83 C30 Crew Cab Front Seat Frame - Busted!

[EricU]

I have an interior kit coming to redo both the front and rear seats on “Project: Big Brown Turd” my 2wd 83 C30 Crew Cab.

My current front seat frame is busted, sheared in two. I can spend a bunch of time reinforcing and welding up the existing frame, but I would rather start with a better frame.

I have a complete set of buckets with console from a Suburban parts rig that I have but I want to keep the bench seat so that doesn’t help me.

So far I can’t find one in any of the forums, ebay or CL.

I have read that an 81-90 Suburban bench seat will bolt in but I can’t find locate one of those either.

• Will an 81-90 two door front bench seat bolt onto my Crew Cab tracks but just have a fold down option to them?

• Any good places to find a replacement front seat frame for a C30 Crew Cab?

Thanks for any help!

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by EricU

I have an interior kit coming to redo both the front and rear seats on “Project: Big Brown Turd” my 2wd 83 C30 Crew Cab.

My current front seat frame is busted, sheared in two. I can spend a bunch of time reinforcing and welding up the existing frame, but I would rather start with a better frame.

I have a complete set of buckets with console from a Suburban parts rig that I have but I want to keep the bench seat so that doesn’t help me.

So far I can’t find one in any of the forums, ebay or CL.

I have read that an 81-90 Suburban bench seat will bolt in but I can’t find locate one of those either.

• Will an 81-90 two door front bench seat bolt onto my Crew Cab tracks but just have a fold down option to them?

• Any good places to find a replacement front seat frame for a C30 Crew Cab?

Thanks for any help!

The single cab frame should work. I pulled a bench out of my CC for buckets & only had to add the bucket seat inner brackets for each seat. The outer footprint/holes were the same as the buckets.

[TKCR]

Originally Posted by EricU

I have an interior kit coming to redo both the front and rear seats on “Project: Big Brown Turd” my 2wd 83 C30 Crew Cab.

My current front seat frame is busted, sheared in two. I can spend a bunch of time reinforcing and welding up the existing frame, but I would rather start with a better frame.

I have a complete set of buckets with console from a Suburban parts rig that I have but I want to keep the bench seat so that doesn’t help me.

So far I can’t find one in any of the forums, ebay or CL.

I have read that an 81-90 Suburban bench seat will bolt in but I can’t find locate one of those either.


• Will an 81-90 two door front bench seat bolt onto my Crew Cab tracks but just have a fold down option to them?

• Any good places to find a replacement front seat frame for a C30 Crew Cab?

Thanks for any help!

First off, can you post a pic of the busted frame? I believe you are talking about the seat bottom frame.
But yes, the Suburban or truck will work. They are the same frame, the only difference is, is how the seat back bolts up to the seat bottom frame. It either tilts or it is stationary. And the Suburban will be stationary, just as a front Crew cab seat. The trucks are tilting, but it can easily be made to be stationary. But again, they are all the same exact frame.
Pic #1, these are the 2 bolts and the location, to make it a stationary seat.
Pic #2 & #3, this is the bolt and the hole location, to make it a tilting seat.

[TKCR]

I restore seats, so I have frames. When I ship a complete seat, it costs about $350 to ship. Since it’s just the seat bottom frame, it maybe a lot cheaper. I would have to see. If your interested, PM me. I would need your shipping address to figure a quote.
You can also check out my seats. I have links on my signature.

[EricU]

Scoti, TK, you folks are AWESOME! and have just saved me a whole bunch of time.

And yes TK, you are 100% correct as you can see in the photos below. I added some red lines to the first photo to show where the busted frame is at.

Must have been a big ol boy or a couple or rowdy kids to bust up a seat like that

I really do appreciate the help and the information that you guys pass along!

[EricU]

Ok, so one more (for now!!) question:

* Do I need to look for a post 81 front seat frame?

(Okay, more than one question)
* Are the Crew Cab rear seat frames the same as the single cab seat frames but with different mounts? Mine seem to be fine but I haven't stripped them down yet.

And again, you guys sharing your knowledge and experiences is truly appreciated!

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by EricU

Ok, so one more (for now!!) question:

* Do I need to look for a post 81 front seat frame?

(Okay, more than one question)
* Are the Crew Cab rear seat frames the same as the single cab seat frames but with different mounts? Mine seem to be fine but I haven't stripped them down yet.

And again, you guys sharing your knowledge and experiences is truly appreciated!

I'm not 100% but my mind says yes to both.

[TKCR]

Originally Posted by EricU

Ok, so one more (for now!!) question:

* Do I need to look for a post 81 front seat frame?

(Okay, more than one question)
* Are the Crew Cab rear seat frames the same as the single cab seat frames but with different mounts? Mine seem to be fine but I haven't stripped them down yet.

And again, you guys sharing your knowledge and experiences is truly appreciated!

81-87 seat frames is what you need. The 73-80 are different frames. And yes again, the rear seat frame on a Crew Cab is the same frame. It just has mounting brackets, but you take those off, and your tracks will bolt right up.

[EricU]

Went to a real old school junkyard today to pick up a SRW 14B - the guy happened to also have this bench seat out of a 1984 C20

Like I previously said, I already have a set of covers coming from USA1 along with new bottom foam and new bottom support wires and springs.

So hopefully I am on my way to a much nicer interior - Stay tuned!

Thanks again for the help!

[TKCR]

Nice find!

[farmall]

Originally Posted by EricU

Went to a real old school junkyard today to pick up a SRW 14B - the guy happened to also have this bench seat out of a 1984 C20

Like I previously said, I already have a set of covers coming from USA1 along with new bottom foam and new bottom support wires and springs.

So hopefully I am on my way to a much nicer interior - Stay tuned!

Thanks again for the help!

And you didn't bring the Air Cycle home?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VECH_E5YYM8

[EricU]

I got my first seat recovering under my belt this last Saturday.

I had ordered up a set of front and back bench seat covers from USA1 Industries for my 83 Big Brown Turd. So far I have received only one of the seat covers – but I guess that is just how we roll now in our “Shut the World Down, Pandemic” world.

I also ordered a new bottom seat foam as my donor bench was chewed up pretty bad.

The seat foam was a little short on the overall length. My buddy who does custom interiors and helped guide me told me that on the next one, we will cut it in half and add a foam block in the middle to lengthen it. Yes there will be not just another one, but at least three more as I bought another C30 and I am going to eventually sell off the Big Brown Turd.

It’s not perfect, I would like to get the seat bottom welting a little more smoothed out around the corner, but….it sure looks better than what I had.

[EricU]

I did learn a little about the differences in the seat frames.

The seat bottom frames seem to be the same, but the seat back frames for a non-tilt Crew Cab front are different than a tilt style standard cab or rear Crew Cab frame.

Also the seat floor brackets for the Crew Cab front are different than the standard cab’s brackets. I was planning on taking some photos of the two next to each other but I got all excited and wanted to stuff the new seat in the truck

This photo is not the best so I tried to highlight the differences. This is the standard cab’s (or rear Crew Cab’s) seat back frame with the inertia latches tab.

The non-tilt seat back frame does not have the latching tab (poorly highlighted in yellow) and would have an extra hole in the arched frame arm (poorly drawn red circle). I could easily make this seat a non-tilt by adding a couple of screws but I don’t really see it as a problem.

I still need to clean, prep and paint the plastic pieces and seat belts. Fix the dash and then tackle the door panels.

[TKCR]

Looks good. And yes the seat backs and tracks are different. Here’s a pic of the difference on the tracks. The ones on the left are for the single cab trucks. The one on the right are for Suburbans and crew cabs. You can take a pipe wrench and bend that tab up and it will work.

[EricU]

Originally Posted by TKCR

Looks good. And yes the seat backs and tracks are different.

Uh? It looks OK. But thanks. The other side's welting is kind of "wonky"

Here’s a pic of the difference on the tracks. The ones on the left are for the single cab trucks. The one on the right are for Suburbans and crew cabs. You can take a pipe wrench and bend that tab up and it will work.

That is the information that I was going to try to show!! Thanks!

[EricU]

TKCR,

BTW, What do you do for the seat foam on the seat backs? Do you just build your own?

[TKCR]

Originally Posted by EricU

Uh? It looks OK. But thanks. The other side's welting is kind of "wonky"
That is the information that I was going to try to show!! Thanks!

Guess I’m not seeing what your talking about.

Originally Posted by EricU

TKCR,

BTW, What do you do for the seat foam on the seat backs? Do you just build your own?

No, I use the original foam. They don’t make new replacements for the seatbacks. I’ve only had a few where I had to repair them, most of them are fine, it’s the seat bottoms that get torn up the most.

[EricU]

Originally Posted by TKCR

Guess I’m not seeing what your talking about...

That's because I didn't show you guys the other side where I didn't get the welting very straight.

I need to let it warm up some this weekend and start slapping some of it a little straighter.

[sweetk30]

whats the plans for the 14ff rear from the 3/4 ton ?

and good job on the seat's .

[EricU]

Originally Posted by sweetk30

whats the plans for the 14ff rear from the 3/4 ton ?

This Red/Black pig is getting a full PB front & rear install, 22" Alcoas along with a few other goodies.

and good job on the seat's .

Thanks, but I hope that I can get it better looking -- Going to take a little more time on the next three! as I was kind of rushed getting my family to the movies!

[layinrocker65]

That the junk yard in Cloverdale? Love that place

[EricU]

Originally Posted by layinrocker65

That the junk yard in Cloverdale? Love that place

Sure is! Shhhhhhh!!!!

[layinrocker65]

Originally Posted by EricU

Sure is! Shhhhhhh!!!!

Lol ok ok

[sweetk30]

o.k. . .. that 3/4 ton rear wont just bolt in . spring perches and shock mounts need moved . and its got the 3/4 ton baby brakes on it .

just incase you didn't know this info .

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by sweetk30

o.k. . .. that 3/4 ton rear wont just bolt in . spring perches and shock mounts need moved . and its got the 3/4 ton baby brakes on it .

just incase you didn't know this info .

They're the 'go to' housing for installing the milled 22's under a dually w/o additional machining costs.