I am in the middle of painting my '83 and i need to remove the chrome trim from around the back hatch to inspect and eliminate any rust underneath. My Haynes book does not get detailed, nor does my shop manual on CD. I popped off the corners on my parts car without any problem but dont want to screw up the trim. Does anyone have the steps for removing and replacing the trim around rear window? Does that just pop off with a flathead or is there a TRICK to getting it off and back on - without damaging it?
Thanks for any instructions or advise.

 

i belive your talking bot the chrome trim around the rear hatch.. well those pieces slide in the rubber moulding... i remember when i took out the glass that they came out with the rubber moulding. then you can slide them out after the glass and moulding is out of the car...

 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^what he said^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

Yep, that is the trim i am talking about. I was hoping that the chrome trim was just that... trim. I know you can take off the sides of the front windshield trim without removing glass, i was hoping it would do the same for the back. I didn't want to get involved in disturbing the seal and glass. But i'm gonna have to struggle with that one, figuring out how to check for rust under the chrome trim without removing it. Man, that is disappointing! Do these cars have rust problems around the underside edge of the chrome trim?

 

Yea usually at the bottom corners. Typicaly the right side for USDM models and the left side for JDM models