Original Bucket seats installation????

[mcbassin]

Originally Posted by Classic Bowties

Hi Mike, I have owned decent share of these trucks over the years and done a few 69-72 truck bench to bucket conversions in them years and have not came across any floor pans having the dimples already in place for drilling the bucket seat mounting bolt holes, maybe that was a regional/plant type of deal. I'll give this a shot to the best of my knowledge, when using the 69-72 truck bucket bracket setups and when going into an original bench seat truck cab, there is only one hole of the eight in the bench cab floor pan that's already in the correct place and that you are going to use when bolting the bucket mounts in. The one bolt hole (only one in correct location) that you should use is the RH fwd. most outer bolt hole, so it would be the pass. side fixed mounted bucket fwd. RH bolt, you will need to drill the other eleven mounting bolt holes. I have had these pictures of an OE option #A50 bucket seat floor pan that were taken for another member and then stuck away in a saved folder, not sure if they will help you dimensionally as they don't have any measurements but the pics do highlight all twelve of the bucket seat bracket mounting bolt holes and they also show how the factory used pan head filler screws to plug the other bench seat mounting bolt holes. The bottom view pictures highlight the factory added bucket seat cab only floor cross support & extra bracing. Hope this post and pics can get ya headed in the right direction, Mel.

Mel,
Thank you so much. This is exactly the information I was looking for. What you are saying is my pass. side holes I already drilled are in the right position. I only used the outer front hole and then marked the other three with it bolted down in that one hole. I'm assuming the driver side mount setup is wider becaus the outer holes need to go outward about 3/4-1" in your picture. Do you happen to know what the gap was at the center console between the seats on both sides? Also, when you installed these buckets on bench trucks did you fabricate that front brace that runs across the bottom of the rib at the front mounting position? thanks for the help.

[Classic Bowties]

Originally Posted by mcbassin

Mel,
Thank you so much. This is exactly the information I was looking for. What you are saying is my pass. side holes I already drilled are in the right position. I only used the outer front hole and then marked the other three with it bolted down in that one hole. I'm assuming the driver side mount setup is wider becaus the outer holes need to go outward about 3/4-1" in your picture. Do you happen to know what the gap was at the center console between the seats on both sides? Also, when you installed these buckets on bench trucks did you fabricate that front brace that runs across the bottom of the rib at the front mounting position? thanks for the help.

You are welcome and I am always glad to help out, as far as using the whole bucket floor pan or just removing and then adding the OE bucket cross support and braces to the original bench seat floor pan, I have done it both ways and in the end prefer the second method. You did a good job on building your bucket brace setup, that under shot looks better than most of the bucket converted trucks running around these days. Now tell me this, just yesterday I took a closer look at five different 71/72 cabs and seen NO dimples for drilling the bucket seat mounting bolt holes, I have three factory bucket floor pans here on hand and know where the said missing dimples should be, I did see some spot weld marks present but no dimples pertaining to any sort of a drill pattern, did your floor pan have the above described dimples where you ended up drilling the other eleven holes? Mel

[tkeduk8r]

Great thread!!! Been looking for this info layed out like this for a long time. Im wondering if there would be a market for a kit that would supply the tabs, cross support, and paper template for the conversion???? I dont have the manufacturing capability to make the parts (press brakes are way to cheap) but if someone does maybe might be an opportunity.
--Mike

[68 TT]

Nice work Mike. Very clean.

I would add a cross support similar to stock.

I am concerned the center of the floor isn't designed for the load of the central seat mounts and would stretch out or crack over time if left unsupported.

[mcbassin]

Originally Posted by 68 TT

Nice work Mike. Very clean.

I would add a cross support similar to stock.

I am concerned the center of the floor isn't designed for the load of the central seat mounts and would stretch out or crack over time if left unsupported.

You really think it's necessary or just extra insurance? That rib that runs across the front is pretty stiff just by design. I would like to fab one up, I have already thrown a bunch of time at this though. I will look at it tonight.

[Classic Bowties]

Originally Posted by mcbassin

You really think it's necessary or just extra insurance?

Hey Mike, judging by your pics, you are already well above and beyond the under side bracing found on most of the bucket converted truck cabs that I have seen. What about the question I had asked you in post #23? Mel

[mcbassin]

Originally Posted by Classic Bowties

Hey Mike, judging by your pics, you are already well above and beyond the under side bracing found on most of the bucket converted truck cabs that I have seen. What about the question I had asked you in post #23? Mel

Thanks for the confirmation Mel. I went ahead and coated the whole bottom of the floor with POR-15 tonight.

About that question, no there were no dimples for the seat, however there were dimples that lined up good on the consoles. They were almost like the center punch marks you see on the high hump covers.

[teeitup]

Trevor, Ron is coming up here Wed evening, I'll make climb under this BB truck of mine and see the front bracket, that way he can tell Roger

[68 TT]

Originally Posted by mcbassin

You really think it's necessary or just extra insurance? That rib that runs across the front is pretty stiff just by design. I would like to fab one up, I have already thrown a bunch of time at this though. I will look at it tonight.

I think it is if you plan to drive the truck on a regular basis. I have seen a few trucks that were converted to buckets in the wrecking yard and the floors were stretched & cracked at the "new" bolt holes.

You would think if buckets would work safely without it the factory would have left the floor pans alone and not added the bracing to it.

[71blksuper4x4]

Originally Posted by tkeduk8r

Great thread!!! Been looking for this info layed out like this for a long time. Im wondering if there would be a market for a kit that would supply the tabs, cross support, and paper template for the conversion???? I dont have the manufacturing capability to make the parts (press brakes are way to cheap) but if someone does maybe might be an opportunity.
--Mike

Hey Mike, member "Duncan & Son" already reproduce the brackets for underneath the cab. The only piece not reproduced is the big middle brace. Trevor

[Duncan and son]

Originally Posted by 71blksuper4x4

Hey Mike, member "Duncan & Son" already reproduce the brackets for underneath the cab. The only piece not reproduced is the big middle brace. Trevor

Hey Trevor, we have made some of those and they came out very correct even down to the square nuts. We only made a few to test quality etc. Do not have any now but will have more made.
Always appreciate you Paul

[Lee H]

Originally Posted by Duncan and son

Hey Trevor, we have made some of those and they came out very correct even down to the square nuts. We only made a few to test quality etc. Do not have any now but will have more made.
Always appreciate you Paul

I'll take a set once you have them. Thanks, Lee

[7dee2]

Originally Posted by Duncan and son

Hey Trevor, we have made some of those and they came out very correct even down to the square nuts. We only made a few to test quality etc. Do not have any now but will have more made.
Always appreciate you Paul

I am very interested in a set as well.

As per my PM (thought I would post so everyone would get the answer):

Time frame you are looking at for the next batch?

Did you guys reproduce the big bracket or all the small ones or both?

Thanks,

[71blksuper4x4]

Originally Posted by 7dee2

I am very interested in a set as well.

As per my PM (thought I would post so everyone would get the answer):

Time frame you are looking at for the next batch?

Did you guys reproduce the big bracket or all the small ones or both?

Thanks,

To answer this question, they reproduced the smaller spot weld-in brackets. There is no way to cheaply recreate the bigger brace. Only find them used. I got a couple sets from them, I can dig them out and snap pics if needed. Trevor

Original Poster- I am sorry for straying away from your intended thread. You did a wonderful job with your brackets, and your work looks really clean and has a factory type quality. Trevor