Bare steel or padded rear trim by 1/4 window on a 70?

[b5blue]

Anyone know if/why there are 2 kinds of trim just below the rear side quarter windows? My car came with padded ones but I see painted steel ones also? If so do they mount the same? 

[Brock Lee]

In 1970 they did both. Economy models had the plain steel and the standard and higher versions had padded. I believe the difference is that the pad style has a plate screwed to the body that has holes in it for the pad clips to snap into. The steel ones were screwed in in place of this mounting plate. But bottom line is yes, you should be able to go either way so long as you have the parts.

[b5blue]

Good cuz I just won a pair on eBay! (my car upholstery is shot) Thank you Brock 

[bull]

I'm no expert but I don't think the base model had anything other than plugs going into the holes where the pads would normally mount. That's the way my base model '70 came.

[Dodge Don]

XH29 Base Level (Option A73) did not receive the upper door pads. You could not order them as an option either.

XP29 500 & 500 SE and XS29 R/T and R/T SE did come with the upper door pads as standard.

[b5blue]

This is more interesting than I expected. Having not seen many 2 gens over the last few years I didn't even know some came this way till I saw these listed on eBay. Now I wonder about the door uppers treatment, they could be steel also from the photos. (I'm trying to re-do my interior for low $$) 

[Brock Samson]

Pics?.. 

[Brock Lee]

The upper pads in the rear do not simply snap into the body. There is a metal plate made of galvenized that has the holes and the oval for the plug of the rear pad. Non padded cars have a metal plate that finishes this area off giving it shape. It is NOT just the bare body there as there would be huge gaps around the quarter glass needed so the factory could slide the window regulator through.

[b5blue]

When they get here I can post photos of both types for reference. 

[bull]

This is more interesting than I expected. Having not seen many 2 gens over the last few years I didn't even know some came this way till I saw these listed on eBay. Now I wonder about the door uppers treatment, they could be steel also from the photos. (I'm trying to re-do my interior for low $$) 

I'm not on the same page, or maybe I am and don't know it. It seems to me that you and Brock Lee are saying there's a blank steel plate that attaches to the blank steel upper door plate in lieu of the typical upper door pad we all know and love. But in my world there was nothing attached to the blank steel upper door plate on a base model '70. It was just painted the interior color along with all the other interior metal and then plugs were installed in the pad mounting locations.

[b5blue]

We are on the same page. Brock and I are talking the "backseat" area not the "door" but that was my next question, the holes are plugged. So if I could find the "plugs" I could save from buying the door upper pads also.

[Dodge Don]

Here are pictures of the galvanized steel frame used to mount the rear upper pads on a 70 and what it looks like removed

[bull]

Ok, I gotcha now.