1970 challenger rear interior trim panel dilemma

[manycj]

One step forward 2 steps back - again.  So last night I was getting ready to install the awesome new rear quarter interior trim panels from Roseville in my 70 challenger and discovered that they are different from my originals. My originals had a screw hole at the sail panel and the new ones have a hole at the rear of the quarter window.  Digging into the pictures from the Barry Washington's CD of the 176 mile T/A I see that it has the new style on the driver's side and yet another 3rd style on the passenger's side. 

The types are:
A) screw at the sail panel only.
B) screw at the rear of the quarter window only.
C) screw at the sail panel and the quarter window.

From the CD I also learned that there is a bracket that is used at the top by the quarter windows, which my car never had. What is interesting is that the inner body panel has a slot for this bracket, but one was never installed.

So my dilemma is that I need a pair of these brackets to put my panels in.  I can find new ones that screw to the floor, but I can't seem to find the ones at the window.  Can anyone help me out on this ?

thanks
Chris

[anlauto]

I had the same problem however the 70 Challenger I was working on didn't have a place to mount the bracket. So I just put a screw and speed nut in the panel to fill the hole.

[manycj]

I was thinking I might have to go that route if I couldn't get my hands on some brackets.

[Cuda Cody]

Looks like running changes (updates) in the production line process.  They might have ran out of the old style on one side before the other, but they used up old stock before switching.  So if your car has the bracket, use it.... if not I would do like Alan did and make it work.  I think we would all be surprised if we knew exactly how many little running changes (improvements) were made each year.

[manycj]

I agree with that assessment. It's very typical of auto manufactures to do so. I have the factory running change list for the 1963 Jaguar E-type that I restored a while back.  Changes were made almost daily.

I searched my database of Challenger pictures and it appears the trim panel change occurred between 3/13/70-ish and 3/23/70-ish.  But it looks like they planned to switch over earlier since my 2/24/70 built car has the bracket mounting cutouts present in the inner sheetmetal panel.

I think I will give myself some time to locate the brackets before I get anxious to install the panels and follow Alan's method.

[cataclysm80]

I have that CD of T/A pics, but hadn't ever noticed an interior panel with screws in both locations before.
I bet that's a pretty rare part, only used for a short time.

I discussed this issue of different hole locations with that panel manufacturer when they were in the prototype stage.
They weren't going to make both styles, they only wanted to make one, but weren't sure what to do.
I tried to convince them to make the one with the screw that goes into the sail panel, because a LOT of Challengers were built in 1970 compared to the other years, and all hardtop cars have sail panels that could easily be drilled for a screw hole.
Their final decision was to create a panel that did not have either screw hole.
They were supposed to put enough material on the back of the panel that you could drill the countersunk hole into the panel at either location.
All the new panels that I had seen or heard of, did not have the hole in either location, and unfortunately didn't have the material on the back of the panel to properly countersink the screw either.
Most people simply installed the panel without a screw, since there wasn't a hole.

This is the first I've heard of their panels having a hole in one of the locations.  I'm surprised, and disappointed that it isn't in the sail panel location.  I guess they must have sold through the panels, and made another run with this new hole.

My own 70 Challenger was built in late August 1969, and it does not have any provision for a bracket in that location.

If you can't find a bracket, I suppose you could make one.   It looks like a pretty simple L shaped bracket.

[A.Gramz]

Find somebody with a 73 / 74 parts car and get them from them