Convertible boot mounting screws confusion

[C Sickness]

I just removed the convertible boot for some sewing repairs. When I went to unscrew the channeled rail that holds the boot to the seat back, all kinds of screws came out. Some are self tapping sheet metal screws, and some are machine screws. I did see two machine screws that go into the threaded aluminum supports on each side of the center speaker. The rest go blindly into the seat back.

Is there any way to know which positions take self tapping screws, and which take machine screws? I don't want to damage an already threaded machine screw hole by driving a sheet metal screw into it.

Hopefully someone has been down this road before.

 

[Big_John]

Year and model?

On my '70, I can just slide the boot out and leave the rail alone.

 

[66l78rat]

My 69 is the same,slides in,rail stays.

 

[C Sickness]

Year and model?

On my '70, I can just slide the boot out and leave the rail alone.

Mine is a '70 also. The stitching rotted where the vinyl bead attaches to the boot. Half the boot was loose, the bead was pulled halfway out of the channel and jammed in the channel. I put the whole thing on the workbench to get it free.

I'm trying to understand if the different screws were a factory design, or if someone got in there and installed whatever they had at hand.

 

[Big_John]

Mine is a '70 also. The stitching rotted where the vinyl bead attaches to the boot. Half the boot was loose, the bead was pulled halfway out of the channel and jammed in the channel. I put the whole thing on the workbench to get it free.

I'm trying to understand if the different screws were a factory design, or if someone got in there and installed whatever they had at hand.

The center section, around the speaker, take the machine screws, but you know that.

Mine was put together haphazardly, so I can't tell you what it should be, but I ended up using sheet metal screws for everything except the speaker housing.