Suburban rear seat hold down hardward

[Brad54]

I've got a '62 Suburban, and have a stock rear seat with one of the original clamps that hold the seat to the "keyholes" in the floor. It's a simple carriage bolt with a wing nut--the bolt head slips into the keyhole and slides forward to the thin part of the hole, the shaft of the bolt goes through holes in the seat frame, and the wingnut goes on top of the seat frame tubing to hold the seat to the floor.
HOWEVER, my one single mount also came with an original piece that straddles the seat frame tubing, and is flat on top for the wing nut to seat on. It distributes the force of the clamp over a larger area, and gives a much firmer bite to the wingnut. The original one I have seems to be made of brass. I believe they used the softer brass instead of steel so it didn't work-harden the seat frame or crack the seat frame. The softer material absorbed any vibration and stress before the thin wall tubing of the frame would crack. I think it'll eliminate one more source for vibrations and rattles, as the wingnut isn't likely to back off the flat bracket.

I've fabricated a new set of these clamps out of aluminun for my truck. I'm going to turn Boy Wonder (my 12-year-old) loose on the power tools, and we're going to start making them to sell as complete kits: bolts, wing nuts, washers, lock washers and the aluminum clamp.

My immediate target is '60-'66 trucks, because I know this fits. At some point, they started putting different rear seat mounting tracks in some of the Suburbans--I think the later '64-up GMCs, but I'm not sure what year that was, and if it's only GMC.

Also, I saw a pic of the bracket from an AD Suburban, and it looks identical. Can anyone tell me what years they started this bracket style in Suburbans? What'd they use in the '40s? How 'bout '55-'59?

The two critical factors I'd need to know for the AD and '50s suburbans would be the diameter of the bolt head (so it fits in the keyhole), and the diameter of the tubing for the seat frame.

Can anybody give me the info on:
A) when they went to tracks in the '60s
B) how far back they started using this type of seat hold down in Suburbans
C) the bolt head diameter and frame diameter in AD and '50s Suburbans
D) Do you think there's a market for these clamps? I'm not looking to make it rich, but I'm also the kind of guy who still stops to pick pennies up off the ground. One or two don't amount to much, but they add up. If I can sell some of these, I'll have a little money to do other projects like front sway bars for '60-62 trucks.

I appreciate any input,

-Brad

[Brad54]

31 people viewed this thread, but no replies...DRAT!

If any AD and '55-'59 Suburban owners could tell me the diameter of the seat frame tubing, I'd really appreaciate it.

Also, how many hold downs are there for the middle and rear seats. In my '62, I'm putting a full-width 3rd row seat in the middle row, and it has 5 hold downs.

Thanks,
-Brad

[mark be]

'51 suburban 7/8" tubing, 4 holdowns middle seat
5 for the rear

[Brad54]

Do you have a pic of the hold-down hardware?

-Brad

[parkwood]

Not sure if this is what you're looking for.. best pictures I have of the hold downs for the seats in a '52 suburban... we only had one of the brass hold down washers and I had a friend make me a set out of alum.
Sounds like chevy didn't change the way they held down the seats for a few years..

[Brad54]

Thanks Parkwood, that's what I was trying to find out.
I've got one of the brass hold-downs too, and was wondering how far back in time GM used that style of hold-down and seat system in Suburbans.

-Brad

[wahl4m]

hate to tell you BUT 4-5-6- TRUCKS IN KANSAS CITY KANSAS already makes them !! he has some that are factory identiacal and fit fine !! thanks mike

[Brad54]

Originally Posted by wahl4m

hate to tell you BUT 4-5-6- TRUCKS IN KANSAS CITY KANSAS already makes them !! he has some that are factory identiacal and fit fine !! thanks mike

His site shows the keyhole plates that go in the floor. Doesn't show the actual fasteners or the saddles that hold the seat in place.
Am I missing it?

-Brad

[wahl4m]

ive seen them -hes got em &and probably cheaper than you could do some identical ones !

[Brad54]

Originally Posted by wahl4m

ive seen them -hes got em &and probably cheaper than you could do some identical ones !

Probably not cheaper than I can do them for, but thanks for your opinion.

-Brad

[NEWFISHER]

I sent an email to 4-5-6 and they responded regarding the upper additional hardware for both seats- $65 shipped. $120 gets the lower plates , fasteners etc. so $185.00 for everything and the stuff looks top notch