1986 Cadillac MM - Interior Removal Help

[awkface]

Hello folks,

I've been lurking for some time as a guest and now I've finally got my own coach.
As the title states, it's a 1986 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham d'Elegance by Miller Meteor
It's one of the models with three side windows...front driver/passenger door, rear side door, then a third stationary pane with a cloth panel behind the glass ( with a metal flame emblem attached to the panel) that illuminates from below.

I'm attempting to fix the lights inside that third window, but it would seem that they are only accessible from the interior. This appears to require the removal of the top of the cloth covered boxes that run down either side of the interior.
The issue I've run into, is that those lids (for lack of a better term) pull up only slightly and it appears that the side panels (with the wooden wreaths) are keeping them from coming all the way off.
Looking at the under side of the lids, I see metal L brackets running their length, and it looks as if the bottom of the side panels sit between the edge of the cover and the L bracket. Taking a closer look at the side panels, I see that the top edges slide up under the headliner...which seems to be some sort of suspended cloth deal with no obvious way to remove it.

Do any of you kind folks happen to have some knowledge on this type of interior assembly and how to go about removing it?
I'm able to flex the side panels a little bit, but I do not want to risk causing damage by pulling them out incorrectly.

[awkface]

And of course nearly as soon as I ask, I managed to figure it out.

For any poor soul who may face this challenge in the future:
The "lid" of the box does indeed have to lift up, but first, there's a trim panel along the rear edge of the rear side door that has to be removed.
This will allow you access to the front edge of the side panel with the "wreath", which must then be popped out slightly.
Then you will have to carefully, but firmly, coax the lid up and out, bringing the whole bottom edge of the side panel out with it.
After that, the lid can drop down off of the side panel.
To remove the side panel, coax it down out of its slot along the edge of the headliner, being careful not to take the headliner fabric with it.

The side panel is made of a fairly thin plywood which would certainly crack easily if handled too roughly...particularly given its age and dry state.
The lid of the box is light but sturdy, probably pine or a utility hardwood like poplar (maybe).
The base of the box screws into the casket table in several places and is obvious enough to remove.

Light bulbs...
The sockets for those little bastards have a row of triangular prongs around the edge that just pop in and out of the housing. Pull those straight out, push down on the bulb and twist about a quarter turn. Found that the old bulbs seem to like to separate from their base, so as always, care and patience.

The panel visible through the rear side window...
This is a thick plastic shell with the cloth and padding affixed, likely via adhesive. The flame emblem is three separate metal pieces that bolt to it.
The entire plastic shell is riveted (two on top, two on either side) to the window frame.
My guess as to the best bet to remove this properly is to remove the glass pane followed by the window frame. It looks like various rubber seals may have to be replaced when doing so.
The edges of the cloth on that panel are tucked and glued in between part of the frame and the inner rubber seal.

Unexpected finds...
Apparently that rear side window was falling down at one point. Someone did a hack job with duct tape and rtv to hold it up. I found the bracket laying inside the fender, which appears to have separated due to a broken pop rivet. Should be a simple enough fix.
I also found two strange pieces of sheet metal, rectangular overall, but notched out from one short edge almost to the other side, making it a long squared off U shape. If anyone knows what those are, I would be happy to learn of it.

Other plans...
Since I'm not overly fond of the color of the interior, and there are a few small tears and wear spots, I'm going to go ahead and make plans to reupholster the panels.
The current cloth appears to be stapled to its boards, so that's simple enough to do. The pleating is also easy enough.
The one thing I'm not entirely sure on just yet with the panels are the tufts. I'll have to dissect a panel to see how those are constructed.
The other part I'm not familiar with is the method of attachment for the headliner cloth. I'm not so keen on dissecting that, so it further research will be required.

[ratmonster]

Welcome to the site! Unfortunately, not too many people post. I'm kind of only a lurker as well, for the time being. I'm looking for a funeral car as soon as tax returns hit next year. I hope your new baby works out for you!!!