Original Bucket seats installation????

[mcbassin]

I'm trying to drill the holes in my cab for original bucket seats. I'm looking for some pictures of the braces and alignment of the seats. Anyone document their installation? I have the material to make the braces but would kinda like to see some originals.
Are the outside front holes used on LH and RH seat mounts? Thanks

[mcbassin]

Here are some pictures of what I'm looking at.
Notice that the seats are touching the center console on the sides with
the bolts in the outer stock bench seat holes.

[jocko]

subscribed. Always thought they used the same holes as the bench seat - so, therefore, I have no clue.

[mcbassin]

Originally Posted by jocko

subscribed. Always thought they used the same holes as the bench seat - so, therefore, I have no clue.

I have always thought that too but, it just doesn't look right. The driver side inside mount hits the tranny tunnel raised area before the bolt will fit in the hole too. I can force it in there but it's tight.

[71 super]

if you look there are dimples in non bucket seat floors for bucket seat location. There are also dimples in the center floor pan for the console as well. The only direct bolt in is the the buddy bucket seats, all others must be drilled to fit.

[FirstOwner69]

Originally Posted by 71 super

if you look there are dimples in non bucket seat floors for bucket seat location. There are also dimples in the center floor pan for the console as well. The only direct bolt in is the the buddy bucket seats, all others must be drilled to fit.

I don't have my cab here to confirm this, but it appears that the dimples refered to are visible in a couple of your pictures outboard of the seat brackets. Looks like 1/2"-3/4" out from the existing holes. This is consistent with where my original buckets were mounted from the factory.

[mcbassin]

Originally Posted by FirstOwner69

I don't have my cab here to confirm this, but it appears that the dimples refered to are visible in a couple of your pictures outboard of the seat brackets. Looks like 1/2"-3/4" out from the existing holes. This is consistent with where my original buckets were mounted from the factory.

You may be right. There are some dimples that look like spot welds. Any chance you have any pictures of your seats in relation to the console from an overhead view like looking through the back window or windshield? I would like to see what the gaps are between the seats and the console. thanks

These look like dimples in the picture here:

[FirstOwner69]

Those are the ones I was referring to. I don't have any pictures that would help, and the truck is currently disassembled and 2000 miles away. If you can wait about 3 weeks I can get pics. However, I estimate the seats are about 3/8"-1/2" away from the console. I have some shots with the seats installed but from a 45 degree angle... not much help.

[mcbassin]

Originally Posted by FirstOwner69

Those are the ones I was referring to. I don't have any pictures that would help, and the truck is currently disassembled and 2000 miles away. If you can wait about 3 weeks I can get pics. However, I estimate the seats are about 3/8"-1/2" away from the console. I have some shots with the seats installed but from a 45 degree angle... not much help.

Thanks for the offer, I appreciate all the info I get from guys on this board. I have never installed these so I kinda want it to be right. I already drilled the pass. side. But I'm pretty sure they are wrong. I can't wait 3 weeks but thanks anyway. I have seen some 45 and side shots and you really can't see the gaps or lack of. thanks

[mcbassin]

Originally Posted by 71 super

if you look there are dimples in non bucket seat floors for bucket seat location. There are also dimples in the center floor pan for the console as well. The only direct bolt in is the the buddy bucket seats, all others must be drilled to fit.

I found two dimples for the console caddy corner from each other. I saw one in the rear on the driver side that looked like it might be close to what I need. So basically, no matter what the bench seat cabs will need all the holes drilled?

Any chance any of you experts have some pictures of your original buckets or a measurement from the seat bracket to the center edge of the radius?

[Lee H]

Originally Posted by 71 super

if you look there are dimples in non bucket seat floors for bucket seat location. There are also dimples in the center floor pan for the console as well. The only direct bolt in is the the buddy bucket seats, all others must be drilled to fit.

My 72 had these dimples, once drilled my buckets and console fit right in.
Posted via Mobile Device

[mcbassin]

Okay, I bit the bullet and went with Mel's suggestion from the original bucket seat floor pan. Although I didn't build the brace that ties the two sides together I did make some braces from some old ball bearing drawer slides. They are the exact thickness and near the same width and depth. Here are the pictures of what I did in case someone else can use it. If you look at the pictures, you'll notice I moved the driver side hole pattern outward 3/4". this made the two seats the same distance from the edge of the seat to the door opening symetrical. It also made it where the driver side seat isn't bound up against the console.

[mcbassin]

More pictures

[chevytruckluver]

nice work Mike
I am going to keep this one for future refrence

[chipflyer]

I will add that the big middle brace can be found and removed from any early blazer, got mine from teeitup. Randy usually cuts them out when he parts out a blazer. If you get this piece you can use it as a template to drill the front holes in the correct location and then either use panel adhesive or weld it in. This piece really takes all the guess work out of where the holes should be.

Jeff
Posted via Mobile Device

[71blksuper4x4]

Originally Posted by chipflyer

I will add that the big middle brace can be found and removed from any early blazer, got mine from teeitup. Randy usually cuts them out when he parts out a blazer. If you get this piece you can use it as a template to drill the front holes in the correct location and then either use panel adhesive or weld it in. This piece really takes all the guess work out of where the holes should be.

Jeff
Posted via Mobile Device

Funny story Jeff, down at the Wichita swap meet I tried telling roger that he didn't have all the brackets for a bucket seat swap and tried to tell him and ron about the big cross member Brace. They acted like I had no idea what I was talking about. Can't fool truck board members.
Posted via Mobile Device

[Zoomin]

Hey Mike,

On mine, I used the outside front holes and then marked the locations with a Sharpie so I would have the locations exactly right with these seats. In the process of drilling I noticed the dimples that others have seen.

Anyway, I went ahead and used the outside fronts as they would be more secure than what I rigged up, and the console just barely touches the seats at the front corners. Not snug at all. *shrug*

[leddzepp]

Great thread! To add to Tim's illustrations above, here are two more showing the attachment of the factory shoulder belt retainers that mount to the front of the console, if your truck came optioned with both bucket seats and shoulder belts.

[29od1]

Originally Posted by SS Tim

RogerKoop Should still have some left.
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=557195

Koops rear outer driver's side bracket won't fit if you drill the driver side 3/4" over from the front outer most hole. It was off by about 1/2" from where my bucket seat tracks holes needed to be drilled. It needs to be in the 1-1/8" to 1-1/4" over if measuring center to center.

Can someone with buckets in a truck please measure center to center the distance shown in this picture. Or maybe Koop can answer how far he moved his over.

Thank you.

[mcbassin]

Originally Posted by 29od1

Koops rear outer driver's side bracket won't fit if you drill the driver side 3/4" over from the front outer most hole. It was off by about 1/2" from where my bucket seat tracks holes needed to be drilled. It needs to be in the 1-1/8" to 1-1/4" over if measuring center to center.

Can someone with buckets in a truck please measure center to center the distance shown in this picture. Or maybe Koop can answer how far he moved his over.

Thank you.

I hope this picture didn't steer you wrong. I used 3/4" because it made my driver seat position match the passenger side. I didn't want a bigger gap between the console on one side or the other.
Please post the information you come up with here. thanks

[RogerKoop]

I took some pics of my 1972 C30 which has 44,000 miles on it which has factory bucket seats in it. Like this truck and all the trucks that we have seen bucket seats in, none of them used the bolt in the support that runs underneath the floor.

The front bucket mounting just used a square nut welded to the floor. No additional floor support brackets was used except for what was used for the bench seat. I will take some photos of the front mounting and add them later

As for the offset on the drives side front holes I found it to be 1 1/4" to the left. See photo.

[29od1]

Thanks for the response Roger. So it looks like 1-1/4" over is where it really should be. I agree that your bracket would fit with no mods if you drill the drivers side outer front bolt hole at 1-1/4" over from the existing bench seat bolt (that's measured center to center).

I used a short drill bit and put a bolt through the z-shaped cab support. Maybe it's not exactly factory, but since the nut's there I thought I'd use it.

It would be nice to have a second reference point if anyone else with an original bucket seat truck could measure like Roger did above.

[mcbassin]

Adding to this thread
These pics were in that older thread linked on page 1

[mcbassin]

If anyone that has an original bucket truck can measure the diameter of the screw head with the blue arrows, we can then scale the center to center hole spacing as GM did them.

[73737373]

My truck is a 1970 originally equipped w/factory buckets so it already has the holes in the right places. The bad news: factory buckets are long gone. The good news: I have a set of Blazer Sport buckets. Will the Blazer buckets bolt-in directly or will modifications need to be done? Thanks.