Is this correct procedure, removal rear shelf?

Hi Doug,
I've done this on my '86 328, but I don't know if it's different from your car. On mine, I had to remove the quarter windows. Right inside of the lower molding are two pop rivets that hold in the large shelf pieces. Get the feeling Ferrari didn't expect anyone to ever remove the shelf? Anyway, I hope yours is easier, although R&R the windows isn't that big a deal either. -Steve

 

Doug,
Your notes above are all correct. Pieces are also held in by rivets as Steve mentioned
The curved collar piece also has three nuts, also behind the heat shield. Be careful, it is fiberglass!!!

If you are recovering the shelf, you will probably want to work on the headliner piece too. It is held on primarily by the two receivers for the targa top latch - 4 screws in each, be sure you have good allen wrenchs. This headliner is also held at the ends by two rivets. To access the rivets you need to pull the two verticle pieces at the B pillar. They are held on by push pins at top and bottom. Once all the fasteners are loose, the headliner has tongues that hold it up in the back. Just pull the unit forward and the tongues will fall out of their holders.

Rick

 

This is different than on my '78 GTS. For me, the curved shelf pieces are held in the center of the car by the small center clip, and on the side it is riveted to the side window frame. You will need to remove the side glass to drill out the rivets. For me, there were no other hidden bolts. The only bolt going through the side pieces is the seat belt shoulder harness bolt.

 

I've not had a chance to dig in there, but others have said that it's held in by a nut in the engine compartment behind a heat shield. It sounds like a PITA so I've been avoiding it.

See the photo below. I circled the rivets and the yellow lines are in the rivet directions. The aluminum trim places are riveted directly to the window frame. The other rivet location I circled was on the side of the B pillar and this one holds the upper targa hoop trim piece in place.

Mine were in really good shape so I just reused them.

I should also mention that there's an order to things. The small four sided vertical trim piece in the back needs to be removed first before the shelf can come out.
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as jive as it may sound, has anyone ever considered re-installing the shelf
with industrial velcro after upholstering?

3m makes some pretty nasty adhesive-backed material. doubtful it would
ever come loose without effort.

 

It'd be nice to have a parcel shelf that's easily removable for cleaning. To do it, you'd need to trim off the mounting edge (the part that rivets to the window frame) since it fits under the window seal. Other than that modification, I don't see why it can't be done.

I thought about my earlier response about the order of the trim pieces and I was wrong. I think you can remove/install any piece independently of each other. It's just easier to have the end piece as LIFO.

 

Yes, the crossover piece is riveted to the window frame as well.

Yeah, if you want to recover the crossover, you need to remove the windows, which come out pretty easily. I removed some caulking/sealant from the outside of the window, then grabbed the back and pulled outward while pushing from the inside. Once removed, you drill out the rivets for the shelf and crossover piece and can remove everything. The hardest part is that silly center piece.

 

Sheesh, I seem to be full of bad advice lately. I took another look at the trim pieces and there is an order to things. It's the shelf that needs to go in last -- not the end piece.

 

Yes, it does have rivets on the top of the window. I figured you would see those when pulling the other pieces. I just wanted to point out the "hidden" rivets behind the B pillar pieces. In the interest of full disclosure.... the headliner piece also has tabs folded down at the far ends that get trapped behind the trapezoidal pieces that get mounted vertically at the rear most area of the shelf. So, the trapezoidal pieces need to come out before the headliner will come loose. The trapezoidal pieces are also riveted at the back of the window frame.

Sorry, for leaving things out.
Rick