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When it rains it pours! So tonight I got in my C3 and suddenly I felt a jerk as I leaned back into my seat. The back rest had somehow come loose and no longer supported my lower back. I realize the metal piece connecting the back rest to the seat cushion had come out of its socket at the cushion. Here are some pictures.
Not long after, I noticed that my passenger seat hd aa hole in the cushion. Powdery, 50 year old padding (I assume) is coming out.
In the short term, I've braced the area behind my drivers seat with cushions so I can at least drive around with some support.
But how do I fix these two problems? Do I take the driver's seat out? The spot the loose connector is in makes it impossible to screw it back into place.
Also, please note ONLY the right side connector has come loose. The left is still in place, and the left side of my driver's seat still gives me support. It's only the right side that is the problem.
4 main pieces to the 2 seats. 2 backs, 2 bottoms. Replace 1, you gotta replace em all. Especially with blue. Seat a tiny mismatch to console or door panels us normal. But the seats have to match each other.
Not sure of your year but on my 77 that hinge bolts to the seat frame. If it was mine I would remove the seat flip it over and see it the frame broke. Guessing I would say the nut is no longer attached there, I have a extra seat and if memory serves it is either a cage nut or welded nut
looks very much like my 69 seats and I had the same thing happen to me many years ago. The bolt that holds the seat back to the seat base walked its way loose. You might be able to realign the bolt with the hole in the seat base but may have to remove the seat. You have to put some lok tite blue on the thread or the bolt will walk out again from moving the seat back forward and then back many times.
Thanks so much guys. Took the seats out. Tending to broken piece now. Follow up question, I am using opportunity to replacd seatbelts. Got the buckle off, but how do I get to where the lap belt is housed? Appears to go down into the actual frame?
Update: Driver's seat appears saved! Bolt just came loose, I tightened the hell out of it. Seems okay.
Now onto my other questions, aside from the seatbelt removal, any suggestions on how to patch up these tears in the seats? Any glue that would work for a while until I replace the interior?
No glue is going to fix that. Maybe patch with some colored tape until you can save up for a nice set of new seat covers and foam (the foam is a MUST) from CA. Best to get the associated installation kits. Not a hard job - CA has very detailed install videos. I did this last summer on my '72 LT-1.
You have to remove the seat or be very careful and just slide the loose seat forward to give you access to the bolt. The seat belt bolts to the floor under the seat. Lou.
The lap belts route down to the floor, and across to the area under the seat, through a bracket at the rocker (which you can see in your 1st photo in post #10.
You can try to remove the belt without the bracket being removed, but it's a big chore.
Easier to remove the bracket first.
Also, the anchors for that bracket and for the belt-to-floor, can get pretty rusted/seized as they are exposed on the under-side to the elements.
You'll need patience, chemistry, and maybe heat to get them loosened up without damage. I replaced all the bolts that I was able, when I did my belt upgrade job last year.
But 1 or 2 of the rocker bracket fasteners are tricky to get to the backside, as they are inside the outer frame rail.
Best to get yourself an AIM, as it will have all the pictures, routings, fasteners, torques to help you through jobs like this.
Seatbelt Solutions makes a nice upgrade kit, to replace the 2-piece belts with an integrated system of lap/shoulder belts.
Good luck!
Update: Driver's seat appears saved! Bolt just came loose, I tightened the hell out of it. Seems okay.
Now onto my other questions, aside from the seatbelt removal, any suggestions on how to patch up these tears in the seats? Any glue that would work for a while until I replace the interior?
Did someone drill a hole in the upper seat bracket arm and install a second bolt with a washer?
Help! Seat Emergency!
Along with lots of other restoration tasks.