KJL

I wrongly assumed from a previous post that a C5 seat would fit in a 72 because so many people responded and said it was a drop in fit in their 73. This is not the case at all in a 72, my bad for not doing my homework. Aside from the fact the mounting bolt pattern doesn't even come close to lining up, it really doesn't matter because they sit so high in the car, my legs can't fit between the steering wheel and the seat. I suspected height would be a problem but when I asked for details from those who said they simply fit the stock rails onto the seat and "it is an easy mod to do", did not provide details. Looking at the underside of the C5 seat, I don't see how this could possibly be as simple as it was made to sound.

I sincerely appreciate any details offered. If I don't get any responses, I will be selling a very nice pair of torch red C5 seats in the near future.

7t2vette

They fit perfectly fine in my '72. Go back and read my post in your other thread, it is post #14. As I already posted, you have to remove the C5 seat rails, and install the C3 seat rails to have any chance of making them fit.

1Fordman

The first thing to do is get rid of the C-5 mounts. You need to drill out the rivets and remove the brackets which will drop the seat quite a bit.

For my installation I made brackets 1" tall that bolt to the C-5 seat rails and the stock C-3 floor pan in the original locations. Can't take photos because the brackets are down in the carpet and with black seats, carpets and brackets they disappear into the carpet.

I retained the power seat function as the mechanism drops into the depressed area in the floor pan (68). I'm 5'11" and have more than enough head room. The 68 is a convertible so there may be a bit more headroom than a coupe.

You can also bolt the C-3 rails to the C-5 seats but that will raise them a bit and cost some headroom. Hence the reason I made my own brackets to get the seat as low as possible and retain the power function.

thegazman

Corvette Fever Magazine is out of publication, but their web site is still available on line. Under "Project Cars" there is an article with details and photos of how to install C5 sport seats in a mid-year Corvette.

KJL

Thanks for the input. I would really like to keep the electronics if possible. I can see where drilling out the rivets is required for bracket removal. I may bolts or weld some "ears" on the C5 brackets to pick up the C3 mounting points. I also see from previous post and observation some cutting may be required on mechanism for clearance in the front. I will check out Corvette Fever Magazine as well.

vetteguy22

I have C5 sport seats in my 1970. I am 6'1" so I ended up mounting them directly to the floor (no slides) for as much head room as possible. I did mount the driver seat to the C3 slider first and try it. Fit fine but I wanted more head room. They are much bet support then the stock seats and very comfortable in y opinion.

KJL

The mounting points on my 72 are 18 on center. The hardware/steel structure on the seats are at approx 15 inches or so. Your configuration must be different if you didn't need any brackets to be added to your seats and you still were able to get a bolt into the steel structure under the seats and your stock mounting points.

KJL

I found the article in corvette fever... They stripped out the motors and lower frame and installed manual rails from a 77 then changed the mounting points by adding 1/4" steel plates under the floor.

I have a couple of problems with that article, first they claim by removing the lower assembly you remove 40 lbs from the seats..... I think that may be a bit overstated. They also claim it will lower the seats. First, I wonder if they subtracted from the gross savings the weight of the manual rails and 1/4" plate steel they added. My guess the weight savings if any is negligible at best. Their height comment.....the 77 manual rails have a thinner profile but they add 1" spacers to the front and 1/4 spacer in the back to regain some need clearance and get the seat pitch correct. Again, I believe removing the mounting brackets and modifying the mounting points by adding flat brackets to the seat frames would drop the seats quite a bit. By the pictures it looks like there may be a 1/4" difference between what they ended up with vs staying with stock rails and removing feet. They are mounting in a 63 corvette which has a much more uniform floor plan so moving the mounting points is possible....not so easy on a C3. A couple of other interesting items, they say to remove the electronics and frame rails the seat foam and covers need to be removed to access some mounting bolts but provide little detail regarding how to get them off and no comments regarding seat belt locations. The seats did not have any lugs on them and there clearly were no mounting points in the floor pan. I guess the next thing I need to do is check the electronics and make sure they work before I decide how to or if I will proceed.

KJL

Yes, I looked at that, I think that may be the easiest way to go if I decide to ditch the electronics. Did you remove them yourself? If so, did you need to remove seat foam etc to do it?

Thanks.

pauldana

at least for a 79.... i have C5 seats as well... all the electronics and rails need to be removed, and no you can not use the C3 rails eather unless you want your head to pop up above the t-tops... the C5 seat has to be mounted directly to the floor, and even then its still about 1" taller than the C3 seats... at least for 79....

KJL

I keep hearing people say that but the rear mounting points are at 18" on center for the and more narrow in the front. It may be possible to pick up the from stock locations but not the rear. The seat sits between the rear mounting points. They are different on a 72. The rear of the stock rail bracket is a "T" where they use the outer hole for mounting.

7t2vette

If you can wait a few days, I will remove my seats and take some pics for you. When I bought my C5 seats, they came without the C5 seat rails.

dreamn2

I cut the "curls" off the stock C5 seat rails and redrilled the floor. Still lined up in the mounting plates. Mine are still fully functional and I have enough clearance for me and I am 6'1".

KJL

What year is your vette? You cut the curls off but did you leave the foot? Or did you cut the whole foot off? I put the seat in my car just to see and the front mounting locations are a few inches past my stock, If I removed the rear mounting pads and push the seat rails up against the back board, the fronts are a bit closer. There was also no way I was going to get my legs between the seat and the steering wheel and I have a small diameter after market wheel leaving the front legs on the rails.
The easiest way for me to do this would be to remove the seat rails and electronics and bolt some flat bar stock front and rear directly to the seats to pick up stock mounting points. I may be able to do this to the rails and save electronics but if it doesn't work I have wasted a lot of time removing all the rivets, making brackets etc. I still would need a small offset to lift the rails off the floor because there is a hump between the front and rear mounting points on the door side so laying the seat rail flat on the floor wont happen. I believe it is the cover for the seat belt re-tractor for those cars that came equipped with that option. I may be able to remove it as it is only a bolted on plastic cover. Fun fun. yes this will take me awhile.

dreamn2

It's been about 10 years since I did it, But I believe i cut the feet off and used an existing hole in the bottom sliders.

KJL

What year is your vette?

dreamn2

It's a 69

7t9l82

im 6'4" any chance there is that much room with it bolted straight to the floor?

KJL

OK, if removing all those rivets didnt look like such a pain, I would just pop them off and remove just the feet and test fit the seats with the rails on, then decide if I should remove. I tested the electronics last night and they all function. I guess the reality of the situation is even if they work, because of already tight clearance, there would be little room for adjustment. I already drive with the seats against to back board. It looks like to remove the rails all I would need to do is remove the rivets from the arms that raise and lower the seat. Those 4 connection points look like all that ties the seat to the lower rail assembly.

gkull

Why don't you do the next logical step? I have a vette friend that years ago modded the floor and battery box. He cut out the floor and made it level with the foot well for a two inch gain to where the seats now mounted. He also modded the wall behind the seat so the seat could be also back two inches