Seats Need Moving Back

[RobotMan 264]

I apologize if this topic has been covered before but did not see discussion. Seems like I read about it one time. As many of you may know my son Mike and I are working on his 69 FB and we are at the point of putting in the floor pan. Based on my experience with my other sons 69 FB restoration the seats are too close for comfortable driving. My oldest son is 6’5” and my youngest is 6’4” at 15 yrs old and still growing. Need a solution for moving the seats back.

At this point the floor pan is on bench and seat risers have not been welded in. I think moving the seats back about 3” would be tremendously helpful. Obviously the seat belt attachment points are an issue at the floor at rocker and tunnel. Tunnel can be easily moved but rocker not so easy. Also there are indentions in rocker that would be in area I want to move too but not sure what they are for (see pic). 

Also I remember seeing some modified seat tracks at some point. Anyone know of any to get extra stroke?

just looking for general ideas, warnings based on previous experience , etc before cutting on parts. Any help would be appreciated. 

Thanks

Rick

 

[unilec 57]

You can also just add flat bar to attach the seat runners too.

[mustangstofear 608]

I just talked to a  customer  on Friday  a out the same problem.  He is ordering  our seat and  wanted to  make  sure  they didn't  sit any higher than the  factory ones,  which they don't.  I suggested  he move  his  seat riser  back to  where  he's  comfortable.  For the seat belts he's  going with a  3 point  and attaching  to our roll bar.

[unilec 57]

Only problem I see with moving the seat riser back is it will restrict the foot well size for back seat passengers, you may also want to reduce the height of the riser to give you more headroom.

[RobotMan 264]

7 minutes ago, mustangstofear said:

I just talked to a  customer  on Friday  a out the same problem.  He is ordering  our seat and  wanted to  make  sure  they didn't  sit any higher than the  factory ones,  which they don't.  I suggested  he move  his  seat riser  back to  where  he's  comfortable.  For the seat belts he's  going with a  3 point  and attaching  to our roll bar.

Not interested in a roll bar. Just want regular 3 pt seatbelts. What is special about your seats?

[RobotMan 264]

3 minutes ago, unilec said:

Only problem I see with moving the seat riser back is it will restrict the foot well size for back seat passengers, you may also want to reduce the height of the riser to give you more headroom.

Also seat belt retractor is in the way. Wondering if anyone had moved attachment point in rocker?

[RPM 1,190]

I moved the seat riser back 3/4" (so I could still use the stock access hole), the seat a few inches, and the seat belt nut on the rocker a few inches. I left the inner seat belt nut alone, which makes for a real close fit with the lower rear seat area. 

[RPM 1,190]

[Rsanter 152]

I have done this a couple times for customers.

i don’t like to move the seat platform so I always do it with the added bracket to the seat track.

whats nice is as it goes back it also goes down due to the angle.

 

if you need to move the seatbelt attachment, no big deal. Just do it.

its all hidden under the  carpet

[RobotMan 264]

2 hours ago, Rsanter said:

I have done this a couple times for customers.

i don’t like to move the seat platform so I always do it with the added bracket to the seat track.

whats nice is as it goes back it also goes down due to the angle.

 

if you need to move the seatbelt attachment, no big deal. Just do it.

its all hidden under the  carpet

Any suggestions on moving the rocker panel seat belt point as I do not want to disassemble the rocker to get to it from the back. Maybe just cut it out and weld in scab plate with new nut?  Thanks for all the help guys. 

 

 

[aslanefe 333]

1 hour ago, RobotMan said:

Any suggestions on moving the rocker panel seat belt point as I do not want to disassemble the rocker to get to it from the back. Maybe just cut it out and weld in scab plate with new nut?  Thanks for all the help guys. 

 

 

No need to create a lot of work disassembling the rocker panel, I would weld a new nut.

[RobotMan 264]

7 hours ago, aslanefe said:

No need to create a lot of work disassembling the rocker panel, I would weld a new nut.

I’m fairly confident there is a reinforcement plate with the nut to give it strength during an accident. If that is to be added, makes it a bit more complicated than just welding in a nut. 

[aslanefe 333]

35 minutes ago, RobotMan said:

I’m fairly confident there is a reinforcement plate with the nut to give it strength during an accident. If that is to be added, makes it a bit more complicated than just welding in a nut. 

The rocker panels (both inside and outside) are thicker than other body panels; as far as I remember no reinforcement for the nut on rocker.The floor has reinforcement for seat belt attach points as it is thinner. If you want reinforcement; weld your nut on a plate with a hole, drill a bigger hole on the inner rocker where you want your belt anchor point, put the plate with nut fitting in the hole on rocker, weld your plate on top of rocker. Carpet will cover it. Removing inside rocker in one piece is major work. I think the rockers are one of the first pieces that the vehicle is assembled around. Have a look at the post where a member is restoring a 69 vert where the only piece he is re-using from original vehicle is the A pillars, that will give you an idea on how involved is removing only inner rocker.

[mustangstofear 608]

16 hours ago, RobotMan said:

Not interested in a roll bar. Just want regular 3 pt seatbelts. What is special about your seats?

Our seats are  no taller than the  originals. We also have a bracket that mounts in  the Qtr panels  so the retractors are  hidden.  For someone who is  6'8" their not concerned about the rear passengers  LOL.

[Rsanter 152]

There are several easy ways to add a seat belt point with reinforcement.

 

cut, drill and tap a plate.

cut a slot or a flap on the inside of the rocker and slip the piece in. Plug weld to hold in place and then weld up the slot or flap

 

Or

weld a nut to a plate and then droll a big enough hole for the nut to fit through.

then weld that plate to the outside of the rocker with the nut on the backside

[RobotMan 264]

Thanks for the info guys

[RobotMan 264]

Mike and I got the seatbelt points moved. The floor pan was fairly straight forward. 

I verified the rockers did have a reinforcement plate for the seatbelt point.  So I came up with a plan that I thought was pretty cool and easy to execute.  I layed out a rectangle that was symmetrical such that when I cut it out and rotated it, the seat belt point and reinforcement plate moved back 3” and fit back in the same spot (see pic).  All I had to do is weld it back in.  Ended up being real easy. Thought this may help someone else who may be thinking of this.  The final grinding pic is of the opposite side just for reference.

 

[aslanefe 333]

3 hours ago, RobotMan said:

Mike and I got the seatbelt points moved. The floor pan was fairly straight forward. 

I verified the rockers did have a reinforcement plate for the seatbelt point.  So I came up with a plan that I thought was pretty cool and easy to execute.  I layed out a rectangle that was symmetrical such that when I cut it out and rotated it, the seat belt point and reinforcement plate moved back 3” and fit back in the same spot (see pic).  All I had to do is weld it back in.  Ended up being real easy. Thought this may help someone else who may be thinking of this.  The final grinding pic is of the opposite side just for reference.

When you say the rockers have reinforcement, are you talking about the threaded insert/nut plate spot welded on the inside of the hole or is there some other reinforcement?

[RobotMan 264]

9 hours ago, aslanefe said:

When you say the rockers have reinforcement, are you talking about the threaded insert/nut plate spot welded on the inside of the hole or is there some other reinforcement?

Yes the plate welded to the back of the inner rocker panel with the tapped hole in it. It is approximately 3” x 1-1/2”. 

[RobotMan 264]

Anyone know how much extra head room a low profile seat riser provides?  Also where to buy them?

[aslanefe 333]

4 hours ago, RobotMan said:

Anyone know how much extra head room a low profile seat riser provides?  Also where to buy them?

I have not seen any vendors selling a low profile seat riser, but seen people who lowered the original seat riser. Seat riser is about 3 inches tall in the front but lower at the rear, so you can gain an inch or two if you remove your seat riser. You have to reinforce the seat attachment points on the floor if you remove the seat riser, you can also add convertible reinforcement that goes under the floor.

[aslanefe 333]

To add, if you remove the seat riser completely and bolt the seats to floor, the seat will tilt forward.

[SunnDogg 18]

17 hours ago, RobotMan said:

Anyone know how much extra head room a low profile seat riser provides?  Also where to buy them?

We installed the low-profile pans that come from Dynacorn. I am still putting the interior together so can't speak to exactly how much of a difference it makes. Can take some measurements of the riser itself if you like as I have not put in my carpet yet. I am also using a seat track extender as I sit around 6'2" and mostly needed the belly room.

http://dynacorndepot.com/seat-platform-lh-69-70-low-profile-3647ybwt-mustang-69-70

http://dynacorndepot.com/seat-platform-rh-69-70-low-profile-3647yawt-mustang-69-70

https://www.ebay.com/itm/65-66-67-68-69-70-MUSTANG-COUGAR-SEAT-TRACK-EXTENDERS-EXTENSIONS/332960118819?hash=item4d85f83823:g:1-QAAOxyfVtSL4Uj

[RobotMan 264]

50 minutes ago, SunnDogg said:

We installed the low-profile pans that come from Dynacorn. I am still putting the interior together so can't speak to exactly how much of a difference it makes. Can take some measurements of the riser itself if you like as I have not put in my carpet yet. I am also using a seat track extender as I sit around 6'2" and mostly needed the belly room.

http://dynacorndepot.com/seat-platform-lh-69-70-low-profile-3647ybwt-mustang-69-70

http://dynacorndepot.com/seat-platform-rh-69-70-low-profile-3647yawt-mustang-69-70

https://www.ebay.com/itm/65-66-67-68-69-70-MUSTANG-COUGAR-SEAT-TRACK-EXTENDERS-EXTENSIONS/332960118819?hash=item4d85f83823:g:1-QAAOxyfVtSL4Uj

Yes I too require extra belly room. I have standard risers and it would be great to get some measurements of your low profile risers to see if it would be worthwhile. Thanks for the help. 

[SunnDogg 18]

Measuring in between the seat mounting holes on the angle it is approx. 2.5" tall. Not certain on the height of the OE pans as these were replaced when my car was out for body and paint. I've read in other posts that 69/70 risers are lower in general and people have installed these on other years to lower the seats, so that could be what Dynacorn is referring to when they say low-profile. Let me know if I can help with any other measurements.