Rusted Seat Guides

[Blackthorn]

That metal rod is bent like that from the factory. That's why I suggested jamming something in there. Pry each side back by itself, jam something in there, then you can work on the seat without having to depress the lever.

Thanks for the heads up! So breaking the rust didn't work so what im going to do is pull the front pivot pins, and unbolt the rear hinge and just get it to the bare rail to get some better leverage with the sledge on it. Ill update late with how that goes lol.

[MR E30 325is]

This may be the most difficult seat to remove that I have every heard about.

If the seat rails are this rusted, I can't imagine how rusty the rest of the car is!

[Blackthorn]

TBH its just this bit and the battery tray that have any rust. I found it sitting in LA and its in really good shape apart from this shenanagins.

[Blackthorn]

Success! Took out the trusty hammer found a small block of wood and some renewed vigor and both of them are free! Seriously sucked but its done, and the best news of all is that there is not a spec of rust on the floor boards. Now i just need to install my clutch pedal and the bits for the manual trans swap and im good 2 go. Pictures to come!

[Blackthorn]

Pics of After

http://i.imgur.com/55LIt9S.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/QhwhCRB.jpg

[101]

Shampoo that carpet - it will help get the PB Blaster smell out of the car.

[Kershaw]

Sweet baby jesus. I would pull the carpet to verify what's underneath, just to be sure.

[MR E30 325is]

Sweet baby jesus. I would pull the carpet to verify what's underneath, just to be sure.

Seconded. That is extreme.

[straight6pwr]

i cannot fathom how those sliders got so rusty! maybe they were in a junk yard and the junk car was full of standing water then someone swapped them into this car?

[Blackthorn]

Heh well it was in backwater Louisiana and sitting in a barn for 15 years. Everything under the carpet is pristine alpine white 2 which was super surprising. If you look closely at the tops of the screws poking out they match the material underneath. The only rust iv been able to find on the car has been the Battery box (near the vent) and superficial bits here and there i just just sand off with the ol dremel and shoot some white converter on. Haven't discovered any lurking rusty bits yet!

I think what caused this level of rust was that when i picked her up, the weather stripping was falling to pieces. With how humid it gets in Louisiana i think that plus sitting for so long with no love caused them to rust much faster than other bits in the car. The only other item with this level of rust iv found is that unpainted bracket piece that supports the dash near the front ash tray.