I disassembled my front bucket seats and they do not have any springs in the backs . . . is this normal? :clueless:
Below are some pictures of the bottom and back as they came apart.
My assumption would be that I have '72 - '74 seat backs . . . if that is true, can I install my new '71 foam and new '71 seat covers without any issues?
Are the two foams identical or completely different ? Are the old skins the same as the new skins?
:angry: I checked last night and the foams and covers are both different.
Here are some pictures of my new seat foam.
Here's my frames.
Without pictures of your new foam , I would say no. If you are correct in having 72 and later seats the foam is considerable thicker. Here's two seat backs identical in shape. One has springs and the foam is about 1 " thick. It will fit the frame without springs,but no support. If your new foam is like this Oct /69 seat seat foam (1" thick ) you need a frame with springs. If your new foam is very thick,rigid and has metal bars to attach the seat cover you might be able to use them. I'm converting the one with springs into a 70 style. They have different mounting hole locations for hinge covers, different size hole for the latch release.
Okay, I am fairly certain that my seat back frames are not going to work. I have new '71 seat back foam, new '71 seat back covers and new '71 plastic seat backs so now I guess I need to find a set of '71 seat back frames. Anybody here have any laying around? :fingerscrossed:
I seem to recall EBay had some seat backs only not (70/71) to long ago.Rough looking on the outside but they had the springs. Good luck hunting.
Yeah, I just looked but only saw one seat back thus far.
Can anyone confirm if the bucket seat bottom frames are the same?
Yes. I'm positive the bases is the same. Interchangeable from side to side. The backs are specific because of the latch release. Good luck
Thank you! I am on the hunt for backs only and wanted to ensure that my bottoms would work . . . of course, I may have to end up buying whole seat frames.
I do not think this is original . . . can anyone confirm is this seat frame has been repaired / welded back together in the areas that I noted in red?
Yes it does look like it 's been repaired. From what I see it looks fairly well done. What does the weld look like from the other side? Good penetration?
I am trying to obtain better pictures of the other side to try to see the quality of the weld.
Would you be hesitant to install the seat in your own car knowing it was repaired?
Also, is there any concern with the missing spring?
It seems to be missing one of the cross springs as well.
Not uncommon to find broken ones, I've welded up a couple as well. There is a lot of leverage on the tall backs if a big guy was in there. I'd just be worried it was welded straight and still the correct length.
My seat frame upper half was welded and repaired like yours.Probably caused by some big Bubba getting in and out like Runcharger stated.I do not think the repair will alter the seat.I would take measurements from the other side and compare.I had to clean up the repair on mine because I think Stevie Wonder welded it.
Okay . . . I need some more :help:!
Someone please correct me if I am wrong . . . I am fairly confident that I need '70 or '71 (only) E-body front bucket seat backs which will contain the springs to support my new '71 seat foam as my current seat back frames do not have any support springs. With that being said, the seats that came with my car have a bracket welded to one side of the seat back frame making it a LH or RH seat back. Bracket is for the push button that releases the seat back from the seat bottom. My issue is that all of the '70 - '71 seat back frames that I am finding (with the support springs) seem to not have this bracket for the push button??? Any help is appreciated!
That button you have is for a later production 1971 into 1972 model year seat. 1970 and early 71's were different :alan2cents:
The push button is part of the metal seat hinge cover. The plastic seat backs are different as well.
I'm not sure about switching the bracket, you would have to do some close inspection.
Not all web sites are correct. :alan2cents:
Okay, so my problem is this . . .
I have late year '71 - '72 seat frames which do not have support springs . . .
I have new '71 seat foam which will not fit my seat frames because they do not have any support springs . . .
I have new '71 seat covers which I assume will also not fit for the same reason listed above . . .
I have new '71 seat backs which are one solid plastic piece with the built in hinge cover and accommodate the same style push button release as my current seat frames . . .
I am not sure how to go about fixing this . . . :pullinghair:
Buy a set of 71 seats with the small chrome button as cores. Maybe 72's would work, but I'm not sure about the springs.
Your best bet is to look for the same seats you're building.
Do you have any pictures of the '71 seats with the small chrome buttons . . . I am not sure how they differ from what I have if at all. I had assumed that I was buying all '71 stuff . . . my bad for assuming . . . :stop:
Here's leather and standard vinyl
Okay, so maybe was incorrect in my thinking . . . '71 did not have metal seat hing covers at all . . . they were all part of the molded plastic seat back?
Also, what does the inside of those '71 seats look like in the push button release areas as the seat frames that I am finding for sale do not have the bracket welded to the frame for the push button like my current frames do? :headbang:
NO....if you read what I posted....in the 1971 Model year is when they changed to chrome buttons. Here's 71's with metal hinge covers leather and standard
Sorry, I am sure that I am making this way more confusing than it needs to be :bricks: . . . so, in '71 they had both metal hinge covers and plastic molded hinge cover types. So, my next question would be what is the difference in the actual seat frames between those two different style hinges? I only have my current seat frames to reference which I now think are '73 - '74's? :dunno:
@anlauto (https://forum.e-bodies.org/mlist/anlauto_19) you had mentioned earlier that you thought my seat button was a late '71 into '72 year seat . . . my question would be that my seat backs do not have any support springs in them so they did make some '71's without seat back springs?
I doubt they made 71 seats with out springs in them, but I don't know for sure, you would have to ask someone who knows more then I about seats...and I'm sure there's a lot of people out there...
:unbelievable: I thought you knew just about everything! :worship:
I know '70 had a specific (longer) release button . . . so, I wonder if the push buttons that I have are the only style push button releases from '71 - '74? :thinking:
Okay, can anyone help me properly identify these seats???
From what I can see they look like maybe 70 Challenger seats. Need a pic of the fronts so I can see the pattern. That push button it throwing me off though.
They look like 70 Challenger as well, but those seats, don't use those buttons, they are the metal hinge cover seats
:iagree: those appear to be '70 Challenger seats, missing the potmetal hinge covers/buttons
AFAIK the black buttons are '73-'74 b-body
I went thru this a couple years ago on a '72 RR that had early '71 RR seats in it (I can't find the pics)
the '70/early-'71 metal seat back frames will not accept the late-'71/'72 style release button & mechanism
Are you talking about the metal seat back frame or are you talking about the plastic seat back?
I am wanting to use the metal seat frames only (not the plastic backs).
I have new '71 molded plastic backs that have the opening for the smaller push button releases (I also have the latch assemblies and the associated hardware). I am just trying to confirm if I can bolt the later latches to the earlier frames.
Well those 70 seats don't have the little metal boxes welded on the sides to retain the buttons.
I don't know if you can just stick those on, I've never dealt with making something with a bunch of Hodge-podge parts before.
You can use the seat frame, but you must add that cage drill new holes to mount, secure the hinge cover to seat frame. I just did the opposite . I removed that cage , inlarged the hole fore seat release button and drilled new holes to secure hinge cover. You can make it work if you really want those seats