'77 Seat Help!!!
Thread Starter
1st Gear
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
'77 Seat Help!!!
I have a '77 that I just bought. The seats lean back too far. I tried replacing the seat bumper and bumper bolt. They won't line up correctly. It's like the seat is bent or something. Help!!
Thanks,
Ed
Thanks,
Ed
Last edited by eepinnc; Apr 18, 2007 at 07:20 PM. Reason: Wrong forum should be in C3
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 14,112
Likes: 28
From: Florida
Common problem, especially if larger or very tall people have owned the car.
The bolts you refer to are threaded into nuts that are spot welded onto a thin metal "u" shaped frame.
This shape easily bends out of shape over the years.
The seat tracks also can break at the floor mounts and or rust thru.
Take the pass seat out first to get familiar, it's easiest to take the covers off, rebend the metal with large channel locks to line up the bolts properly. There are a lot of poor factory mig welds. Then weld the poor oem welds and also the spot welded nuts. Test the fit of the adj bolts before welding and replacing cover.
The bolts you refer to are threaded into nuts that are spot welded onto a thin metal "u" shaped frame.
This shape easily bends out of shape over the years.
The seat tracks also can break at the floor mounts and or rust thru.
Take the pass seat out first to get familiar, it's easiest to take the covers off, rebend the metal with large channel locks to line up the bolts properly. There are a lot of poor factory mig welds. Then weld the poor oem welds and also the spot welded nuts. Test the fit of the adj bolts before welding and replacing cover.
Advanced
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 57
Likes: 0
From: Apex NC
Last year I completely redid the seets in my 77. Striped them down, removed all rust, repainted, replaced foam, new leathers. I found no obvious issues with the seat frame at all. It went very smooth and then when they were all back together I have the same issue as you described.
I plan to take them back out to see if maybe it was just the way I bolted them down. I have very little free time, so I decided it would just have to do for now. It still looks much better to me!
Let me know what you find.
I have more fun when I am the only one in the car anyway!
I plan to take them back out to see if maybe it was just the way I bolted them down. I have very little free time, so I decided it would just have to do for now. It still looks much better to me!
Let me know what you find.
I have more fun when I am the only one in the car anyway!
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,991
Likes: 3
From: Piscataway NJ
It's my guess the lower frames are cracked and a renforcement plate is available. Sometimes it is the seat back adjuster nut has let go but that is obvious to see. I have done this to my 73 and 77. If you have acess to a mig it's time to tear down the seats and rebuild them.
Pro
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 561
Likes: 0
My guess is a little more simple. Yet probable.
This will be tough to explain without pics, but here goes !
With your seat installed and forward retracted you should see two "landing bolts" that are adjustable.....what these do is prevent the seat from going back too far. What these do is butt up against two similar flattend sections underneath the rear retractable section of your seat assembly.
My guess is that they are gone or minimally adjusted all the way down.
This will be tough to explain without pics, but here goes !
With your seat installed and forward retracted you should see two "landing bolts" that are adjustable.....what these do is prevent the seat from going back too far. What these do is butt up against two similar flattend sections underneath the rear retractable section of your seat assembly.
My guess is that they are gone or minimally adjusted all the way down.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 14,112
Likes: 28
From: Florida
My guess is a little more simple. Yet probable.
This will be tough to explain without pics, but here goes !
With your seat installed and forward retracted you should see two "landing bolts" that are adjustable.....what these do is prevent the seat from going back too far. What these do is butt up against two similar flattend sections underneath the rear retractable section of your seat assembly.
My guess is that they are gone or minimally adjusted all the way down.
This will be tough to explain without pics, but here goes !
With your seat installed and forward retracted you should see two "landing bolts" that are adjustable.....what these do is prevent the seat from going back too far. What these do is butt up against two similar flattend sections underneath the rear retractable section of your seat assembly.
My guess is that they are gone or minimally adjusted all the way down.
I have a '77 that I just bought. The seats lean back too far. I tried replacing the seat bumper and bumper bolt. They won't line up correctly. It's like the seat is bent or something. Help!!
Thanks,
Ed
Thanks,
Ed
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Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
If your seat frames are not damaged, I'm guessing that you are not a "tall" person [me neither]. The C3 seats were designed more "laid back" than prior or later years because that would allow enough head room for tall drivers. When I did my interior, I put 1/2" spacers under the back bolt areas (had to buy longer bolts, too). Worked out just fine for me.