remove rear seat/access to top motor

[MO-E-Bodyman]

I have an '88 LeBaron convertible turbo that I swapped for that has been sitting for about 3 years. The top worked fine when it was parked. Now it doesn't, there is just a click when you hit the switch. I suspect the motor has stuck from sitting. I am guessing you access it thru the back seat. I got the bottom out and took the two bolts at the bottom of the back out but it's still doesn't budge. I thought you would be able to lift it up off of a couple of hooks like my '68 B'cuda but I'm missing something. Are there more bolts? Have I just gotten stupid? Well, don't answer that. Anyway,after I get the seat out, does anyone have any suggestions about getting the motor to work, besides a swift whack with a big hammer?
TIA,
Dallas
missourimopar.com

[MO-E-Bodyman]

I got it figured out and got the motor working. The armature was stuck.
Dallas
missourimopar.com

[Lebaronguy2001]

glad you got it working, hope you didnt pull the back seat to do it...thats the long way..lol...as long as you can work upside down on your back in a trunk its easier to change the motor from in there....

[MO-E-Bodyman]

Oh yeah, I did it the hard way. I'm getting too old and fat to stand on my head and work on anything. I had to take the end off the motor to get the armature loose.
Then, after putting the seat back in, I discovered one of the rear windows wouldn't work so I had to take it back out again to take the side panel off and access the window assembly.
Dallas
missourimopar.com

[charger R/T]

I had the same issue when my motor died. But unlike you I shoved my 350lb getting older fat a$$ in the trunk and popped it out. Turns out the pump was starting to leak and the intelligent engineers clocked the brushes at 12 and 6 so the small leak leaked onto the 6 o'clock brush and burned it up. Had they clocked them at 3 and 9 it wouldn't have happened so soon.

I also found when looking for a replacement remans with core return and shipping were in the 200 dollar range with a 90 day warrenty. For brand new mopar with a 1 year warrenty it was 240 and no core. It even came full of fluid.
Tim

[BobD]

Quote:

Then, after putting the seat back in, I discovered one of the rear windows wouldn't work so I had to take it back out again to take the side panel off and access the window assembly. Dallas

Just out of curiosity, to get at the window, (I also took my whole car apart recently) did the side panels have to come off with the back of the seat. I helped a friend put a top on his 92 GTC a few months ago and the seat and panels were seperate. But then two weeks later, when I put a new top and windows in my 89 GTC, I noticed that the rear seat was connected to the side panels. That was a real hassle pulling out and then back in. At least a window/regulator/motor assembly can be changed in about 10 minutes.(Providing you get a good one at a salvage yard and don't have to mix and match L/R regulator parts) Then it takes a bit longer. Was I missing something on the seat/panel setup? (I'm also getting too old and fat for this kind of work)

[Turbo-Baron]

I had to change my window motor in the summer. I did it the hard way aswell taking both sides and back out.But if i remember correctly you can just unbolt the side panals from the back of the seat with about 5 bolts on either side.

[MO-E-Bodyman]

We unbolted the seat back from both side panels, took it out, then the one side panel we needed to take out to access the regulator assembly.
It might be possible to unbolt one side panel fron the seatback and get it out as suggested by Turbo-Baron. I can't remember whether the seatback hides any bolts or not. I just hope I don't have to do it again!
Dallas
missourimopar.com