seat back adjustment 81 c3
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
seat back adjustment 81 c3
can anyone tell me how to adjust the seat back on my 81. It leans too far back . Constantly pulling at the wheel. I've looked and searched but cant find much on it . Thanks, Russ
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,058
Likes: 27
From: Eastern North Carolina
I don't think you will find much on it. What you see is what you get, I guess people used to lay down when they were driving back in the day. I used rubber heater hose along the lip of the bottom and top halfs where they meet. Still the seatback is to far back for my taste. good Luck and I hope somebody has a better idea.....Tim
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 4,652
Likes: 80
From: Lakeland Florida
OK, I was going to answer, and then saw you have a 81. Those are different seats than in my 72. On the earlier cars we have two large screws at the bottom of the seat back that we can adjust to make the seat lean back or forward, depending on if they are screwed in.
I think I heard of someone putting a towel between the seat back and the rear panel in order to make the seat back lean forward a little.
kdf
I think I heard of someone putting a towel between the seat back and the rear panel in order to make the seat back lean forward a little.
kdf
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 10,684
Likes: 696
From: Danville Illinois
2025 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Modified
2024 C3 of the Year Winner - Modified
2021 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2019 C3 of Year Finalist (appearance mods)
I had the same problem on mine only its a 75.
I added washers under the adjustable two bolts to lay the seat back more forward.
You can only add so many washers before it wont lock when you push the seat back.
I added washers under the adjustable two bolts to lay the seat back more forward.
You can only add so many washers before it wont lock when you push the seat back.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 3,697
Likes: 833
From: WI
What you 'could' do is take the seat backs off and build up the 'bottoming tab' with weld. It wouldn't take much material to lift the 'rake' up a little. I have not done this mod, but looking at the mechanism it doesn't look too hard to do if you have a welder.
Mark G
Mark G
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,058
Likes: 27
From: Eastern North Carolina
Mark, the six way power seat doesn't do much at all for the angle of the seat back. I like the idea you have about building up the bottom tab but not sure if I understand what the bottom tab is? On a 81 the top shell and bottom shell are made of some type of fiber-glass or plastic, I guess you could build that edge up...Tim
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1,116
Likes: 5
From: Middleburg Florida
I kinda did the same thing as manfroni for the passanger side seat on mine. My wife was complaining the seat was laying back to far. I unbolted the rear bolts, and used old lug nuts for spacers, then longer bolts. It doesn't take much to lift the back of the seat. Drivers side is power so I never had to deal with it....
Heel & Toe
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
From: Arizona
I put a piece of 3/4 x 3/4 square wood full lenghth between the bottom of the seat back and top of the seat bottom where the plastic frames meet. My interior color is Camel so tan colored stapping tape holds it in place on the seat bottom nicely. You wouldn't even know it was there.
