seat replacement
 

So I decided the final mod I was going to do for a bit on my now 4 week old vette would be to add some new racing seats. Man was that the wrong decision. I ordered some Cipher Auto reclining Racing seats along with mounting brackets from CARiD. I ordered both at the same time, I opted for the Affirm financing option, cool, more in pocket for more mods. They shipped the seats and brackets separate, so I got the seats yesterday, and the brackets today. I had already assembled the seats, and they looked good, and fit me good. I got the brackets in today, and I go to put them on the seats and they did not send any mounting hardware, no screws, bolts, zip ties, or even a glue stick. That was frustrating. I then get to looking at the way they mount, so I can either call and ask for hardware, or just run up to Oreilly's and grab some. They sent the wrong seat brackets, they don't fit the seats. So that's even more frustrating. In this time, I had already pulled the stock sport seat so I could start yanking the seat belt off. Here is the deal breaker, the two wires from the seatbelt (I suppose to let the car know its buckled) goes into an enormous harness attached to the seat, then back out to a harness that attaches to the wiring on the car. I would have to totally tear up the stock seat to get those wires free to move to new seats.

Anyone replaced their seats with aftermarket and been able to figure this out? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

I replaced my stock seats last year with Corbeau's, so the installation is somewhat different I'm sure.
As to the wiring though, my 2003 Z06 only had a wiring harness underneath the drivers seat because it was a power seat. The passenger seat is manual.
The seatbelt recepticle bolts onto both seats on the tunnel side. I don't recall any wires attached to them.
Now both of my seats are manual and I simply left the wiring harness plug laying on the carpet, underneath the drivers seat.
You might want to include a little more info about your car, I.e. Year/model.
I know some have power seats for driver and passenger and may be totally different.
At any rate, you won't be able to install the new seats without the correct brackets and hardware, and that sucks!
Sorry I can't offer more, but that's all I can do with the info provided.

2000 coupe. Both Seats are power. I'm going to look more tomorrow and see if its possible to remove the harness from the seat. If so, I may be able to wiring and just stuff it under the new seats. We shall see.

I can tell you, you'll need to move both seats all the way forward and take the back nuts off, then move them all the way back to get the front ones.
Do you know how to take the covers off of the front ones?

I had purchased some after market seats for my 2002 about 2 months ago. I too have problem with the bracket that doesn't fit the seats. I have to do some mod and drill some new holes in order for the seats to be able to mount. After that I have to switch the driver side and the passenger side due to the new seats have a reclined handle and that will created a lot of fittment issue. I don't know if you have gotten that far yet. But do pay attention to that before you get all worked up and the seats don't fit in the car.

I love my new seats it is very firm and very supportive.

But it was a bear to get it install.

good luck with your install, also there is a write up somewhere about the seat installation.

I've had the seats out, 3 or 4 times now. No problems getting them out of the car.

Sorry, my bad. Totally missed the part where you said you had the seat out.
I do remember seeing where someone installed those seats though. I remember them saying they had to put the drivers seat on the passengers side and vise versa because of the reclining mechanism due to the seatbelt roller being in the way.
Also, sorry to say, but they said the install was a bitch too, but it can be done.
Best of luck, maybe someone else can be of more help to you.

Couple things.


The wires on the seat belt receptacle will "unplug"-it's small, a pain in the ass, but possible.

Swapping drivers and passenger seats is only necessary for the Corbeau A4.

I have had experience with crap brackets and sliders. I ended up buying different brackets and sliders from Marrad for that particular set of seats.

I have had stock, Procar, Apsis and C6 seats in my vette.

:worthlessnopics:

These threads may be of some help:

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...-yourself.html

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...seat-help.html

:cheers:

The first link is mine from last summer and was basically a test setup for better seats to come. I have these coming in on Wed from Cipher and will start up a new thread http://www.cipherauto.com/index.php?...ducts_id=12709 .

You should post up pics of the mounting brackets I used cheap ebay ones that mated to the car perfectly, had to massage out a few hole to get to line up with seat sliders.

The wiring harness can be unwired from the stock seat with not much problem and with the box will allow you to keep your tilt steering functions.

Hey Tom, I just got my seats in today. I will be making my own mounts so I've only test fit them so far. The seat base fits pretty good but the seat back is hitting the upper seatbelt spool. I do have the seat almost all the way back but I need that to clear my legs. I have the C6 belts in and got a set of the belt extenders for the inner belt receiver so all parts are finely in so I can start on the mounts. It's a tight fit but it'll work.

I track my car so I want a more heavy duty mount than the ebay ones, along the lines of the Planted brand. I might also be installing a sub belt so will need a mount on the bracket for that. More to come later.

huh never heard of the seatback hitting the upper spool any pics of what you got going on.

I used c6 seatbelt extenders as my main female receivers for my setup good choice. Everything is a tight fit.

How are you making your brackets welding skills? The cheap ebay brackets aren't what I would call flimsy you could always at more support to them if you feel they are not strong enough. Any pics you can take we are pic whores on here plus it helps describe what you are doing.

I have a 02 Coupe and like lewislg I installed Corbeaus. Power seat on the driver side only; I just left the unconnected harness under the Corbeau. No problems.

Disregard my post...I'm in my iPhone and didn't see all the subsequent posts... see your beyond the power issue.

Here's a quick pic. The suede is not purple but black, the flash messed with the color.

Attachment 48067204

The seat base fits without hitting the tunnel but the seat back hits both sides when you get back far enough as that area tapers.

The holes in the mount are a little too close to the edge for my taste.

Attachment 48067208

I've been waiting for the seats to arrive before starting on the mounts so I could measure everything.

The Cipher seats I ordered will not fit. I have exchanged the, for a set of Sparco seats. I know they should fit, will post pics once I get them in and installed. The passenger side is easy, no issues with the harness, that buckle does not have a monitor. I looked more at the drivers side, I believe I can pull the harness out and attach it under the new seat without too many issues.

tsquare, these seats will not fit without converting to the C6 seat belts unless you are very short. I'm 6' and they will work for me but just barely. If the seat back was modded by removing some bulk where they hit you could move them all the way back but not as is. There is about 2" of space behind the seat in the position shown in the pic. About where the stock seat was for me. That gives me a place to put the seat computer so my telescopic column still works.

I am 5'9, so I THINK I will be okay. I can get a seatbelt extender if needed for the interim. I plan on getting a harness bar and floor mounts and going with a 4 or 5 point after I get the seats installed and everything.

Nice those are the seats I ordered but I thought the contrast stitching was lighter so I can dye it red. I will make those f*ckers fit watch

HaHaHA.

The stitching is black, not the best picture. The seats are actually quite nice.

Attachment 48067247