Moving bucket seat floor mounting back??

[my71gmc]

I the carpet removed in my 71 Jimmy, and noticed that there is a set of seat mounting holes a few inches behind where the bucket is currently mounted. I assume these are for a bench seat install???? Either way, I would like to move my buckets back into these holes (tall and could use more leg room), and would need to figure out the front mounting as it will need blocking up, drilling through floor, ..... Has anybody done this?? and if so, did it work well?? Thanks for any help.

[DustinU]

I don't believe the second set of holes you have are factory. My 69 Blazer and my brothers 72 Jimmy do not have the second set of holes. A previous owner probably had different seats in it at one time.

[jaros44sr]

They were for the utility seats, as the seat mounting brackets are longer on the utilities, about 15", as bucket seats are about 12", or something like that....

Do they have a reinforcement block under the floorpan?

[my71gmc]

Not sure - I will look later. Here is a pic of the floor - appears to be factory....

[tubbedII]

Mine had the same thing and I used them. When I went under the tub, the same reinforcements for the more forward set were on the rear, so I cut up a 4x4 box tube into an L bracket so I can move the front mounts back.

Here's the bracket:


This is how close the seat gets to the back of the tub with the seat all the way back:


These next 2 are shots of what it looks like compared to the other seat:


I didn't move the passenger seat back because I didn't think you'd be able to get to the release lever to fold the seat forward, but I did move the console back the same amount and up 4 inches to use as an arm rest. It doesn't look as "clean" as a stock install but it's MUCH more comfortable to drive...so I compromised.

[my71gmc]

Looks great - and more comfortable!!! I agree with not moving the passenger seat too, and most of the time the seats in our vehicles are set differently anyways. You cut the tube and offset the height for the raised section of the floor under the front mounts. Did you then bolt the seat only through the tube section, or all the way through the floor?? And I can't tell in the picture if you bolted the tube to the original front mounting holes??

And it looks like you might have tipped it back alittle?? If so - my thoughts exactly.

[tubbedII]

The nice part is you can adjust the driver seat forward to match the passenger if you want like at a show or something, so it's not too bad.

You are right about the bracket. I kept 1 side at 4" and drilled 2 sets of holes. The forward set was to mount the bracket to the original mounts on the floor (the bolts weren't in when I took the picture), and on the rear set of holes I just used 1" bolts and nylon nuts to mount the seat to the bracket. On the other side of the L bracket, I just trimed it down so the height matched after it was extended.
I didn't try to tilt the seat back at all, but it looks and feels like it did...I don't think it could get any more comfortable. In this position, my left arm sits on top of the door and is now at a perfect angle to hold the steering wheel. I'm only 5'10", so I don't know if it'll be as "perfect" for a taller guy/gal, but I can only think it would help since even I felt cramped in the stock location.

[my71gmc]

Thanks a ton - this is great info, and a simple solution. I like it!!!