it seems.

[roger morgan]

This help anybody?



Here you see the rear seat assembling parts on floor.

And back



Photos of my Ascona A 1900 (1974) European version