Thanks Don, that helps a lot. I see you moved the whole plate back behind the seat, that helps solves the other problem of getting it in and out a couple of tiomes to drill the large holes in the plate for the snaps.

I've got a very helpful vol. who's done this on his car coming over this PM to set me right(I hope) I suspect that I broke one of the connectors

I am a klutz!!

 

I did the big hole in the plate for the other side:



Entire sequence here

 

The passenger side was relatively easy once I got some reassurance that I was on the right track, I cut 2 x2.5" holes w/ a hole saw.

here's the procedure;
remove electric plate
mark & drill eye hole
reinstall electric plate
mark from below
remove electric plate
drill w/ 2.5" hole saw
dress edges
reinstall everything, trying not to get POR where it doesn't belong(I'm on my 3rd can for the POR because I keep slopping it into the lid)