Putting a 2004 chevy seat in my 71

[oatzy]

Hey Guys I have got a 71 3/4 ton 4x4 with a manual. I recently picked up the newer type of chevy/gm seats. The 40 20 40 set up. 40 percent for each seat and 20 percent for the console. It came with the rails and wires. Anyone install these before. Do you have to power the seats for the built in seatbelt tensioners to work?

[alemck]

Oatzy, let me know how the install goes. Great Choice, I have an 03 Duramax with those seats and I think they are the most comfortable seats out there. I'm wanting to have some recovered in a soft beige leather and then build my interior around them in my 71 Chev 1/2 ton.

[71SWBChevy]

The tentioners should just have a gravity switch of somekind in there, I can't swear to that but most cars just use some form of gravity switch. I do know that with the seat belts in the seats you want to reinforce the floor some.

[beater69]

Definately reinforce the floor, I think there was post about this a few months ago. angle iron, square tubing....whatever it takes. You want it to be very strong.

[Longhorn Man]

oatzy, have you driven a truck with those seats? I personally find them to be VERY uncomfortable. The seat belt is a PITA the way it is located, the seats hurt my back and don't sit at a very good angle.

Now granted, i have back problems, but I have heard very few ppl have anything good to say about that model.

[KAILUAZ]

Not sure if these are the same seats. They were out of a 2001 1-ton.
I was able to sit the seats on the floor and they lined right up. In fact one of the bolt holes lined up with the stock location. I just drilled out the treads of the original mount.
I left the center seat out as I'm going to do a center counsel later.
I used angle iron and grad 8 bolts. I did have to use bolts with allen heads because there was no way to fit a wrench in the seat rails to tighten them.
No need for power for the seat belts to work, they use enertia.
Hope this helps;