Hybrid View
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09-04-2010 06:19 PM #1
Rear seat update
I'm still working on this rear seat installation. I'm glad I'm doing it now rather than after the paint work is done!
I ran into a few snags along the way, which is to be expected. First, I had to modify the floor pan under the seat a little because of where my rear sway bar attaches to the frame there was no clearance for the long bolt & bushings. I formed some pieces of 16 gauge steel then cut out that portion of the old floor and welded in the new. Yes, I know the welds aren't too pretty but they'll be covered up with sound deadener and the seats!
Then I had to fabricate some mounts for the seat frame and the seat belt receivers. I also added some support to the center of the seat frame so I could get rid of that stack of wood in the previous pics.
I still have some things to figure out on the back of the seat plus the best way to mount the seat belts but it's coming along.....ever so slowly....."It is not much good thinking of a thing unless you think it out." - H.G. Wells
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09-17-2010 11:12 PM #2
Seat Belt installation
Well, the back seat fitting continues. I just finished making brackets to mount the seatbelts/shoulder harness from the '05 GTO into my car with the help of 35FordCoupe. He has a '06 GTO and actually took the rear interior side panel off his car to take pictures of how the belts are installed in the GTO. It was way beyond the call of duty but REALLY helpful & GREATLY appreciated!!!!
As shown in some previous pics, I mounted the seats and welded in the seatbelt receiver latches. From there I needed to create brackets to mount the seatbelt mechanism plus raise the front of the package shelf about 1.75" to match the taller seatbacks.
The first pic shows the original placement of the package shelf. I cut that out and started over. The seat belt mechanism had to be mounted at an angle to free up the internal locking mechanism. That's why the brackets are cut at an angle. I improvised with the materials to make these brackets. I cut up a low-rise cart that originally came with my welder. It was strong enough and available.I had already purchased a different cart for my welder so this one was just waiting to be repurposed.
I still have to get the correct anchor bolts for the upper mount and redo the X-brace for the package shelf.
Overall, I'm pleased with how it turned out. It'll look much better when I get everything media blasted & primed."It is not much good thinking of a thing unless you think it out." - H.G. Wells
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09-18-2010 08:39 AM #3
Randy - you're doing a great job. I'm not sure that I would have even bothered with rear beltsDave W
I am now gone from this forum for now - finally have pulled the plug
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09-18-2010 09:08 AM #4
Thanks, Dave! You're probably right, I doubt there will hardly ever be anybody in the back seat but I'd rather do it now and say I did rather than later wish I had.....the belts came with the seats so I just had to use 'em..
Did you get your new seats in yet? Been cruising in your car much?"It is not much good thinking of a thing unless you think it out." - H.G. Wells
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09-18-2010 09:39 AM #5
I finally got the seats in late Thursday afternoon but the weather turned to rain and I was gone yesterday so really haven't had it out with them yet. But, I did try the pedals and I no longer am totally pretzelled, only kinked. I can't believe how long the riser/slide assembly took to build, but I'm sure you could have told me. I am going to lower them a bit more - easy now that I know how to build the risers plus already have a layout template. Photos will eventually follow but the big desktop with a ~TB of storage and my albums had a new ASUS MOBO die so it needs some TLC, probably tomorrow
Dave W
I am now gone from this forum for now - finally have pulled the plug
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09-18-2010 05:41 PM #6
Finally the back seat fitting is complete!!!I can move on to something else now.....
maybe I'll go ahead and fit the side panels now....who knows?
Anyway, here are a couple more pics. I got the package shelf and bracing modified and welded back in. I have a can of Eastwoods Rust Encapsulator so I coated those areas that will never see the light of day again before I welded them. After that was solid, I mounted the seats again to try out the belts. They are really comfortable and feel good. Heck maybe I'll just extend the pedals & steering column and drive from back there!!!"It is not much good thinking of a thing unless you think it out." - H.G. Wells
That's going to be nice, like the color. .
Stude M5 build