New Project C5 Z06 seats :)
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 5,000
Likes: 1
From: Minneapolis, Mn USA
New Project C5 Z06 seats :)
Just started with this tonight. My inspiration is CARPEDM for the mounting set-up. The drivers seat sits much lower than the passenger seat since the 82 has the 6 way power driver seat and manual passenger.
Im hoping to document as much as I can to help others with this type project.
One thing I did was to get some earlier manual C3 sliders with the flat bar style adjuster (as opposed to the full round bar). Ill put a chrome ball on the ends of these and should have a set-up that looks pretty good.
I removed the C5 tracks by using a 13mm ratchet wrench on the nuts-bolts on the foam side of the tracks and the tracks come off without having to remove any seat foam of skins.
I plan to Use CARPEDM method to get the mounting holes set-up. The 82 driver do not have holes anywhere near where the earlier manual C3 tracks are so this will be a challenge to come up with a way to mount. The 82 driver have 4 studs welded to the slider brackets and you then put a nut on under the car and tighten it up. Makes it easy to mount the original, but a pain Im sure to mount anything without the welded studs.
Here's the first pics:
Seats with C5 tracks
Seats sitting in for a trial fit. Drivers was soo low that I put a 2x4 flat under each side of it for additional height so it is closer to the original C3 height.
I also measured the seat distance straight vertical to the T-Top glass:
C3 originals both 35 3/4 inch from back of seat bottom.
C5 driver sitting on 2x4 flat side now is 36 5/8
C5 passenger on floor is 35 even (lost 3/4 inch already.
Im hoping to document as much as I can to help others with this type project.
One thing I did was to get some earlier manual C3 sliders with the flat bar style adjuster (as opposed to the full round bar). Ill put a chrome ball on the ends of these and should have a set-up that looks pretty good.
I removed the C5 tracks by using a 13mm ratchet wrench on the nuts-bolts on the foam side of the tracks and the tracks come off without having to remove any seat foam of skins.
I plan to Use CARPEDM method to get the mounting holes set-up. The 82 driver do not have holes anywhere near where the earlier manual C3 tracks are so this will be a challenge to come up with a way to mount. The 82 driver have 4 studs welded to the slider brackets and you then put a nut on under the car and tighten it up. Makes it easy to mount the original, but a pain Im sure to mount anything without the welded studs.
Here's the first pics:
Seats with C5 tracks
Seats sitting in for a trial fit. Drivers was soo low that I put a 2x4 flat under each side of it for additional height so it is closer to the original C3 height.
I also measured the seat distance straight vertical to the T-Top glass:
C3 originals both 35 3/4 inch from back of seat bottom.
C5 driver sitting on 2x4 flat side now is 36 5/8
C5 passenger on floor is 35 even (lost 3/4 inch already.
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 3,775
Likes: 4
sdonnelly PMd me with this several months ago. i just havnt gotten around to doing it yet. too many other projects that need to come first.
Hello, I did the C5- C3 seats a while ago using the C3 tracks. Was quite simple once I did it. Use the existing outside, front hole of the C5 seat and mount the track to it. That puts the seat in the right place. I used flat 1/8 by 3" steel to go from the track to the existing holes in the floor. This allows the seat to still be movable and sit as low as possible.
If you would like a better write up with pictures, let me know.
Steve
my understanding would be that only 2 tracks in total would have to be modified to mount them to the floor (all the tracks need new holes drilled in them to mount to the seats) the outside track goes to the floor, and then the inside track gets the 3" extension welded to it, to mount that to the floor.
Hello, I did the C5- C3 seats a while ago using the C3 tracks. Was quite simple once I did it. Use the existing outside, front hole of the C5 seat and mount the track to it. That puts the seat in the right place. I used flat 1/8 by 3" steel to go from the track to the existing holes in the floor. This allows the seat to still be movable and sit as low as possible.
If you would like a better write up with pictures, let me know.
Steve
my understanding would be that only 2 tracks in total would have to be modified to mount them to the floor (all the tracks need new holes drilled in them to mount to the seats) the outside track goes to the floor, and then the inside track gets the 3" extension welded to it, to mount that to the floor.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 5,000
Likes: 1
From: Minneapolis, Mn USA
Update
Here is the passenger seat set-up. I was able to get some used tracks from an earlier year manual seat at The Corvette Shop locally here in MN. I didnt want to mangle my originals so I could sell them whole with the C3 seats.
Just have to make the measurements-drill holes to get them to line up with the existing floor hole width. The lengths were a perfect fit as these earlier year manual seat tracks match my 82 manual tracks. I bolted them directly to the C5 aluminum frames after a good clean up and paint session.
Washers 10X were used in the front to give them a good rake
Rears were directly on the frames
front view
Just have to make the measurements-drill holes to get them to line up with the existing floor hole width. The lengths were a perfect fit as these earlier year manual seat tracks match my 82 manual tracks. I bolted them directly to the C5 aluminum frames after a good clean up and paint session.
Washers 10X were used in the front to give them a good rake
Rears were directly on the frames
front view
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 5,000
Likes: 1
From: Minneapolis, Mn USA
the driver side had full 6 way power seats so the floor was much lower and hte bolt holes in teh floor were not anywhere near teh passenger manual. So I had to take the earlier year manual tracks again and get some brackets welded up. I test fitted with 2x4s and wood flooring scraps to get the height right.
Here are the tracks with the new brackets welded
Tracks were mounted up the same way as the passenger -washers in front and directly on the frames in the rear.
I put bolts in to act as studs for the rear so all I had to do was drop the seats in place and mount up to the bolts coming through the floor holes. The nuts are small enough that they fit right into the 3/4 inch holes in the floor so they do not add any height to the seat.
Both driver and passenger seat lost only 1/2 inch in height from back of seat cushion to directly verticle to the T-Top. Since the C5 seats have more cushion give to them, when you sit in it, it gives more and my eye level meets up exactly where they were in my C3 seats according to my rear view mirror adjustment. So all is good.
Here are the tracks with the new brackets welded
Tracks were mounted up the same way as the passenger -washers in front and directly on the frames in the rear.
I put bolts in to act as studs for the rear so all I had to do was drop the seats in place and mount up to the bolts coming through the floor holes. The nuts are small enough that they fit right into the 3/4 inch holes in the floor so they do not add any height to the seat.
Both driver and passenger seat lost only 1/2 inch in height from back of seat cushion to directly verticle to the T-Top. Since the C5 seats have more cushion give to them, when you sit in it, it gives more and my eye level meets up exactly where they were in my C3 seats according to my rear view mirror adjustment. So all is good.
Last edited by MN-Brent; May 2, 2008 at 07:24 PM.
Intermediate
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 33
Likes: 0
From: Tomball Texas
C6 seats for 1978 Corvette
Can you use power seats from a C6 to replace the 1978 Corvette seats similar to the C5 seats?
I want to replace the originals with better comfort and power for both sides. Please let me know if this has been done yet with any info will be helpful.
Regards,
Rick from Tomball Texas
I want to replace the originals with better comfort and power for both sides. Please let me know if this has been done yet with any info will be helpful.
Regards,
Rick from Tomball Texas
the driver side had full 6 way power seats so the floor was much lower and hte bolt holes in teh floor were not anywhere near teh passenger manual. So I had to take the earlier year manual tracks again and get some brackets welded up. I test fitted with 2x4s and wood flooring scraps to get the height right.
Here are the tracks with the new brackets welded
Tracks were mounted up the same way as the passenger -washers in front and directly on the frames in the rear.
I put bolts in to act as studs for the rear so all I had to do was drop the seats in place and mount up to the bolts coming through the floor holes. The nuts are small enough that they fit right into the 3/4 inch holes in the floor so they do not add any height to the seat.
Both driver and passenger seat lost only 1/2 inch in height from back of seat cushion to directly verticle to the T-Top. Since the C5 seats have more cushion give to them, when you sit in it, it gives more and my eye level meets up exactly where they were in my C3 seats according to my rear view mirror adjustment. So all is good.
Here are the tracks with the new brackets welded
Tracks were mounted up the same way as the passenger -washers in front and directly on the frames in the rear.
I put bolts in to act as studs for the rear so all I had to do was drop the seats in place and mount up to the bolts coming through the floor holes. The nuts are small enough that they fit right into the 3/4 inch holes in the floor so they do not add any height to the seat.
Both driver and passenger seat lost only 1/2 inch in height from back of seat cushion to directly verticle to the T-Top. Since the C5 seats have more cushion give to them, when you sit in it, it gives more and my eye level meets up exactly where they were in my C3 seats according to my rear view mirror adjustment. So all is good.
